1.) Bill Evans (born William John Evans; 16th August 1929-15th September 1980) was one of the most famous jazz pianists of the twentieth century. Along with McCoy Tyner and Oscar Peterson, he was the force behind the biggest evolution in jazz piano since Art Tatum and Bud Powell.
His use of impressionistic harmony, his inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and his syncopated and polyrhythmic melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists, including Herbie Hancock, Denny Zeitlin, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett, and his work continues to inspire younger pianists such as Fred Hersch, Bill Charlap, and Lyle Mays, as well as other musicians such as guitarist John McLaughlin.
He worked briefly with Miles Davis and was the pianist on all but one track of Kind of Blue (1959). In fact, although "Blue in Green" is credited to Davis, Evans always claimed that it was his own composition and that some years later Davis gave him $25 as compensation for lost royalties.
Evans won seven Grammys during his career, the first for Conversations with Myself (1963) although not for his most celebrated work, Sunday at The Village Vanguard (1961) with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian.
In 1994, Bill Evans was posthumously awarded a "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) "for altering the course of jazz piano with his lyrical, impressionistic solo and trio recordings, characterised by the understated intensity, distinctive chord voicings, and unique harmonic sensibility that opened up the vocabulary of modern jazz".
2.) Bill Evans (born 9th February 1958 in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, USA) is an American jazz saxophonist. His father was a classical piano prodigy and until junior high school Evans studied classical clarinet. Early in his studies he was able to hear such artists as Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz live at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. He attended Hinsdale Central High School and studied with jazz tenor saxophonist Vince Micko.
He plays primarily tenor and soprano saxophones. Evans attended North Texas State University and William Paterson University, where he studied with Dave Liebman, who had played with Miles Davis. Moving to New York City in 1979 he spent countless hours in lofts playing jazz standards and perfecting his improvisational style. At the age of twenty-two he joined Miles Davis. In the early to mid-1980s, Evans played with Davis and was instrumental in his musical comeback. Notable albums recorded with Miles include The Man with the Horn, We Want Miles, and Decoy.
In addition to playing with Miles Davis he has played, toured and recorded with artists such as Herbie Hancock, John Mclaughlin (and his Mahavishnu Orchestra), Michael Franks, Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Les McCann, Mark Egan, Danny Gottlieb, Ian Anderson, and Randy Brecker, among others. He is featured on the Petite Blonde album with Victor Bailey, Dennis Chambers, Mitch Forman, and Chuck Loeb.
Two of his most recent albums Soul Insider and Soulgrass were nominated for Grammy awards. Soulgrass was a groundbreaking bluegrass-jazz fusion concept involving such musicians as Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Bruce Hornsby, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Although his latest projects are musically eclectic, his stylistic roots remain in the history of jazz saxophone, influenced by such players as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Stan Getz, and Steve Grossman.
3.) San Francisco Bay Area musician and Virginia native Bill Evans has been involved with bluegrass music and the banjo for over twenty-five years as a player, teacher, writer, and historian. He occupies a unique niche in the banjo world: celebrated worldwide for his traditional and progressive bluegrass banjo styles as well as his innovative original compositions, he also enjoys a reputation as an outstanding instructor as well as being an expert player of nineteenth-century minstrel and classic/parlour banjo styles.
'Round Midnight
Bill Evans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Round midnight, midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
But it really gets bad
'Round midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
When my heart is still with you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Does it mean that our love is ending
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
You're out of my heart
And I'm out of my mind
Let our hearts take wings'
'Round midnight, midnight
Let the angels sing
For your returning
Till our love is safe and sound
And old midnight comes around
Feelin' sad
Really gets bad
Round, Round, Round Midnight
The lyrics to Bill Evans's song 'Round Midnight deal with the theme of heartbreak and nostalgia. The opening lines, "It begins to tell, 'Round midnight, midnight," sets the mood for the song. The lyrics depict the time of day when memories of lost love start to surface, and how difficult it is to shake those memories. The singer has a hard time dealing with his sadness during supper time, but it gets even worse around midnight when thoughts and memories of their past relationship come flooding back. The line, "Memories always start 'round midnight," effectively conveys the feeling of how starting another day only brings the person closer to their memories.
