Customer Reviews

Alone

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In a late-career appearance on Marion McPartland's NPR radio show, "Piano Jazz," Bill made two striking comments about playing solo piano: first, it's exceedingly challenging and therefore more satisfying than performing in a trio; second, he has never felt himself equal to the task.

Perhaps both comments help explain why "Alone" is such an exceptional piano recording and singular listening experience. Unlike some current jazz piano prima donnas who shall remain nameless, Bill at no point uses the occasion as a "license" for self-expression or the song as a bare structure awaiting ornamentation and transformation. There's never the least hint of self-indulgence, display, or preciousness. It's all about the aesthetic "object"--the song--and the ability of the interpreter to illuminate every nook and cranny of its structure, in the process making it his own and making it come alive for the listener, often as if for the first time.

Bill frequently changes keys--not for effect but as a means of coming at the same pattern from a slightly different angle. The opening chorus of "Rainy Day," for example, is played in B (a surprising, even forboding, yet shimmering, radiant key) before it yields to the familiar, original key of G for two choruses of block chords that dazzle with their inventiveness while never deserting the composer's harmonic scheme. Finally, Bill coaxes the tune down to a more "comfortable" F before ending it in the tantalizing key of Db.

The primary challenge Bill had in mind with his remark to Marian was the problem of rhythm and the role of the pianist's left hand. The solution for most pianists is some variation of stride or walking-bass piano. Evans is virtually the only pianist who can ignore such pedestrian left-hand duties and achieve equal rhythmic momentum and swing through the purposeful note choices of his right hand supported by the full-bodied texture of his left-hand chords. To say that Bill merely "implies" the time is misleading: the same technique in the hands of other pianists would be thin and static. It should also be observed that Bill doesn't linger on any of his tempos, despite the all-ballad program. Each performance is characterized by efficient and economical movement toward a destination--the culmination of the song's own internal logic.

The churning movement and forward edge in Bill's solo playing is even more evident during the last two years of his life. Listen to the performance of "I Loves You Porgy" on The Paris Concert (Edition One) or to his demonstration on the NPR recording with McPartland or to the half-dozen solo piano introductions to "Nardis" on "The Last Waltz." Unfortunately, there's no complete documentation of Bill's solo playing from this period. "Alone" remains an indispensable recording for anyone who professes an interest in Bill Evans, solo piano playing, or American popular song.

"Alone" is the greatest jazz solo piano album that I have ever listened to, and I am forever grateful that Bill Evans recorded it. Solo piano playing presents a formidable challenge to even the most accomplished pianist. In most cases, as soon as the music begins, the listener's attention drifts away as fast as the first few notes fade.

"Alone" is an exception to this malady. The opening strains of "Here's That Rainy Day" will catch your ears immediately, as if the song had been there all along, desperately wanting your attention. When Evans starts to improvise on this Jimmy van Heusen-Johnny Burke classic, the song takes flight. So do the other selections in the album.

Johnny Mandel's "A Time For Love" swings without losing its lyrical beauty. Incidentally, Evans' piano improvisations on this song have been transcribed faithfully by Pascal Wetzel in the book, "The Artistry of Bill Evans," a must for amateur and professional jazz pianists.

In "Never Let Me Go," he gives us a glimpse into the window of his soul in a stunning performance that runs over fourteen beautiful minutes.

"Alone," as the title states, does not need a rhythm section contrary to what others mistakenly suggest. It is at the same time quiet and swinging. If you know your jazz, you will understand what the late Bill Evans was trying to convey.

"Alone" is the greatest jazz solo piano album that I have ever listened to, and I am forever grateful that Bill Evans recorded it. Solo piano playing presents a formidable challenge to even the most accomplished pianist. In most cases, as soon as the music begins, the listener's attention drifts away as fast as the first few notes fade.

"Alone" is an exception to this malady. The opening strains of "Here's That Rainy Day" will catch your ears immediately, as if the song had been there all along, desperately wanting your attention. When Evans starts improvises, the song takes flight. And so do the other selections in the album. Johnny Mandel's lyrical "A Time For Love" is my favorite track. In "Never Let Me Go," he lets go of his creativity in a stunning performance that runs over fourteen beautiful minutes.

Evans effectively states the melodies in one key and improvises in another. For example, he plays the theme of "A Time For Love" in D Major, soloes in B-Flat, and re-states the melody back in D, concluding the song in an almost Chopinesque manner. If there's one Bill Evans album that you are thinking of buying, "Alone" is the one.

