Born and raised in New Jersey, Evans was recruited for Southeastern Louisiana University on a flute scholarship, where he received a thorough background in theory, played in the marching band, and also led his football team to a league championship as a quarterback. Graduating as a piano major in 1950, he started to tour with the Herbie Fields band, but the draft soon beckoned, and Evans was placed in the Fifth Army Band near Chicago. After three years in the service, he arrived in New York in 1954, playing in Tony Scott's quartet and undertaking postgraduate studies at Mannes College, where he encountered composer George Russell and his modal jazz theories. By 1956, he had already recorded his first album as a leader for Riverside, New Jazz Conceptions, still enthralled by the bop style of Bud Powell but also unveiling what was to become his best-known composition, "Waltz for Debby," which he wrote while still in the Army.
In spring 1958, Evans began an eight-month gig with the Miles Davis Sextet, where he exerted a powerful influence upon the willful yet ever-searching leader. Though Evans left the band that autumn, exhausted by pressured expectations and anxious to form his own group, he was deeply involved in the planning and execution of Davis' epochal Kind of Blue album in 1959, contributing ideas about mood, structure, and modal improvisation, and collaborating on several of the compositions. Although the original release gave composition credit of "Blue in Green" to Davis, Evans claimed he wrote it entirely, based on two chords suggested by Davis (nowadays, they receive co-credit).
Evans returned to the scene as a leader in December 1958 with the album Everybody Digs Bill Evans, which included the famous "Peace Piece," a haunting vamp for solo piano that sounds like a long-lost Satie Gymnopédie. Evans' first working trio turned out to be his most celebrated, combining forces with the astounding young bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian in three-way telepathic trialogues. With this group, Evans became a star -- and there was even talk about a recording with Davis involving the entire trio. Sadly, only ten days after a landmark live session at the Village Vanguard in June 1961, LaFaro was killed in an auto accident -- and the shattered Evans went into seclusion for almost a year. He re-emerged the following spring with Chuck Israels as his bassist, and he would go on to record duets with guitarist Jim Hall and a swinging quintet session, Interplay, with Hall and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard.
Upon signing with Verve in 1962, Evans was encouraged by producer Creed Taylor to continue to record in more varied formats: with Gary McFarland's big band, the full-orchestra arrangements of Claus Ogerman, co-star Stan Getz, and a reunion with Hall. The most remarkable of these experiments was Conversations with Myself, a session where Evans overdubbed second and third piano parts onto the first; this eventually led to two sequels in that fashion.
By 1966, Evans had paired with Puerto Rican bassist Eddie Gomez and formed a trio with drummer Jack DeJohnette. Though short-lived, the group garnered attention, picking up a Grammy Award for the 1968 concert album Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival. That same year, DeJohnette left to be replaced by Marty Morell. This version of Evans' trio continued to work for a decade, releasing albums like 1969's What's New and 1971's Grammy-winning The Bill Evans Album. Evans also picked up a Grammy in 1970 for his solo piano date Alone.
In his only concession to the emerging jazz-rock scene, Evans dabbled with the Rhodes electric piano in the 1970s but eventually tired of it, even though inventor Harold Rhodes had tailored the instrument to Evans' specifications. He recorded further trio sessions with Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund before launching a final trio in the late '70s with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe La Barbera. Often considered one of the pianist's best configurations since the LaFaro-Motian team, their brief time together was documented on 1979's Grammy-winning We Will Meet Again, also featuring trumpeter Tom Harrell and saxophonist Larry Schneider.
By the late '70s, Evans' health was rapidly deteriorating, aggravated by long periods of heroin and cocaine addiction. He died on September 15, 1980, at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He was 51 years old. Along with a 1994 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a flood of unreleased recordings from commercial and private sources helped to further elevate interest in Evans' work. Turn Out the Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings arrived in 1996, followed by 2000's The Last Waltz, recorded at Keystone Korner in 1980. Resonance Records also released three archival albums featuring Evans' late-'60s trio: 2016's Some Other Time: The Lost Session from the Black Forest, 2018's Another Time: The Hilversum Concert, and 2020's Live at Ronnie Scott's.
Biography by Richard S. Ginell
There are other artists with the same name:
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.
Stardust
Bill Evans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steals across the meadows of my heart
High up in the sky the little stars climb
Always reminding me that we're apart
You wander down the lane and far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The music of the years gone by.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
The lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody
Haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
You are in my arms
The nightingale
Tells his fairytale
Of paradise, where roses grew
Though I dream in vain
In my heart it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love's refrain.
The opening lines of the song "Stardust" by Bill Evans set a nostalgic and melancholic tone, evoking a sense of longing and separation. The purple dusk of twilight symbolizes the fading of a relationship or a time that once brought happiness. The image of stars climbing high in the sky serves as a reminder of the distance between the singer and their loved one. The mention of wandering down a lane and leaving behind a song that will not die suggests a bittersweet farewell, with love now reduced to a distant memory, reminiscent of stardust that has faded over time. The music of the years gone by carries a sense of loss and the passage of time.
