''Piano Player'' is a compilation of recordings featuring jazz pianist

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

released in 1998 on the

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

label.

Reception

The Allmusic review by

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...

awarded the album 4 stars stating "The pianist's fans will definitely want this consistently enjoyable CD".Yanow, S
Allmusic Review
accessed May 25, 2011 The All About Jazz review by Douglas Payne states "As a whole, ''Piano Player'' jumps from time periods and groupings more erratically than a typical Bill Evans listener would expect or appreciate. But eight of these songs offer required - and rewarding — listening for fans of the pianist. The remaining three selections are not readily available elsewhere either. Therefore, for now, ''Piano Player'' makes for essential Bill Evans listening".Payne, D
''Piano Player'' Review
'' All About Jazz'', October 1, 1998

Track listing

:''All compositions by Bill Evans unless otherwise noted'' # "All About Rosie (3rd Section)" ( George Russell) - 5:18 # "

My Funny Valentine "My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart coming of age musical ''Babes in Arms'' in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 130 ...

" (

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

) - 10:20 # "Vierd Blues" ( Miles Davis) - 5:58 # " Bésame Mucho" (

Consuelo Velázquez Consuelo Velázquez Torres (August 21, 1916 in Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco – January 22, 2005, Mexico City), also popularly known as Consuelito Velázquez, was a Mexican concert pianist and composer. She was the composer of famous Mexican ballads ...

) - 6:53 # "Mornin' Glory" ( Bobbie Gentry) - 6:43 # " Django" ( John Lewis) - 8:08 # " Waltz for Debby" - 5:13 # "T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune)" - 3:37 # "Comrade Conrad" - 6:40 # " Gone with the Wind" (

Allie Wrubel Elias Paul "Allie" Wrubel (January 15, 1905 – December 13, 1973) was an American composer and songwriter. Biography Wrubel was born to a Jewish family in Middletown, Connecticut, United States, the son of Regina (née Glasscheib) and Isaac ...

, Herb Magidson) - 6:42 # "Fun Ride" - 6:37 :*Recorded in New York City on June 10, 1956 (track 1), September 9, 1958 (track 2), February 6 & 8, 1962 (tracks 3 & 4), November 23, 1970 (track 5), November 24, 1970 (tracks 6-10) and May 17, 1971 (track 11)

Personnel

- piano,

electric piano An electric piano is a musical instrument which produces sounds when a performer presses the keys of a piano-style musical keyboard. Pressing keys causes mechanical hammers to strike metal strings, metal reeds or wire tines, leading to vibrations ...

* Miles Davis (track 2),

Art Farmer Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, double ...

(track 1), Louis Mucci (track 1) - trumpet * Jimmy Knepper - trombone (track 1) * Jim Buffington - French horn (track 1) *Robert Di Domenica -

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

(track 1) *John LaPorta -

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

(track 1) *

Hal McKusick Hal McKusick (June 1, 1924 – April 11, 2012) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist who worked with Boyd Raeburn from 1944 to 1945 and Claude Thornhill from 1948 to 1949. Career McKusick was born in Medford, Massachuset ...

- tenor saxophone (track 1) *Manuel Zegler -

bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...

(track 1) *

Teddy Charles Teddy Charles (April 13, 1928 – April 16, 2012) was an American jazz musician and composer, whose instruments were the vibraphone, piano, and drums. Career Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, United States, he s ...

vibes Vibes may refer to: * Vibes (percussion) or vibraphone, a musical instrument * Vibes (company) a mobile marketing company * The aura or energy given off by someone Media * ''Vibes'' (film), a 1988 comedy * ''Vibes'' (video game), a 2010 video ...

(track 1) * Margaret Rose -

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

(track 1) * Barry Galbraith - guitar (track 1) *

Joe Benjamin Joseph Rupert Benjamin (November 4, 1919 – January 26, 1974) was an American jazz bassist. Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Benjamin played with many jazz musicians in a variety of idioms. Early in his career he played in the big bands of Art ...

(track 1), Paul Chambers (track 2), Eddie Gómez (tracks 5-11), Herbie Lewis (tracks 3 & 4) –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Jimmy Cobb (track 2), Marty Morell (track 11),

Walter Perkins Walter Perkins may refer to: * Walter Perkins (musician) (1932–2004), American jazz drummer * Walter Perkins (Stroud MP) (1903–1988), Conservative Party politician in England * Walter E. Perkins Walter Eugene Perkins (1859–1925) was an Am ...

(tracks 3 & 4), Teddy Summer (track 1) –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* George Russell -

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

(track 1) *

Dave Pike David Samuel Pike (March 23, 1938 – October 3, 2015) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. He appeared on many albums by Nick Brignola, Paul Bley and Kenny Clarke, Bill Evans, and Herbie Mann. He also recorded extensively as lea ...

- vibraphone (tracks 3 & 4)

References

{{Authority control Bill Evans albums 1998 compilation albums Albums produced by Orrin Keepnews Columbia Records compilation albums