A welcome collection of reissues from a man who seems to drive people crazy with either enthusiasm or boredom. These tracks were recorded before Evans began any of his gimmicks (multi-taped pianos and film music) and represent his work in the next stage after he left the Miles Davis group. With Davis his piano immediately became the dominant partner to he trumpeter’s lead, and it was Evans more than anyone else who set the mood. As a result mainly of his presence, Davis’ albums at the time were perhaps his best (Kind Of Blue and half of Lift To The Scaffold). Evans’ clinical and airless sound was a new one for jazz, and it had a vital and important effect on the musicians around him.
By comparison, his prolonged exposure here tends, to me at least, to be a little disappointing. I can’t put my finger on the reason, for he certainly does nothing wrong, and is tasteful and inventive on every track. His impressionistic work on the ballads is attractive, and he shows that, on I Love You, Displacement and the other fast numbers, that he can play two-fisted piano with the best. I imagine that probably this is pianist’s music and would delight fellow instrumentalists. But to me there is something missing.
Nonetheless, this remains a powerful and impressive collection. Make no mistake, there is nothing, as some people have suggested, effeminate in the pianist’s work. Nor is there in that of the other members of the trio. The bass playing on the unusually up tempo Autumn, for instance, is a fine example of the red meat of jazz (both bassists play with enormous power throughout).
I am sure that the longer I have this disc, the more I will enjoy it – this, of course, is the sure sign of good jazz. One finds that it is the records with immediate appeal that wane first. And it is not unreasonable to suppose that a man of Evans’ intellectual capacity should have attributes in his work which are not immediately apparent.
I hope to comment again on this issue in my column at a later date.
Discography
I Love You; Easy Living; Displacement; Waltz For Debby; Autumn Leaves (16 min) – Someday My Prince Will Come; Tenderly; What Is There To Say?; Oleo (18 min)
(Fontana FJL 104 12111LP 21s. 6d.)
