Richie Beirach - Elegy for Bill Evans (Trio/Palo Alto, 1981)

 This post is by Dan

Richie Beirach (p); George Mraz (b); Al Foster (d)

Recorded May 12, 1981

There have been many tribute albums for the great Bill Evans, deservedly so for the man who changed the voice of piano in modern jazz. Richie Beirach is superbly suited to record an album of Evans' music in a trio format because he was a friend and protege of the master. Accompanied by George Mraz and Al Foster, Beirach's elegy never becomes overly sentimental or imitative of Evans' style, while showing obvious influences. Of the tunes selected, only one was written by Evans, although all were staples of the pianist's repertoire throughout his career. 

Three of the six tunes on the album are taken at a pace that may surprise listeners who think of Evans as a balladeer. The brisk tempos of "In Your Own Sweet Way," "Solar," and "Nardis" actually mirror the way Bill played, especially later in his career. The slower tunes, however, best capture the delicate interplay among the trio and make the most emotional impacts.

Both Beirach and Mraz are revelations, matching the deep level of communication evident in Evans' early trios with bassists Scott LaFaro, Chuck Israels, and Eddie Gomez. Since most of the chord changes and tempos are well known, as the theory goes, they don't actually need to be played. This frees the bass (and drums) from their customary roles and affords the type of interaction Evans' trios are known for. Beirach, for his part, has things of his own to contribute both as a soloist and arranger of the music. It all works sublimely on this heart-felt tribute.

The recording was made in New York and released in Japan on the Trio Records label in 1981, then on Palo Alto Records in the U.S. in 1982. A CD version has appeared on various Japanese and Danish labels. The Palo Alto LP is well worth the search.