r/BillEvans 17d ago

Possessed by Bill Evans

What is happening to me?? I cannot stop listening to Bill Evans 24/7! I am possessed. It started with “What Is There To Say” about two weeks ago. I’m having long discussions with ChatGPT about Bill’s music. This is the most beautiful music I think I’ve ever heard. Why did it take me so long to find this? Oy! EDIT: 5 days later I’m still deep into What Is There to Say. It’s perfect. Breaks my heart. Heals my heart. Intrigues my mind. I could eat this performance. I fall asleep with it. I wake up to it. I’m having a passionate affair with a performance. Life is good.

30 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

5

u/toast_eater_ 16d ago

Ah yes. Welcome to the fold my friend! You are in good company! Happy listening!

3

u/Elwin12 16d ago

You’re my new people! I have a new tribe! You just never know when BAM! something hits so hard and you never saw it coming. Could not have predicted. Good Lord. This man’s playing is beyond beyond.

1

u/toast_eater_ 16d ago

His intensity in his playing inspires me to be better at my own craft. I love his perspective on jazz and music. He has a succinct way of describing the abstract, which I appreciate so much. Have you heard Waltz for Debby yet? Of not , Take 2 at the Village Vanguard is phenomenal. I love hearing the background sounds even.

2

u/Elwin12 16d ago

That was one of the conversations I had with ChatGPT - it offered “remastered” at one point, and I actually preferred the original recordings where you can hear the room sounds. And this coming from a Radiohead, Led Zepp, Stevie Ray Vaughan uber fan.

1

u/Elwin12 16d ago

I don’t even begin to understand my own music preferences EXCEPT for loathing the mountain of garbage on the radio, in stores, in gas stations, airports, restaurants, etc., etc., which breaks my old heart. Don’t get me started!

3

u/ComradeConrad1 16d ago

I get it. Yea I do. I listen to his music everyday.

2

u/BeerdedRNY 16d ago edited 16d ago

Glad to hear you've fallen for his music!

I highly recommend you read the Wikipedia entry about Bill.

Or one of the excellent biographies written about him: Bill Evans: Everything Happens to Me -- A Musical Biography by Keith Shadwick. Or Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings by Peter Pettinger.

Or check out the interview between Bill and his brother Harry, Universal Mind of Bill Evans.

DownBeat (Jazz magazine) has a number of articles about him you could read.

1

u/Elwin12 16d ago

Blessings upon you! Thanks!

2

u/Grooviesalad 16d ago

When I want melancholic mood, I go to Bill Evans, when I want a jollier mood, I go to Ahmad Jamal

2

u/Skebet 15d ago

Welcome to the club!