Hello again. The term jazz trio can mean
several different things including, very often, nothing much more than piano solo with rhythm
accompaniment. And in some unhappy instances, drum solo with piano and bass accompaniment.
The Bill Evans trio is a trio in the complete sense of the term. Three superlative musicians
working together as a group under the leadership of one of the great contemporary jazz men.
Let's go over and meet the musicians. Now, first of all, on bass, Chuck
Israels. On drums, Larry Bunker and on piano the leader Bill Evans. So it's the Bill Evans trio with
an opener called How my heart sings. That was a piece called Nadis which was
written by Miles Davis especially for a Bill Evans session with
Cannonball Adderley. And it's been in Bill's repertoire ever since. Anyone who's been
to a Bill Evans session will know that he bases a lot of his work on a standard song. A few jazz
musicians can never have treated the popular song with so much respect and affection. Here's his
interpretation of a british song. It's from the Anthony Newley leslie Bricusse show Stop the world I
want to get off, and it's called Who can I turn to. The Bill Evans trio on Someday my prince will
come. I doubt if Frank churchill who wrote the music for the Walt Disney film Snow White and the
seven dwarfs ever imagined that that little tune would one day become the inspiration of great
jazz musicians. But still as Fats Waller used to say: one never knows, do one. Now the trio Bill
Evans, Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker turn their apply their magic touch to a composition by
Irving Berlin. It's called How deep is the ocean. Well regular jazz 625 viewers probably recognized
that last tune. It's been played on this program by Benny Golson and his orchestra and also by Oscar
Peterson. It's called Waltz for Debbie it's written by Bill Evans and he brings to an end all too soon
this program of music by the Bill Evans trio. From Bill Evans himself, Chuck Israels,Larry Bunker
and from me here on jazz 625 it's goodbye for now. When Bill Evans did a season at Ronnie Scott's
club, they had a table overlooking the piano keyboard which was reserved especially for piano
players and it was full every night. Few pianists in recent years have had a more pervasive
influence. An influence which began in earnest i suppose when he worked and recorded with Miles
Davis in 1958. Since then he's concentrated mainly on trio work and the trio which we're presenting
on jazz 625 tonight has been together for two years let's go over and meet the musicians now. On bass Chuck Israel. On drums, Larry Bunker. And on piano the leader himself Bill Evans. So it's the Bill Evans trio
with an opening number called Elsa. Wonderful. George Gershwin's Summertime interpreted
by the Bill Evans trio. On bass, Chuck Israels, 29 years old, with experience that goes far
enough back to include working with the late Billy Holliday. A superb technician who handles
the double bass as easily as if it were a guitar, which is a nice change from guitar players who
handle the guitar as if it was a sub machine gun. Chuck Israels is one of the reasons
why musicians have come reeling away from performances by the Bill Evans trio in a
mood poised between elation and utter despair. Here's the trio now in Come rain or come shine. Bill Evans was studying concentration playing My
foolish heart. On drums Larry Bunker who's probably associated in the minds of most jazz fans with the
West Coast scene in the states, scene in which he was prominent until he left two years ago to
throw in his lot as they say in the adventure stories with the Bill Evans trio. Larry Bunker also
studies piano and vibes which is perhaps why he contributes such subtle musicianship to a trio
in which every instrument is of equal importance. Well we haven't had a Bill Evans composition
yet so here's one coming now it's entitled Re: person. The title of that tune was
Israel it was written by Johnny Carisi and it brings to an end this program by one of the most wonderfully integrated units
in the history of jazz, the Bill Evans trio. From Bill Evans, Chuck Israel and Larry Bunker and from
me here on jazz six to five it's goodbye for now.
That's a great show. Larry Bunker's brush work is next level. I might prefer his drumming to Motian's. Too bad he and LaFaro never played together in the trio.
Very cool seeing this in colour!
🙏🏻