Customer Reviews

Conversations with Bill Evans

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Paul Motian ("Bill Evans") and John McLaughlin ("Time Remembered") offered tributes to Bill Evans while avoiding pernicious comparisons by eshewing pianists. Thibaudet does the reverse in this solo piano recording.

While this is not Evans, it is imbued by Evans' spirit. Evans often brought Debussy and Ravel to jazz. Now Thibaudet brings jazz to Debussy and Ravel in these pieces associated with Evans. Most notable are "Turn out the Stars" and "Here's That Rainy Day." Transcriptions are largely by Jed Distler, and they couldn't have been done better.

Bill Evans was the most classical of jazz pianists. He had years of classical training before going into jazz and working with Miles Davis, Stan Getz etc etc. His jazz originals always showed a melding of Romantic, Late Romantic and Impressionist classical influences. His music is not unlike Gershwin. He even wrote a jazz 12 tone piece!

Jean Yves Thibaudet takes on a dozen or so Bill Evans originals and outplays the composer! Whereas Bill Evans tended to make the lines angular, Thibaudet makes them soaring and arching.

For people who love jazz and people who love classical music, this CD is the ideal combination of both.

Spectacularly well recorded, a demonstration quality CD. (Amazon - you could sell more of these if this were double-listed in the Jazz section under Bill Evans.)

One of the best jazz (or classical) CD's of the year!

"Conversations with Bill Evans", presents classically trained French pianist Thibaudet in a virtually stunning performance of jazz great Bill Evans' standards. The subtle touches and nuances Evans brought to the piano are carefully rendered in Thibaudet's interpretations. Whether you closely listen to the CD, or enjoy it as a backdrop to a quiet evening with a glass or two of Merlot, this disc will let you gain an appreciation of the fine art of jazz piano.

With style and elegance, Jean Yves Thibaudet adds this bravura recording to his rapidly expanding list. The rare "classical" artist that truly understands the interpretive vocabulary of other styles. Perfect for quiet nights at home or romantic dinner parties.A must for Jazz and classical fans alike.

Why must everyone compare Thibaudet's playing and style with that of Bill Evans? This album stands on its own merit. Jean-Yves is a gifted pianist, and he's captured the essence of Evans' tunes in his own unique way. Yes, there are similarities between his technique and those of Bill. I find it to be one of my favorite CDs and I listen to it again and again, enjoying every minute of it. And like someone else has suggested, I play the tunes in random order along with the Duke Ellington CD on my iPod. It's wonderful stuff. Good for the heart.

Bill Evans was, argueably, the most classical of jazz pianists. He had years of classical training before going into jazz and working with Miles Davis, Stan Getz etc etc. Some of the music in "Kind of Blue", Blue in Green, was actually written by Bill Evans but Miles Davis claimed it, some others were collaborations for which Evans never got credit! Evans' jazz originals always showed a melding of Romantic, Late Romantic and Impressionist classical influences. His music is not unlike Gershwin. He even wrote a jazz twelve-tone piece!

Jean-Yves Thibaudet, argueably the preeminent Impressionist/Romantic pianist of our day, takes on a dozen or so Bill Evans originals and makes them his own! While the notes are the same as Evans played, the timing, rhythms and emotions are quite different. Whereas Bill Evans had a rhythm section, bass and drums, and tended to make the lines angular, Thibaudet, plays these Evans tunes as if they were newly discovered Debussy, makes them soaring, arching and rhapsodic. Thibaudet plays these as a solo, without drums and bass!

For people who love jazz and people who love classical music, this CD is the ideal combination of both.

Spectacularly well recorded, a demonstration quality CD.
One of the best jazz (or classical) CD's of 1997!

I wrote this when it came out and I still feel it's true, even tho Amazon didn't put it under my name for some reason. I wanted to clarify myself, since this CD has drawn such negative reviews. Yes, readers, it's not Bill Evans, (you can tell that from the CD cover!) Yes, Bill Evans would have played it differently.

I love Debussy, I love Gershwin, I love Bill Evan's music and I love this CD. Those open to the experience will love it too. This is a great melodic Jazz CD/ Classical CD/ Third Force CD, whatever label you like. Do not miss it. I listen to often and still recommend highly.

On the one hand...its great that anyone has appreciated the beauty of Bill's playing enough to want to put in the time and energy to learn note for note his solos...and to play his pieces...But..and its a big but...recording an entire cd...playing note for note what Bill played...raises a couple of questions...first of all...lets face it..theres too much pedal...the phrasing while trying to imitate Bill..just isnt the same...and the passion just isnt fresh....Bill s playing and emoting was so profound and earnest...its great to play his stuff and imitate it and learn from it...but unless you really have something to say that doesnt have to copy note for note his playing...why create a note for note imitation of something already recorded and created and labored over from its true origin...the playing just sounds imitative...the pedaling too thick...the legato too legato...the phrasing not in a jazz vein....just sounds like a classically trained musician trying to be Bill...nothing wrong with that...but why not at least try something on your own...play Bills pieces but really improvise...say something new...honor Bill...not by playing note for note what he did...but by making reference to him within the context of your own playing...One might as well just try to copy exactly a Rembrandt or Picasso or Da Vinci...not just the style ..but each brushstroke....its a great way to learn...but its not offering the world anything new or profound or beautiful.....after all...beauty must have passion and creativity.. and something fresh to say...to have real meaning and force.....

We all can agree that Thibaudet is a wonderful pianist. However when playing transcriptions of Bill Evans' work the technical feats take precedence over the visceral meaning of the music, and consequently, in general, this album is not very enjoyable. Indeed, the essential Evans can only be found listening to Evans himself. While Mr. Thibaudet can play the notes, the runs, the trills....the sense is that there is some meritricious glazing under which is some very ordinary music. I wish I could be more complimentary. Try Shearing's Grand Piano albums to hear what a true jazz pianist can do. Mr. Thibaudet should stay with Debussy and Paulenc.

For everyone who venerates the jazz great, Bill Evans, and who love Thibaudet's playing, this is the perfect blending of the two. Thibaudet is a fan of Evans, and his tribute shows this. I bought the original CD when it came out, and I now have it on my iPod. I play it regularly and it never fails to transport me. Love it. Magical!

i was very opposed to the idea of this album, but.. i am a huge fan of thibaudet, a true living god of the piano and a great musician. so i closed my eyes and opened my ears. i think this record is fantastic even though i can't categorize it. it succeeds far more than one would think (or hope for that matter). one the one hand, is this painting by the numbers? or is it bill evans getting the love and respect he so truly deserves? i think it is the latter.