1. You and the Night and the Music 2. Here Is Something for You 3. Sleepin' Bee 4. But Not for Me 5. Waltz for Debby 6. Five 7. Blue in Green 8. Detour Ahead 9. Minha (All Mine) 10. My Foolish Heart 11. But Beautiful/Here's That Rainy Day 12. I Love My Wife 13. For Nenette 14. Evanesque 15. Solar 16. After All 17. Introduction to "Here Is Something for You"
"Here's Something For You" Submitted on: 2009-11-23
"This is a real heartfelt, super special project for us....We're happy and we're looking forward to bringing the music to the people. It seems like everybody who hears this...people can feel some of the emotion, the sincerity that we felt when we did this tribute. It was really heartfelt....The whole thing is like a baby, a very special baby." ~ Eliane Elias ~
I'm always impressed with a musician's versatility when it comes to piano playing so naturally Eliane Elias is one of the names who figured prominently in my book of jazz. She's not only a jazz pianist, she is also a classical pianist on top of being a singer and composer as well. This Blue Note album, "Eliane Elias Sings & Plays Bill Evans," is a perfect example of that kind of versatility. It is not only a presentation of the material that Bill Evans was famous for, but it is also a loving tribute to one of her earliest musical influences. Together with her husband and musical partner, bassist Marc Johnson, and drummer Joey Baron, they have recorded one of the best tributes to the amazing piano artistry of Bill Evans, who was one of the greatest pianists in the history of jazz. The interplay among the trio is outstanding.
Two of the emotional highlights that will surely touch the musical sensibility of a listener come with this tribute album. Firstly, the fact that Marc Johnson's bass on one of the best tracks, "My Foolish Heart," was once owned by one of Bill Evans' best bass players, Scott LaFaro. Secondly, the revelation of a cassette tape given by Bill Evans to Marc Johnson containing two original compositions that were never recorded because of his untimely death. Eliane Elias provided the lyrics to Bill Evans' melody and titled it "Here's Something For You." It is a fitting title to salute and pay tribute to a jazz piano icon.
Surprisingly, some of the tracks that stood out are also the tunes that I liked best from Bill Evans albums: "But Beautiful: Bill Evans Trio Featuring Stan Getz," "Tony Bennett and Bill Evans Album," and "Alone." Eliane Elias lovingly and skillfully reinvented the songs with fresh arrangements in her very own elegant tonal quality, well-harmonized style and emotive transcription.
I enjoyed listening to this album in its entirety most especially Bill Evans' most beautiful body of work, "Waltz For Debby," as well as the bubbling, filled with jazzy notes, "You And The Night And The Music," the heartwarming, ear-candy "My Foolish Heart" and of course, the centerpiece from this set, "Here's Something For You." It is, indeed, a "heartfelt and super special project." I hope you'll enjoy it, too.
Something's missing... Submitted on: 2009-10-06
As a tribute, it's certainly well-researched, but the performances are lacking. I can't help but compare these renditions to the originals; tunes like "My Foolish Heart" and "Detour Ahead" simply fall flat compared to Bill Evans' versions (nobody will ever top his performances of these pieces at the Village Vanguard). That, and I'm not a huge fan of her voice. She's a great pianist; I think this album would work much better if it were 100% instrumental.
For those who aren't yet familiar with Bill Evans, I urge you to buy "The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings", "You Must Believe In Spring", "The Bill Evans Album" (a bit hard to find, but worth tracking down), and "New Conversations". For the rest of us, Ms. Elias' tribute is an interesting diversion. Chances are, it'll only make you want to return to your favorite Bill Evans albums.
Well... Submitted on: 2009-04-27
I've been listening to, absorbing, jazz piano for about 45-50 years.
If I had to pick two favorites (no easy task--impossible(?)) they would have been Bill Evans and Red Garland. (OK, there's Oscar and Lyle Mays, Evans without a doubt,
Gene Harris, but where does one stop?)
All that's been blown away----This woman has me by my soul.
If you haven't heard her, hear her...she feels things that can't be
duplicated. Her soul knows it's way to her fingers.
