MAO Legendary Albums - Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby

The musicians of the MAO study and internalise all of the current album material, leaving the musical structures and instrumentation intact for the performances. As improvisation and soloistic expression are essential components of the jazz language, the musicians naturally perform improvised solos at the concerts. Thanks to the respect for original compositions and orchestrations and the improvisations of musicians of the quality that the Modern Art Orchestra is known for, the Legendary Albums bring listeners into contact with the tradition of jazz masterpieces and guarantee a fresh musical experience.

Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby

The piano trio of Bill Evans (1929-1980), the father of modern jazz piano, is a pinnacle in jazz history, still going strong today, especially in the great line-up with Scott La Faro on bass and Paul Motian on drums. The close interplay between equal partners is exemplary. The band's fourth LP is an excerpt from a 1961 Village Vanguard (New York) club gig, from which the rest of the concert was released. Evans was in his post-Miles Davis years, but he was only 31, the others even younger. The pianist's title composition, written for his niece, is in ¾ time, but not only does it suggest the influence of European classics, but also the impressionistic harmonies. Even in Evans's accessible and direct modernity, his romanticism is pervasive, both the immense depth of his emotions and their expressive expression softening the hearts of the ladies of the audience, and even the hard-boiled lads.