The car-crash death of bassist Scott LaFaro in July 1961 left Bill Evans despondent. Thrilled with the evolution of his conversational trio featuring LaFaro and Paul Motian on drums, Evans felt the group had made a major breakthrough during its run at the Village Vanguard in June. Then the bottom fell out. In the months following LaFaro's death, Evans eased his anxiety and depression with an accelerated use of heroin. By early 1962, Evans was in a jam. Desperate for cash to pay off loan sharks eager for their money and interest, Evans ramped up his playing and recording schedule.
In addition to performing at New York clubs such as Birdland, the Hickory House and the Vanguard with his new bassist, Chuck Israels, and Motian on drums, Evans embarked on a staggering string of recording sessions in 1962 to generate income. There was a solo date in April for Riverside, Undercurrent with Jim Hall in April and May for United Artists and Moonbeams in May for Riverside. Then came Interplay for Riverside in July—an album concept conceived by Evans that paired him with all-stars Freddie Hubbard (tp), Jim Hall (g), Percy Heath (b) and Philly Joe Jones. Riverside producer Orrin Keepnews was happy to roll tape.
But almost immediately after completing Interplay, Evans proposed another quintet album featuring a bunch of originals. As Keepnews sighed and worried aloud about a worrisome surplus of the pianist's material to release, Evans pleaded, confessing that loan sharks had threatened to break his fingers unless his debt was settled. Whether this was true or just lines from a conniving, desperate Evans is unknown.
What we do know is that Keepnews decided to go forward, saying later in Peter Pettinger's Evans biography, How My Heart Sings, “I justified my actions this time on both humanitarian and practical grounds. I found it impossible to turn down urgent financial requests from a man who was both a major creative artist and my friend."
The lineup for the second Interplay session was Zoot Sims (ts), Bill Evans (p), Jim Hall (g), Ron Carter (b) and Philly Joe Jones (d). Arranged by Evans, the session featured Loose Bloose, Time Remembered, Funkarello, There Came You, Fudgesickle Built for Four and the challenging Fun Ride. And then there was My Bells.
Written by Evans based on his chord responses played on So What for Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, My Bells was an exciting composition that here felt mildly tortured as the quintet gingerly struggled to navigate the song's time-signature obstacle course. Nevertheless, the song was a beautiful expression that became lush and pensive once it was arranged by Claus Ogerman for Bill Evans Trio with the Symphony Orchestra in 1965.
While this second Interplay session has mostly been dismissed or overlooked by Bill Evans fans, I've always liked it. The combined sound of Sims, Evans and Hall fortified by Carter and Jones resulted in an airborne sophistication and expression that's dynamic and relaxed.
JazzWax clips: Here's My Bells from the Loose Blues session in August 1962. Such a lovely song with a cool overlay...
And here's My Bells from Bill Evans Trio With the Symphony Orchestra, smoothed out and delightfully romanticized by Claus Ogerman's arrangement, in September 1965...
In addition to performing at New York clubs such as Birdland, the Hickory House and the Vanguard with his new bassist, Chuck Israels, and Motian on drums, Evans embarked on a staggering string of recording sessions in 1962 to generate income. There was a solo date in April for Riverside, Undercurrent with Jim Hall in April and May for United Artists and Moonbeams in May for Riverside. Then came Interplay for Riverside in July—an album concept conceived by Evans that paired him with all-stars Freddie Hubbard (tp), Jim Hall (g), Percy Heath (b) and Philly Joe Jones. Riverside producer Orrin Keepnews was happy to roll tape.
But almost immediately after completing Interplay, Evans proposed another quintet album featuring a bunch of originals. As Keepnews sighed and worried aloud about a worrisome surplus of the pianist's material to release, Evans pleaded, confessing that loan sharks had threatened to break his fingers unless his debt was settled. Whether this was true or just lines from a conniving, desperate Evans is unknown.
What we do know is that Keepnews decided to go forward, saying later in Peter Pettinger's Evans biography, How My Heart Sings, “I justified my actions this time on both humanitarian and practical grounds. I found it impossible to turn down urgent financial requests from a man who was both a major creative artist and my friend."
The lineup for the second Interplay session was Zoot Sims (ts), Bill Evans (p), Jim Hall (g), Ron Carter (b) and Philly Joe Jones (d). Arranged by Evans, the session featured Loose Bloose, Time Remembered, Funkarello, There Came You, Fudgesickle Built for Four and the challenging Fun Ride. And then there was My Bells.
Written by Evans based on his chord responses played on So What for Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, My Bells was an exciting composition that here felt mildly tortured as the quintet gingerly struggled to navigate the song's time-signature obstacle course. Nevertheless, the song was a beautiful expression that became lush and pensive once it was arranged by Claus Ogerman for Bill Evans Trio with the Symphony Orchestra in 1965.
While this second Interplay session has mostly been dismissed or overlooked by Bill Evans fans, I've always liked it. The combined sound of Sims, Evans and Hall fortified by Carter and Jones resulted in an airborne sophistication and expression that's dynamic and relaxed.
JazzWax clips: Here's My Bells from the Loose Blues session in August 1962. Such a lovely song with a cool overlay...
And here's My Bells from Bill Evans Trio With the Symphony Orchestra, smoothed out and delightfully romanticized by Claus Ogerman's arrangement, in September 1965...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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