I rate my CDs on MSFT Media-whatever-they-call-it. This piece has more
5 star tracks on in it than any others I own.
If forced to pick a favorite track, it would have to be "Blue In Green." But wait, "My Foolish Heart", "After All"...
In it, Evans, Garland, Davis all come alive, if only to praise, from
wherever they listen, this interpretation of one of their masterworks.
I suppose if I were asked "What would allow you to die happy?" it could
involve a recorded version of Ms. Elias playing with her husband, plus
Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, (yes, two pianos work fine) Antonio Sanchez,
Cuong Vu, and others as they deem necessary/fun.
(And please, should anyone be listening, let it go---I want to hear
10-12-15 minute cuts from Eliane--long, far ranging solos from
her deepest pools. Please.) (?)
I cannot take this piece of art out of my truck's CD player,
if you don't have it, get it, there's love and art and spectacular
music all over it, waiting to immerse you.
Lee
EDIT--8/9/09 Found an interesting bit on an Evans album.
(IMMORTAL CONCERTS, Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez & Marty Morell
"Waltz For Debby". A live performance, recording details quite sketchy.) It seems that Evans was working on "Something For You"
at the time that this concert was recorded. First phrases of
"Something..." show up in the intro to "Nardis". I assume before
Evans gave Marc Johnson that priceless cassette of stuff he'd
been thinking about, forming into a piece.
The mind, at work.
Lee
It's a Keeper! Submitted on: 2009-02-06
Here's one for jazz lovers and romantics alike. A great trio. It strikes an interesting balance of honoring Bill and some Brazilian ambiance too. Eliane excells with her playing on the Steinway. Most cuts are instrumental but Eliane lends her sensuous voice to a few numbers. Bass and drums are excellent too. It felt like Evans was sitting in! There are 17 soothing, satisfying, nurturing tracks and i noticed this disc can really grow on you. Obrigado!
Romance and Remembrance Submitted on: 2009-01-09
Aside from her Brazilian roots, Eliane has attributed jazz pianist Bill Evans as a major influence. It also happens that her husband, bassist Marc Johnson, played with Evans in Evans' final days. The jazz played by Evans could sometimes have romantic overtones, a key part of Eliane's persona. "Something for You" is devoted to Evans and is full of songs written or performed by him. It has a good deal of fast and slower jazz, including the bebop sound, but also a good amount of romantic piano work, both interpretative and original. The first half of the CD tends toward the jazzy, the second half toward the romantic. Drummer Joey Baron has an uneven presence; also, unlike in most of Eliane's recent work, there are no other supporting musicians save for Johnson, much less an orchestra, in any of the tracks.
My dark horse favorite is Miles Davis' "Blue in Green." It is not really bebop or romantic, but has some pretty, very elegant improvisation. Recall that it was Evans who contributed the piano work on this song in Miles' classic album "Kind of Blue." Eliane's medium-paced piano is played over a slower rhythm tempo, and she does sophisticated interpretative work against the heavily horn-infused original. In addition, Eliane observes in the liner notes that it has a Brazilian feel. It touches Miles well with her own flavor, yet subtly a different sound for her. Also note that Eliane and the group honor Miles' spirit in "Solar," his other song here, with more great improvisation.
Eliane's singing is better on romantic pieces, as in all her popular ones, and it is always pretty; her accent and thicker voice can get in the way when it comes to certain slow jazz singing in English. But what the hey, she sings in her lovely Portugese in the one Brazilian song, "Minha." Her piano work is great, as always. She has only one original composition -- the pretty "After All" -- but she also did major romantic rearrangements for "Evanesque," one of the highlights, and for the strong title track, for which she also created lyrics. Some of her best flowery, romantic phrasing and occasional flourishes come in "I Love My Wife" and "For Nenette," which are among her several solo piano numbers.
As you can read, on a personal level I recommend this CD more for its prettier side than its traditional jazz side, just a matter of taste. As in the past, Eliane shows she is enjoyable with solo piano or piano supported only by a rhythm section. This time, the context was particularly special.
"Here's Something For You"
Something's missing...
Romance and Remembrance