I refrain from trying to express my response to Bill's music in words, because I can never find the right ones. Some people come close with poetic, elegiac, impressionistic, lyrical, softly swinging, but to call his playing flaccid shows no understanding at all for Bill's most extraordinary strength: his complete mastery of keyboard harmony. His voicings range from minimal to dense, but they're always spot-on for their musical context. I would call his playing on this recording not flaccid at all, but harmonically quite muscular, even where the result seems quiet or reticent. In any case, every track is beautifully conceived and sounds quite beautiful to my ear. This is one of my favorites. I've learned a lot from listening to it, and continue to learn from it. . . it gets richer with each listening. . .

Bill Evans Alone, is my favorite piano album of all time. The mood of the music and the grace of his playing expresses his love for his instrument in such a way that you are almost embarassed by its sensuality. As you listen you find out he is playing just for you. You can see him hunched over the keyboard, delicately stroking the keys and occasionally looking over at you for approval. This man loves his work and you feel honored to catch his performance when he is the most vulnerable. Alone.

Together with "Solo Monk" of Theloneous Monk, "Solo Time! Collection 4&5" of Erroll Garner, "Classic Early Solos" of Art Tatum, "Alone" is one of the most favorite CDs. Bill Evans is lyrical and elegant. Evans is probably the softest of all five giants of jazz. Evans is also capable of playing the longest phrases in his ad'lib. Tatum is dynamic, Monk is pure, and Garner's piano is colorful. You may listen to all five CDs and compare the difference. After Bill Evans' tragic death, "Alone" brought him his third Grammy. Some of the tracks were discovered and added in the second issue. Excellent CD.

I'm 85 years old and as a long-time jazz aficiando, I have always considered

Bill Evans to be one of the jazz greats having heard him for the first time

paying his album ALONE coming over aloud speaker outside a music shop as I

was walking down a street in Paris years ago. RAINY DAY and A TIME FOR LOVE

were among his best, and to me, the most memorable.

'Here's That Rainy Day'(Johnny Burke-Jimmy Van Heusen)
'A Time For Love'(Paul Francis Webster-Johnny Mandel)
'Midnight Mood'(Joe Zawinul/Ben Raleigh)
'On A Clear Day You Can See Forever'(Alan Jay Lerner/Burton Lane)
'Never Let Me Go'(Raymond Evans/Jay Livingston)
Medley-''All the The Things You Are(Kern-Hammerstein)/'Midnight Mood'(Joe Zawinul/Ben Raleigh)
(Alt Take) 'Never Let Me Go'(Paul Francis Webster/Johnny Mandel)

Bill Evans,alone at Town Hall with a perfectly tuned piano and no audience.A very unique situation especially with a high-caliber player.It creates an entirely different atmosphere for the performer and the aura,I believe,brings something that you wouldn't hear in a standard player/audience situation.Of all the Bill Evans I've listened to over the years,there is something special about this recording.What a touch.Superb melodic and harmonic invention.What a creative mind.He has many,many followers,as all the greats usually do.There is a fascinating series on 'you tube',a compilation of interviews by of all people his brother Harry,also a pianist and teacher,is the interviewer.It's
brother to brother.Talk about true brothers!.Highly recommended.Bro Harry and Bill simply discuss the the 'ins and out' of how to learn,teach,and create your own approach and it is a unique pleasure to hear Bill,a very astute thinker and well-spoken man share his thoughts and comments.The Universal Mind of Bill Evans is the title of the series.We have the great wit and wisdom of Steve Allen who appears intermittently to 'keep all the ducks in a row'.Alot of fun.Enjoy.

The other night, I was sitting on my deck sipping some cheap wine as I sometimes do when the cash starts running out. The wind was blowing and I could hear the wrestling of the bamboo swaying right and left against a smoldering sky streaked with pink, orange and violet. A ribbed candle sat on the patio table with the flame flickering in and out. I was physically and mentally exhausted that day and in the background I could hear some jazz piano music that was playing on a old Panasonic stereo system I purchased almost 20 years ago at Circuit City. It's just about on its last knees, then I remembered a friend suggested that I play this CD. There is only one thing to say.......There are jazz piano players and then there is Bill Evans. I know that he died in 1980, but if his physical presence was ever with me on that deck, believe me I would have taken him.

This is Bill swinging and romancing on the piano as only he can. Great version of 'On A Clear Day' by the way. This is no cocktail party music and please people this is far from any background music to be played at party's. This is BILL EVANS doing what he does best, playing music that makes us think, cry, reflect, and smile. That my friends is what makes Bill so good. God blees you Bill, your still in our thoughts and you will forever be in our memories.