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Bill Evans – Symbiosis (1974) 1st Mov.

Symbiosis, 2nd Movement: Largo – Andante – Maestoso – Largo, Pt.1

Released on: 2017-10-27

Artist: Bill Evans
Composer: Claus Ogerman

1st Movement (Moderato, Various Tempi) – 24:58 Track 1 (a) 7:58 Track 2 (b) 5:17 Track 3 (c) 11:43 2nd Movement (Largo- Andante – Maestoso – Largo) – 15:55 Track 4 (a) 9:11 Track
5 (b) 6:44

PERSONNEL

Piano [Steinway & Fender-rhodes] – Bill Evans Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor – Claus Ogerman Concertmaster – David Nadien Bass – Eddie Gomez Bassoon – Wally Kane Clarinet, Clarinet [Bass] – Danny Bank , Ron Janelly Congas – Ralph McDonald Contrabassoon – Donald MacCourt Drums – Marty Morell Flute – Bill Slapin , Don Hammond , Hubert Laws French Horn – Al Richmond , Brooks Tillotson , Earl Chapin , James Buffington , Pete Gordon (2) ,

Ray Alonge Oboe – George Marge , Phil Bodner Percussion – Dave Carey , Doug Allen , George Devens Saxophone [Alto] – Harvey Estrin , Jerry Dodgion , Phil Woods , Walt Levinsky Trombone [Bass] – Paul Faulise , Tommy Mitchell Trombone [Tenor] – Urbie Green Trumpet – Bernie Glow , Johnny Frosk , Marky Markowitz, Marvin Stamm , Mel Davis , Victor Paz Tuba – Don Butterfield.

Bill Evans – Symbiosis

Legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans is most often thought of as a “trio” player, as most of his albums have been piano/bass/drums, with the occasional solo or duo album. But he did record a select few albums with orchestras, and that’s what makes SYMBIOSIS a special and unique entry in Evans’ hugh catalog. Recorded in 1974, it was released in 1994 on CD for the first time.

Further, these albums contain no standards or Evans originals –the title piece is a multipart suite composed, arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman (who also collaborated with Stan Getz and Frank Sinatra, among many others).

The album runs the stylistic gamut: there are moments of Philip Glass-like minimalism (!), samba-flavored big-band passages, echoes of the early 20th century Russian composers, Third Stream jazz, lush yet slightly ominous string arrangements and ’70s film music.

Throughout, Evans, alternating between acoustic and electric pianos, shimmers and entrances with his inventively lyrical solos. Not your “typical” Bill Evans album–but that’s what makes SYMBIOSIS such a fine, gently challenging listen. —Rovi

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Bill Evans’ 1974 Symbiosis is an interesting sidebar in his extensive catalogue. Reissued and remastered by MPS Music, it’s one of the very rare times he eschewed his traditional trio format (at the time featuring Eddie Gomez/b and Marty Morell/dr) and settled on an orchestra conducted by Claus Ogerman merged. Also, Evans delves into the Fender Rhodes piano as a complement to his usual milieu, with the results surprisingly wondrous.

The music is divided into two ‘movements’, with the ‘1st. Movement” in three parts and the “2nd. Sentence’ consists of two parts. Evans plays solo, duet, and trio with a rich orchestra in the opening ‘Moderato,’ which hints at hip B-movie hipness, with the second featuring a serpentine saxophone section driven by a Latin rhythm section will not let go.

His Rhodes work in the third piece feels like a soundtrack to a Mannix episode, while his piano and strings get deliciously dreamy on the Second Movement’s ‘Largo’. The album ends with dramatic orchestration that casts rich shadows and joins forces with Evans’ elegant fingerwork. This is a page of Mr. Evans that deserves credit. Look for this one and surprise your friends.

If we consider the sonic comparisons to the other albums Bill has made with orchestral accompaniment, this is by far the most superior performance and can put his best use of electric keyboards in context. ‘Symbiosis’ is far too important to be neglected as often as it is when jazz writers discuss Bill Evans albums.

As biographer Keith Shadwick observed, ‘Evans brings to the work the consummate artistry and sensitivity that comes from being stretched and stimulated. His rubato playing in the opening and second movements, sometimes alone, sometimes in unison with the strings, is both moving and immensely accomplished, in a way little jazz or classical pianists could have endured.’