Veteran arranger Don Sebesky crafts an often-glowing portrait of famed jazz pianist Bill Evans in this quite welcome orchestral jazz tribute. While he is too often derided (and unfairly) as the guy who mucked up Wes Montgomery and other CTI stars with strings and horn sections, Sebesky often presents subtle arrangements that offer keen respect for a soloist's musicianship. When a listener notices Sebesky's work, it's often in the occasional punctuation mark or interesting sound combinations he creates. But it's his respect for the featured musician that sets him apart and probably drew him to this project.
Here, Sebesky has gathered a prominent collection of top-shelf jazz musicians, many of whom actually worked with Evans during his career. But one instrumentalist he did not recruit was a pianist. A wise move. This permits appropriate direction from the bassist and drummer and allows reliance on a rhythm player who is not burdened by aping or avoiding Bill Evans' style. Such daunting responsibility falls to the guitarist; in most cases, Larry Coryell, who is outstanding in his eight appearances here and, perhaps, emerges as this session’s real star.
The material is carefully drawn from Evans' originals and standards associated with the pianist. But, in a quest for variety, the result is something of a mixed bag. Standouts include sterling takes of "All the Things You Are" (with Lee Konitz), Sebesky's oddly-titled "Bill, Not Gil" and "T.T.T.T." (both featuring Bob Brookmeyer and Eddie Daniels) and, of course, "Waltz for Debby" (with Joe Lovano and Tom Harrell). But Sebesky achieves greatness with his transformation of Evans' lovely "Peace Piece" into an elegant adagio. Effectively coordinating strings, harp, percussion and Hubert Laws' flute, he has surely crafted one for the ages here. His boisterous take on "So What" (with solid contributions from Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell and Larry Coryell) is also worthwhile, but seems reminiscent of his showy work with Wes Montgemery. The three vocal tunes (separately featuring Chet Baker-like John Pizzarelli, Jeannie Bryson and the intolerable New York Voices), though, all are quite unnecessary and seem to break any mood Sebesky may have been aiming for. Still, it's refreshing to hear high-quality orchestral jazz being made in the late nineties — and one hopes Don Sebesky will be in the forefront of keeping it alive. - Douglas Payne
Instead of replicating the familiar, small-combo arrangements that Bill Evans made his stock in trade, Don Sebesky decided to rearrange such Evans-associated songs as "Waltz for Debby,""So What,""Peace Piece," and "Blue in Green" for jazz orchestra, featuring such all-star musicians as Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Toots Thielemans, Larry Coryell, and the New York Voices. Consequently, I Remember Bill: Tribute to Bill Evans might not be exactly what longtime Evans fans are expecting, and, truth be told, these arrangements don't always work. Nevertheless, Sebesky's ambitions are admirable, and the tracks that do work -- whether it's "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" or the original numbers "I Remember Bill" and "Bill Not Gil" -- are quite enchanting. Furthermore, Evans fanatics will be interested in the unreleased interview excerpt with Evans that's added as a bonus track. - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracks
01. Waltz for Debby (Bill Evans)
02. I Remember Bill (Don Sebesky)
03. So What (miles Davis)
04. Quiet Now (Denny Zeitlin)
05. All the Things You Are (Oscar Hammerstein II/Jerome Kern)
06. Peace Piece (Bill Evans)
07. Bill, Not Gil (Don Sebesky)
08. Very Early (Bill Evans)
09. T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune Two) (Bill Evans)
10. Autumn Leaves (Joseph Kosma/Johnny Mercer/Jacques Prévert)
11. Blue in Green (Miles Davis/Bill Evans)
12. I'm Getting Sentimental over You (George Bassman/Ned Washington)
13. Epilogue (Bill Evans)
14. Bill Evans Interview
LEE KONITZ alto saxophone
LAWRENCE FELDMAN alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute
KENNY BERGER baritone saxophone, Clarinet, flute, bass clarinet, bassoon
EDDIE GOMEZ bass
JOHN MILLER bass
MARC JOHNSON bass
ALAN RAPH trombone, euphonium
CARYL PAISNER cello
SARAH CARTER cello
EDDIE DANIELS clarinet
JOE LaBARBERA drums
MARTY MORELL drums
DENNIS MACKREL drums
TOM HARRELL flugelhorn
HUBERT LAWS flute
PETER GORDON French horn
JOHN PIZZARELLI guitar
LARRY CORYELL guitar
TOOTS THIELEMANS harmonica
KEN SEBESKY guitar
STANCEY SHAMES harp
JOE PASSARO percussion
SUE EVANS percussion
CHUCK WILSON clarinet, flute, piccolo flute
JOE LOVANO tenor saxophone
DAVE TOFANI tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute
TOM CHRISTENSEN tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe, English horn
JIM PUGH euphonium
JOHN MOSCA euphonium
BARRY RIES trumpet, flugelhorn
BRIAN O'FLAHERTY trumpet, flugelhorn
GLENN DREWES trumpet, flugelhorn
JOE MOSELLO trumpet, flugelhorn
RANDY ANDOS tuba, euphonium
BOB BROOKMEYER valve trombone
DAVE SAMUELS vibraphone
NEW YORK VOICES
DON SEBESKY arranger and conductor
Recorded June, July and August 1997 at Sound on Sound Recording, New York City
RCA Victor - 09026 68929-2