LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Beginning Bill
Brotherdavies -- 02/08/2007, 06:07:06 -- #32927
Something I really like doing is working on my standards so that the voicings become fuller with more texture and hues..also adding/substituting chords to give movement and flow. Bill Evans seems to be about the best to study to develop this aspect of my playing.

His output is so vast and technically challenging in parts that a bit of advice to help me home in some of the more accessible playing would be very much appreciated. For example, Spring Is Here is so beautiful but is it a good place to start learning some of Bills voicings and substitutions? Or should I purchase one of the many books?

Cheers

Bro'

grsbmd -- 02/08/2007, 12:49:25 -- #32927
I have a pdf of some transcriptions if you would like it emailed.

dudsy -- 02/08/2007, 21:37:59 -- #32927
the artistry of bill evans is one great transcription book to have
but grsbmd...would it be possible for you to email me some of those pdf transcriptions thatt you have?

groyann -- 02/09/2007, 02:25:19 -- #32927
I'm interested in those pds transcriptions too...
Can you send them to yannick.notheber@gmail.com ?
Many thanks in advance.

Brotherdavies -- 02/09/2007, 05:48:03 -- #32927
grsbmd

My email is : chris@badminton77.fsnet.co.uk

I would love to see the transcriptions - that is very kind of you.
I love Bills Playing on the 1st album with Tony Bennet - just his intro to Days of Wine and Roses is something I will study, as it is exactly how I want to play.

Cheers

Bro'

jmkarns -- 02/09/2007, 10:20:55 -- #32927
Also check out 'Beautiful Love'.  I play it many times and yet its beuty as rendered by Bill is so out of reach.

Paul -- 02/09/2007, 10:55:37 -- #32927
grsbmd,

I like some of your transcriptions too. Thanks!

Paul

psangre@sbcglobal.net

dudsy -- 02/09/2007, 11:03:22 -- #32927
hey grsbmd

my email is i_knoe_how_to_dance@hotmail.com

grsbmd -- 02/09/2007, 11:35:01 -- #32927
I just sent the email

sdm -- 02/09/2007, 12:32:48 -- #32927
grsbmd, if you are willing to share these, perhaps you would consider uploading them to the transcriptions room here on LJP.  It is through this kind of thing the LJP grows.

groyann -- 02/14/2007, 02:03:53 -- #32927
Yes you're right, sdm.

asteffen -- 02/15/2007, 02:28:47 -- #32927
Hi guys,
yesterday I received the relatively new Bill Evans arrangements for solo piano done by Andy Laverne (19 pieces). I can simply recommend the book to any interested in Bill Evans style. Andy manages to arrange in the style of Bill Evans but simultaneously he keeps the arrangements relatively simple and easy to play from sheet. By analyzing the selected voicings and reharmonizations one get really get a lot out of this book! Besides this the sheets are very well printed and just fun to read!
Regards, Andreas.

Brotherdavies -- 02/15/2007, 02:57:20 -- #32927
I'll check it out. I have the Laverne Standards DVD which is full of Bill Evans style playing. Really great for seeing how one reharmonises an entire song. Love How Deep Is the Ocean from this DVD. Andy lowers the root of the first chord by half a step and this triggers off the reharmonisation ideas.

Bro'

hosea -- 03/14/2007, 22:35:29 -- #32927
hi grsbmd,

I am a Hong Kong Junior keybroad guy. I heard of Bill Evan for a long time but I have no transcription of his performance at all......Pls....I wanna got a song for long-long-time practising. May I..?

my email is hoseamok@gmail.com

hosea -- 03/14/2007, 22:50:01 -- #32927
or anyone had already one....pls. kindly send me too?

In HK, I am difficult to search "the harmony of Bill Evan" in TOM LEE shop,as this kind of book has no market here. I am a jazz-lover in this jazz-material-lacking environment.

Mike -- 03/15/2007, 02:38:03 -- #32927
To say "I want to sound exactly like Bill Evans"  is to entirely miss the point of what Jazz is all about.  Bill Evans would cringe to hear it and would roll over to find that many pianists actually come close to achieving it in many ways. Once Bill Evan's own brother asked Bill to show him his chord voicings... Bill refused saying "I would not want to spoil the fun for you of finding your own".  
   Our mission as Jazz pianists if you choose to accept it Bro is to recognize that what we like about Bill is that he uses great chord voicings and substituitions.  Then we need to play "Sping is Here" over and over experimenting with our own voicings and substitions until we find some we like.  If we find our voicing ideas lacking then  we know we really ought to add more voicing drills to our practice routine and spend a little more time studying voicings in general... same with substitutions.

kensuguro -- 03/15/2007, 06:12:08 -- #32927
beautifully put mike!  Definitely keeps me motivated.

CynBad -- 03/15/2007, 14:23:07 -- #32927
MIKE
YOU ARE DA MAN!

Brotherdavies -- 03/16/2007, 04:41:56 -- #32927
Thank you Mike

What you suggest is what I have been doing for the last couple of years. I have often taken the Ralph Patt sheets and edited them with my own substitutions. As I develop, with the Jazz Piano book at my side, I am spotting more and more possible voicings and substitutions.
Many of my sheets have details of voicings I have played and want to keep!

I really find reading ANYTHING from written down arrangements a chore anyway. For me, fun is experimenting and discovering.

I have just reread the section in Levine on Melodic Minor harmony and soon I will tackle Blue in Green with this knowledge.

I actually feel a sense of relief at what you have said - I don't want an Evans book, I don't want any transcription books!

Regards

Bro'

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