The singer's heart still belongs to their lost love, and they hope for a reconciliation. The lyrics express the idea that, despite the quarrels, their love may still be alive. The lines, "When a quarrel we had needs mending, does it mean that our love is ending," suggests that the singer is willing to work on the relationship. They express their longing for their love to return, and the hope that they can feel safe and sound together. The final lines, "Let the angels sing for your returning, till our love is safe and sound, and old midnight comes around," the singer hopes for a sign of mending, and that their love will return to them.
Line by Line Meaning
It begins to tell
A story is about to unfold
'Round midnight, midnight
The time is around midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
I am fine until the sun goes down
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
I feel sad during dinner time
But it really gets bad
But the sadness gets worse
'Round midnight
At and around midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
Memories of you always haunt me at midnight
Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I do not have the strength to endure those memories
When my heart is still with you
My heart is still longing for you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
Even the midnight hour knows of my longing for you
When a quarrel we had needs mending
When there is a need to fix a fight we had
Does it mean that our love is ending
Does it signify that our love is about to end?
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
My beloved, I need you, and lately, I realize it more
You're out of my heart
You are no longer in my heart
And I'm out of my mind
I am losing my mind thinking about you
Let our hearts take wings'
Let our hearts soar
'Round midnight, midnight
Around the midnight hour
Let the angels sing
Let the angels sing for us
For your returning
To celebrate your return
Till our love is safe and sound
Until our love is secure and in a good state
And old midnight comes around
When the midnight hour returns
Feelin' sad
Feeling melancholic
Really gets bad
The sadness gets worse
Round, Round, Round Midnight
Around and around, the midnight hour repeats itself
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ZeAlfredo
92ninersboy I was referring specifically to homophonic parallelism in Jazz harmony. Homophonic parallelism in Jazz goes all the way back to its roots in Blues, and ultimately African music.
However, when you specifically mention this Locked hands style. I Agree but with the stipulation that Bill evans hand his own locked hands style... its almost a completely different system of harmonizaiton from george shearing.
Although still recognizable as locked hands.
Bill evans harmonic vocabulary was (as you well know) was far more exploratory (i use that instead of advanced because older players new of these tonal concepts but did not explore them as much as more modern players ie scott joplin had 9ths in some of his compositions, and stride players ocacionall used 9ths and 13ths)
Bill Evans style of locked hands is extremely difficult to imitate. Just as mccoy tyners style is very difficult to true emulate.
But I must ask... Why do you say he stopped using it? is it due to its lack on records or live performances?? I know he had some interviews. but i dnt recall him mentioning it...
@vulgivagu
I am now 77 and I saw Bill Evan's back in the 1960's. He played at Ronnie Scott's original venue. The club was a very small and in such an intimate music setting it made Bill's music so intense. The guy was a genius but sadly had a tragic end. His legacy lives on in recordings but sadly the wonderful times I had in that club are now lost to memories. Everything changes I suppose
@charlesboyle9223
I hear what you are saying. You have shared this memory so it isn't lost. I hope you are well.
@olliedebhal7486
Wish I shared that gig.Saw Bill Evans on his last gig at Keystone Korner SF ,1980. My first time hearing him still mesmerised at some beautiful music.!
@kevinmichaelcallihansr5053
perhaps where I started, 80, then went back in time trying to capture the mix between Bass Clef and drums, for am forever a better person while listening to Bill Evans and doing my work well thankful for music to affect me in old age.@@olliedebhal7486
@littlebumgorf
I hope you are doing well
@matteodonofrio
What trio did you see back in 60s? Is there any chance you saw P Motian on drums?
@andremoreau8390
Evans has such a distinct voice on the piano. You can hear him play any piece and know it's him.
@zizaijunior5826
huh, your right. Never thought of that before
@devilsslave1970
As someone who is still trying to understand jazz, could you elaborate on what makes bill sound different than other jazz pianists?
@andremoreau8390
@@devilsslave1970 I'm sure there are all sorts of technical explanations why, but I don't know any of them. I've listened to a lot of Bill Evans, and a lot of other people play piano. Bill Evans plays like a robot with emotions. He's so precise, so punctual, but there's something very emotional about the way he strikes the keys. 'Round Midnight is a great song to compare pianists to, because it's such a standard. Listen to Thelonious Monk play it, he composed it. Then check out how Michel Petrucciani, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea play it. Each will give you a different result.