any tips on playing something like Bill Evans on guitar?

**bobsguitars09** · 01-20-2010, 02:40 PM

I am wanting to take a book like this
Amazon.com: Bill Evans: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Piano Styles and Techniques of a Jazz Legend (Keyboard Signature Licks) (9780634049163): Brent Edstrom: Books

or this

Amazon.com: The Bill Evans Trio - Volume 3 (1968-1974): Artist Transcriptions (Piano * Bass * Drums) (9780634051814): Bill Evans: Books

and play all(most) the piano parts on guitar(slow)

any tips on how I should approach this?

**mr. beaumont** · 01-20-2010, 03:05 PM

there is a book by sid jacobs that is bill evans arranged for guitar. the voicings are very much like ones bill would use, and it's great to dissect these and get a look into the mind of a genius. i cannot reccomend it highly enough.

**JohnW400** · 01-20-2010, 03:08 PM

There are better choices book wise.

There are two or three relatively inexpensive Bill Evans Piano books that were transcribed from the Bill Evans Album among others. They contain some of Bill's compositions and in some cases, part of the solo. They are form TRO publishing.

The idea is to anylize both parts and figure out what you can grab. The way I do it is to rewrite the parts in Sibelius. This forces me to deal with the bass clef. After going through I actually have a pretty good idea of what to play on guitar before I even pick a guitar up.

BTW, was it to you I e-mailed 2 Evans chord melodies to a while back? (Very Early, Letter to Evan)

Also Sid Jacobs has a book of Evans tunes arranged got guitar that is very good.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/search?q=Bill+Evans

**Bill C** · 01-20-2010, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

there is a book by sid jacobs that is bill evans arranged for guitar. the voicings are very much like ones bill would use, and it's great to dissect these and get a look into the mind of a genius. i cannot reccomend it highly enough.

+1

**derek** · 01-20-2010, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

there is a book by sid jacobs that is bill evans arranged for guitar. the voicings are very much like ones bill would use, and it's great to dissect these and get a look into the mind of a genius. i cannot reccomend it highly enough.

This is a book that regularly gets recommended, as Sid did a really good job. Here is a link. Good luck

Amazon.com: The Bill Evans Guitar Book: by Sid Jacobs (Guitar Solo) (0073999992748): Bill Evans, Sid Jacobs: Books

**gersdal** · 01-20-2010, 06:13 PM

Do you want to comp like Evans on your guitar, or do you want to play Evans tunes arranged for guitar?

If you want to comp like Evans, IMHO you should check Jeff Brents rootless ii-V-I voicings for guitar. If you want to play Evans tunes arranged for guitar, the above recommendations should be good.

**Free Jazz** · 01-20-2010, 08:43 PM

... and be sure to listen to Lenny Breau.

**derek** · 01-21-2010, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Free Jazz

... and be sure to listen to Lenny Breau.

Amen to that. The closest anyone has gotten to Bill on guitar imo.

**jackeroo** · 01-31-2010, 09:41 PM

Another guitarist that channels Evans pretty good is Lorne Lofsy.

He has a CD called: "Bill, Please" Obviously reffering to Bill Evans, not the restaurant cheque

**montgomerwes** · 01-31-2010, 10:06 PM

If you want to know where bill learnt some of his stuff, get Theory of Harmony by Schoenberg. I'm reading it now and its opening up new areas to me.

**JimBobWay** · 02-05-2010, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by bobsguitars09

I am wanting to take a book like this...and play all(most) the piano parts on guitar(slow)...

All the advice above is very helpful, but at some point you will need to make some decisions and compromises, because a lot of what Bill played is challenging or even impossible on a single guitar, unless perhaps you have one of those 72-string Pikasso axes and a couple of guitarist friends you don't mind being very close to. Even John McLaughlin, in his beautiful tribute Time Remembered, used additional guitarists, and those arrangements are worth a look. btw +1 on the Schoenberg book, and Bill was steeped in George Russell's approach too.

**derek** · 02-05-2010, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by jackeroo

Another guitarist that channels Evans pretty good is Lorne Lofsy.

He has a CD called: "Bill, Please" Obviously reffering to Bill Evans, not the restaurant cheque

I have run across Steve Herberman before, but recently discovered he did a clinic on Lenny Breau's style on Mike's Master Classes. He and Lorne have done stuff that covers BE style playing for MMC, if anyone is interested in checking them out. For $30, those classes are a great value.

jeffstocksmusic · 02-05-2010, 09:34 AM

I have run across Steve Herberman before, but recently discovered he did a clinic on Lenny Breau's style on Mike's Master Classes. He and Lorne have done stuff that covers BE style playing for MMC, if anyone is interested in checking them out.

Speaking of, Sid has a Mike's Master Class on the harmony of Bill Evans. He takes apart a lot of the transcriptions from his book and plays them. It is WELL worth the $30, plus you get about 7 of so of his transcriptions from the book, plus some exercises in that style. There is even a sampler clip on the main page to give you an idea of how the class looks/sounds. I have played through the material and it is really beautiful stuff. Lots of lush chords using open strings, etc. John Stowell even mentions how much he likes Sid's book, if that means anything to you (it sure does me). Dig.

http://www.mikesmasterclasses.com/in...emart&Itemid=2

**Bailz** · 02-05-2010, 10:12 AM

John, it was me that you sent the charts to. one was very early. really cool arrangements!
Thanks

**JohnW400** · 02-05-2010, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Bailz

John, it was me that you sent the charts to. one was very early. really cool arrangements!
Thanks

I'm glad you're enjoying them. Lately I've been working on "Waltz For Debbie" again. I played it years ago but since then I've had a look at the piano chart and changed some things. For me, I think a lot of his stuff works better in the fingerstyle (especialy WFD).

**derek** · 02-05-2010, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by jeffstocksmusic

Speaking of, Sid has a Mike's Master Class on the harmony of Bill Evans. He takes apart a lot of the transcriptions from his book and plays them. It is WELL worth the $30, plus you get about 7 of so of his transcriptions from the book, plus some exercises in that style. There is even a sampler clip on the main page to give you an idea of how the class looks/sounds. I have played through the material and it is really beautiful stuff. Lots of lush chords using open strings, etc. John Stowell even mentions how much he likes Sid's book, if that means anything to you (it sure does me). Dig.

http://www.mikesmasterclasses.com/in...emart&Itemid=2

Yes, I spotted that also. I have been cruising Mikes' looking for another vid. Lorne Lofsky also has a couple up there that get you in the same ballpark.

I really like Steve's approach to the instrument, and John Stowell's also.