Bill Evans Trio

The Bill Evans Trio's live recording Sunday At The Village Vanguard persistently snatches my interest when I think of an album to close my eyes to and relish the beauty of imaginative minds. It's by far the most intimate live jazz recording I know of, with the clatter of plates in the background of some songs, and intermittent chatter sneaking into the microphones. But beyond the ambiance, the musicians themselves create an unparalleled level of conscious thinking. In the opening of Miles Davis' Solar, pianist Bill Evans and bassist Scott LaFaro wind in and around each other copying and countering, nodding and jesting. This is jazz to me. This is true conversation of musical ability. Each of the members adds to the overall music while retaining their own identity. The rhythm section isn't relegated to holding up the soloist. Oftentimes I imagine the figure of Atlas straining under the weight of the world, or a mountain whose snowy peaks are the only source of beauty to some. Even when a band leader allows an amount of time for the other members to solo, they have a moment of expression but then fade back into the shadows. But here each fulfills his own expression whilst goading his teammates. Although jazz as an art form builds up from the rhythm section to the soloist, this trio showcases how divine music is when collaboration starts with individuality.

I do enjoy walking bass lines, but while harmonically the bassist has quite a lot of freedom, melodically and rhythmically he is confined. When LaFaro falls into a walking bass line it has so much more meaning and power because it's so sporadic. Just as dissonance empowers consonance, LaFaro's different backing approaches invigorates the trio. And with the same power, when Evans backs Scott's soloing he doesn't just pound on chords. He is just as animated and lively as Scott. As for the drummer Paul Motian, I view him as a focal point between Evans and LaFaro. I suppose he seems the most stable on the surface, but again on closer inspection his subtle maneuvers expound the theme of the group.

This may seem daunting at first, I certainly didn't know how to listen to it initially. But realize that this isn't free-form jazz, and while each member has his own merit, the composite trio sound is the most important element.

Milestones


Solar


All Of You (Take 3)

Double Bass Riffs

Here's my pick of Avishai Cohen riffs. I'll admit that Avishai plays most of the songs that I blast in my car. I suppose it's catchier than the average jazz song but I love it anyway. One thing to note, most of the odd percussive sounds that you hear are done by Avishai on his bass. On Gershon Beat the percussive sounds are almost as much of a part of the riff as the notes. But beyond the bass, Gershon Beat has a wonderful flutist, something I rarely hear in jazz. Before ever listening to Yusef Lateef this was my favorite flute jazz song. It has a great Arabic vibe to it and he can hit both the percussive sounds or a long series of undulating notes. Smash on the other hand has such an aggressiveness to it. The drummer Mark Guiliana always sticks out to me, especially on the Avishai Cohen Trio albums. He has a decently harder style; on one recording (not here) he displayed an unusual integration of metal's double pedaling of the bass drum. Actually, as an aside, that technique did originate in jazz with Louie Bellson. That Arabic stringed sound in Smash is an Oud, a frettless lute-like instrument.

And I'll throw in II B.S. off of Charles Mingus' Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus album. It's a variation of the his Haitian Fight Song, but I find this version to have a much more lively appeal.

Now you can respond with some real bass music when an SUV rumbling to hip hop drives up next to you.

Gershon Beat (At Home)


Smash (Continuo)


II B.S.