The next stanza delves into the singer's reflections on their past relationship, with a focus on the emotional impact of the memories. The reference to lonely nights spent dreaming of a song that haunts their reverie speaks to the enduring power of music to evoke emotions and transport one back to a specific moment in time. The nostalgia is palpable as the singer recalls the early days of love, when each kiss felt like an inspiration. However, as time has passed, those moments have become distant echoes, with only the stardust of a song offering solace and a connection to the past.
The mention of being with the loved one under the stars next to a garden wall portrays a dreamlike scene of intimacy and romance. The nightingale's song adds to the imagery of a fairy tale paradise where roses grew, highlighting the idealized nature of the memories being recounted. Despite the singer's acknowledgment that they may be dreaming in vain, the stardust melody lingers in their heart as a poignant reminder of the love that once bloomed between them. The memory of love's refrain, like a musical motif, resonates throughout the lyrics, underscoring the enduring impact of past relationships on the present.
Overall, "Stardust" by Bill Evans captures the essence of lost love and the wistful beauty of reminiscing about a past relationship. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of fleeting moments and cherished memories that continue to hold sway over the singer's emotions. The interplay between the imagery of twilight, stars, and music conveys a sense of nostalgia and longing, as well as a deep emotional connection to the past. Through its poetic language and evocative themes, the song invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences of love and loss, finding solace in the bittersweet echoes of stardust melodies that linger in the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
And now the purple dusk of twilight time
With the sun setting and the sky turning purple, it symbolizes the end of the day and the beginning of night.
Steals across the meadows of my heart
The sadness or longing in my heart spreads as the twilight creeps in.
High up in the sky the little stars climb
As stars start appearing in the sky, they symbolize distance and separation from a loved one.
Always reminding me that we're apart
The presence of stars in the sky constantly serves as a reminder of the physical distance between us.
You wander down the lane and far away
The person I love is walking away, leaving me alone and longing for their return.
Leaving me a song that will not die
Despite their absence, they leave me with memories and emotions that will not fade away.
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The love we shared in the past is now a distant memory, like stardust scattered across time.
The music of the years gone by.
The experiences of our love are like a melody that echoes through the passage of time.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
In moments of solitude, I question how I am able to cope.
The lonely nights
During nights filled with solitude and longing for companionship.
Dreaming of a song
Finding solace in memories and dreams of a particular melody.
The melody
The specific tune or music that holds deep emotional significance.
Haunts my reverie
The melody occupies my thoughts and brings both joy and sorrow.
And I am once again with you
Imagining being reunited with the person I long for.
When our love was new
Recalling the early stages of our relationship, filled with excitement and inspiration.
And each kiss an inspiration
Each intimate moment served as motivation and creativity.
But that was long ago
Those memories are now distant and belong to the past.
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
My comfort now comes from the memories and emotions embedded in a particular melody.
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
In a peaceful and serene setting, under a starlit sky.
You are in my arms
Imagining holding the person I love close to me.
The nightingale
The bird known for its beautiful songs and connection to romantic tales.
Tells his fairytale
Singing a story filled with magic and wonder, like a fairy tale.
Of paradise, where roses grew
Describing a place of perfect beauty and love, where roses bloomed.
Though I dream in vain
Despite my dreams, the reality of our separation persists.
In my heart it will remain
The essence of our love and connection will always be alive within me.
My stardust melody
Referring to the emotive and lasting impact of the specific tune that represents our love.
The memory of love's refrain.
The recollection of our love's emotional expression through the music that lingers in my mind.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GENTRY, JOHN HUTCHINSON DEAN, MATTHEW EVERITT, SIMON IAN WHITE, STUART BLACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John W Gillison III
This version of stardust is so beautiful. I could see myself sitting on a metropolitan rooftop watching a meteor shower with this music playing in the background. So peaceful it's a beautiful yet it has its moments where it is wow
Kittel Valenzuela Kat
Fare well Dave Brubeck Rest in Pease, may your music live through the ages and light the wonderful nights with your delightful Piano and Jazz Music. Thank you for all your amazing work!!!
Jean Loup Knecht
Jazz pianists are not just musicians > They are a musical institution, and the roster is impressive, each one of them with their own style. I've learned to appreciate ALL of them.
Darragh Houston
RIP Dave. A true legend of jazz music, you will be missed......
james regan md
Brubeck was a master for the ages. He never seems to receive enough credit for his important contribution to the art. He is always more interested in the beauty of music than in dazzling with technical prowess. He unfailingly offered the willing canvas for Paul Desmond to create upon.
azaryd
+james regan md i agree, cool comment..:)
That girl!
This haunting melody offers a welcoming invitation to return to, and to relive, our beckoning, desirable and misty past. It is music that quells our heart’s longing to retreat to a time we can never reclaim. Stardust is the antidote to today’s reality.
Roundeye01
Music like this always brings me right to the middle. So peaceful and perfect.
brightnblusey
A lovely jazz excursion, it immediately got into my mind and I followed the melody through the stars. The clarinet was absolutely breathtaking. I really like Brubeck and I've somehow overlooked this piece. But ,WOW
rent1776
What a wonderful gift. Thank you Dave Brubeck.