Bill Evans, as both the lead artist in Soulgrass and the provider of the canvas, is ever so welcoming into this magical little art studio of a band. But you’d better have come to paint.
As part of the first recordings Evans made after losing bassist Scott LaFaro to a car accident, How My Heart Sings! is bittersweet, but to dwell on that loss is to miss the gelling of a new version of one of the great jazz trios of all time.
If the success of a jazz recording comes not out of what it means but how it reaches you, how much it opens up to you and lets you feel it, then Top of the Gate succeeds.
While jazz’s complexity cannot be denied, much of the music remains accessible to all. The trick is just finding the right tunes and artists, those who have a universal appeal beyond the scope of the typical, admittedly somewhat limited, jazz audience.
The Great List of the most acclaimed albums of all time makes its first foray into jazz, beginning with Miles Davis’ 1959 favorite. With no lyrics to quote, Counterbalance’s Eric Klinger and Jason Mendelsohn are having difficulty writing this introduction.
In between stays at mental institutions for schizophrenia, Powell left behind a remarkable legacy. Sadly, he hasn’t received the same widespread admiration that his close friend Thelonious Monk secured. But to true fans of the jazz genre, Powell is revered.
