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waltz for debbie

i love this tune and am studying it right now. i am learning it from a lead sheet (of course) and i have a note for note transciption of bill evans' performance.

my difficulty is that there is no way to come up with new ideas in terms of voicings etc. as bill evans' performance is just so perfect.

his compositions seem to be so suited to his distinct manner of playing...

how do you come up with ideas for bill evans' tunes, especially waltz for debbie? do you know other pianists (except for ahmad jamal) who have recorded this song.... just for some inspiration...?

by ayolt on 04/14/2006, 14:54

There are 17 comments, leave a comment.

check out oscar peterson's version of it. thats very different from the bill evans recording

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by nihonjin on 04/14/2006, 16:44

i like to do it as a jazz waltz with leading bass notes on 1 and 4 using tenths, slow stride and some walking. in the right hand the melody on top with upper level fill in notes in between.

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by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 18:40

pphilip: on 1 and 4? its in 3/4

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by ayolt on 04/14/2006, 20:05

i'm talking about 6/4

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by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 20:59

this is a beautiful piece of music. i love the tony bennett/bill evans performance of the song. makes a father cry!

bro'

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by Brotherdavies on 04/16/2006, 16:31

you can play the theme in 3/4 and switch to 4/4 to jam a little. or you can switch timimg on a measure-by-measure basis.

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by alhaynes on 04/17/2006, 11:02

"i have a note for note transciption of bill evans' performance"

is this transcription available? is it from the 1965 www.youtube video?

andy

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by AndyD on 04/18/2006, 03:33

yes it is... it's his original version..... i have got it in pdf, but i think it's from a book somewhere

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by ayolt on 04/18/2006, 06:30

ayolt

how can i get a copy of the pdf file?

thanks
eduardo

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by erigane on 05/05/2006, 11:27

send me an email on ayoltdegr@hotmail.com

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by ayolt on 05/05/2006, 15:52

ayolt, any chance of posting the pdf? i'd love to have it as this is one of the tune i'm working on. if possible -- thanks, scott.

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by sdm on 05/05/2006, 16:03

hmm, sorry guys, it seems i don't have it anymore... only in printed version.... however isn't there a transcription of waltz for debbie on this site??? i am sure i've seen it here

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by ayolt on 05/06/2006, 07:57

i don't find it in a search of files but here's one: https://armand.reynaud.free.fr/transcription.html. thanks for getting me looking.

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by sdm on 05/06/2006, 12:57

this is the link to waltz for debbie (bill evan´s solo) on armand´s home page:

https://armand.reynaud.free.fr/i_pdf/transcription/bill_evanswaltz.pdf

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by erigane on 05/07/2006, 20:21

i hear a lot of bud powell in bill evans's playing -- the triplet figures on something like "oblivion" really seem to be something bill evans worked on a lot. i'd try to work up a bop style take on the tune (which is not one i play) if i wanted to try to take it in a different direction. i'd probably also transcribe cannonball's solo as well on the tune just to see what he was up to. i might try to drop it into 4, but that's just because i personally have the preconception that playing in 3 seems a little light for my tastes, sometimes.

i agree bill had all of the chords covered for that particular version -- but there shouldn't be any problem with coming up with a different style, even if it might be derivative, no? at least as an experiment.

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by on 05/07/2006, 21:28

waltz for debbie, bar 29, fist chord (c/a)is some stretch for both hands whatever way you try it. i can't do it.
just how big were his hands? or is it not accurate?

andy

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by AndyD on 05/08/2006, 16:14

wow, have to be very careful with links. the trailing period (.) breaks the link i left. sorry.

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by sdm on 05/08/2006, 16:19

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waltz for debbie

There are 17 comments, leave a comment.

by nihonjin on 04/14/2006, 16:44

by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 18:40

by ayolt on 04/14/2006, 20:05

by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 20:59

by Brotherdavies on 04/16/2006, 16:31

by alhaynes on 04/17/2006, 11:02

by AndyD on 04/18/2006, 03:33

by ayolt on 04/18/2006, 06:30

by erigane on 05/05/2006, 11:27

by ayolt on 05/05/2006, 15:52

by sdm on 05/05/2006, 16:03

by ayolt on 05/06/2006, 07:57

by sdm on 05/06/2006, 12:57

by erigane on 05/07/2006, 20:21

by on 05/07/2006, 21:28

by AndyD on 05/08/2006, 16:14

by sdm on 05/08/2006, 16:19

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waltz for debbie

There are 17 comments, leave a comment.

by nihonjin on 04/14/2006, 16:44

by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 18:40

by ayolt on 04/14/2006, 20:05

by pphilip on 04/14/2006, 20:59

by Brotherdavies on 04/16/2006, 16:31

by alhaynes on 04/17/2006, 11:02

by AndyD on 04/18/2006, 03:33

by ayolt on 04/18/2006, 06:30

by erigane on 05/05/2006, 11:27

by ayolt on 05/05/2006, 15:52

by sdm on 05/05/2006, 16:03

by ayolt on 05/06/2006, 07:57

by sdm on 05/06/2006, 12:57

by erigane on 05/07/2006, 20:21

by on 05/07/2006, 21:28

by AndyD on 05/08/2006, 16:14

by sdm on 05/08/2006, 16:19

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In