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(1929-1980)
Pianist Bill Evans, who was strongly influenced by the music of Chopin, Ravel and Bud Powell, pioneered a delicate and detailed style that was particulary effective for ballads. Born in New Jersey, his early training was in the classics, but he played Dixieland jazz as a student at Southeastern Louisiana University. Evans was signed in 1956 to Riverside Records. It was there that he began to record his groundbreaking improvisatory trio albums with drummer Paul Motian and bassist Scott LaFaro. Evans also worked as a sideman in Miles Davis’s band, and was prominently featured on Miles’ legendary Kind of Blue album. Evans’ best-known compositions are "Waltz for Debby" and "Blues in Green," co-written with Davis. He later worked on acclaimed recordings with Jim Hall, Cannonball Adderly and Tony Bennett, before he died in 1980.
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