Transcribed Piano Ideas from Bill Evans?

**Irez87** · 09-06-2015, 07:57 AM

Doc,

Did I mention that Sid also emailed me his Monk arrangements, just like that? I never studied with him, and I didn't send him money on Paypal or anything. He just sent them because he noticed I was passionate about the guitar as well. That showed me that he is really all about the music and passing it forward. I would love to study with him!

**docdosco** · 09-06-2015, 01:27 PM

That's Sid. He is a sweetheart.

Doc Dosco

**docdosco** · 09-06-2015, 06:07 PM

Alex,

PS... I just talked with Sid and did some catching up. He has started doing skype lessons, so call him if you like ... maybe you could hook up with him over skype. He invited me over to hang, so I am glad this thread prompted me to re-surface and make that call. It's funny how you lose touch with your friends sometimes. Sid tweaked my thinking in terms of nailing 3rds and 7ths way back when, and that changed my perception of how to play over changes. There were some Eureka moments as I recall. Sid has a real talent imparting jazz guitar insights.

Doc Dosco

**Irez87** · 09-06-2015, 10:35 PM

I am working with a pianist right now to get out of the shape based mentality of the guitar (part of the love hate relationship I have with the instrument). That and taking lessons with a musicianship teacher to hone in on my ear as much as possible. When I take lessons with Sid and Stowell I wanna be on it like a hot bonnet.

**pubylakeg** · 09-13-2015, 05:55 AM

Out of curiosity, years ago, I seem to remember an interview in JJG magazine, and a player mentioned some books which covered a lot of Bill Evans harmonic concept.

IIRC the books he mentioned might have been written John Mehegan. Anybody know these books, or confirm their relevance to this topic

**Irez87** · 09-13-2015, 06:39 AM

Sid Jacobs's book?

**pubylakeg** · 09-13-2015, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Irez87

Sid Jacobs's book?

Yes, thankyou, I'm aware of Sid Jacobs excellent book, but I was mentioning John Mehegan's books, to see if anyone was familiar with them. IIRC the JJG player interviewed stated that they possibly contain a lot of information on Evans voicings, IF that's the book I remember being mentioned. (It was a long time ago though..)

**Irez87** · 09-13-2015, 07:44 AM

This?

Jazz Improvisation 4: Contemporary Piano Styles: John Mehegan, Tom Glazer, Bill Evans: 9780823025749: Amazon.com: Books

**pubylakeg** · 09-13-2015, 10:30 AM

Thank you very much Irez87, it hadn't really occurred to me to read the Amazon reviews, but from reading them, it may well be that these are the texts referred to in that old interview.

Maybe my memory is not as foggy as I thought.

**Irez87** · 09-13-2015, 10:54 AM

Thank you, puby. I feel like the old books were head over heels better than many new guitar instructional books and DVDs out now. That's why I mentioned Segovia, Galbraith, GVE, and JS when I talk about my goto. My exceptions would be the Greg Fishman books (he plays sax) and the Randy Vincent stuff.

**nakim55** · 11-06-2015, 06:12 AM

Lenny Breau = Bill Evans of guitar.

**Irez87** · 11-06-2015, 06:52 AM

Trudat...

But, Ed Bickert used Bill Evans as an inspiration to play in a band setting in full communicato

Although Lenny Beauitful... I mean Breau played in bands, from the start of his career (what's up with that vocalist) to the end, IMHO, he is more of a solo guitarist like Art Tatum is more of a solo pianist.

Notice that Lenny and Art are in the same sentence?

They are both beautifully complex musicians.

But, IMHO, they play better alone than with others.

Bill, in his band setting, was ALL about interplay

If you listen to Jim Hall and Ed Bickert

They were guitarists

They were fellow musicians

who were ALL about INTERPLAY

as well

Sorry for all caps, font is giving my computer made ah-jaaah-tah

**nakim55** · 11-06-2015, 07:23 AM

I think you need to listen to some of the trio work on "velvet touch," and "LA bootleg" then tell me Lenny did not play well in a group setting. I played drums for 40 years, and some of the time changes were off the hook and air tight. Somewhere is his bio, the cats were saying Lenny would not discuss arrangements with them because he liked the music to be spontaneous, they had to LISTEN to where the music was going. Some astounding group work in my humble opinion, and I have been listening to jazz since 1971. And "live at Bourbon street," with Dave Young, the interplay on that session, "Vision!" Sorry Irez, I do not agree with your evaluation about Lenny only being a great solo guitarist. It does not hold water!

**Irez87** · 11-06-2015, 07:49 AM

no problem, I'll give them a listen.

By the way, my name is Erez, I spelled it wrong... long story.

But I'll give it a listen, sorry if my post was offensive, I was just trying to explain why I love Ed and Jim's playing

**nakim55** · 11-06-2015, 08:35 AM

No problem, I like Ed & Jim too��

**johnhall** · 11-06-2015, 11:51 AM

I think I posted this link somewhere before but why not again. I transcribed a Bill Evans accompaniment that might be of interest.

John Hall | Music for Guitar | Blog : What would Bill Evans Do?

The voicings are guitar friendly.

John

**targuit** · 11-06-2015, 04:49 PM

Just a quick word of thanks to John Hall. While he does not need me to give an introduction, John is a fine guitarist, musician and educator who knows whereof he speaks. And I believe he has a YT channel with several fine recordings and if I recall original music. Thanks, John.

**johnhall** · 11-06-2015, 06:56 PM

Thanks Jay!

John

**edh** · 11-07-2015, 12:22 AM

Thanks the transcription, John.

**Tomcat** · 01-02-2017, 08:40 AM

Hi, didn't notice this interesting thread before so I wrote somewhere else about my small transcription:

**gunksman** · 01-02-2017, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by johnhall

I think I posted this link somewhere before but why not again. I transcribed a Bill Evans accompaniment that might be of interest.

John Hall | Music for Guitar | Blog : What would Bill Evans Do?

The voicings are guitar friendly.

John

Thanks so much for this, John! I spent a lot of this week playing along with Bill on All Blues (Miles lets me sit in if I keep in the background) and was about to search for more info on copping some of his moves when I came across this thread and your site. Great work.

Mike

**wolflen** · 01-04-2017, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Hi, didn't notice this interesting thread before so I wrote somewhere else about my small transcription:

What Is This Thing Called Love Bill Evans piano solo transcription - part 1 - YouTube[/url]

thanks for the transcription...I took several two bar lines out of the song context and mixed them..created a progression using some of the chords noted and added a couple..came up with a cool 8-bar head..

Evans's lines have a horn players approach and stand on their own..very tasty licks..

the work he did on Kind of Blue is timeless..

**Tomcat** · 01-04-2017, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by wolflen

...I took several two bar lines out of the song context and mixed them..created a progression using some of the chords noted and added a couple..came up with a cool 8-bar head..

can you share this? short recording?

**johnhall** · 01-08-2017, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by gunksman

Thanks so much for this, John! I spent a lot of this week playing along with Bill on All Blues (Miles lets me sit in if I keep in the background) and was about to search for more info on copping some of his moves when I came across this thread and your site. Great work.

Mike

You're welcome Mike. Happy to see the interest.

John