To Anyone,
Laurent's comments are disrespectful to me and to my father, and all families of the world.

I am a world class film composer. It is not something that is easy to accomplish, nor are some born with the potential. All of what I am is from how I was. And how I was is partially from where I came from. To think that I do not possess any of my father's skills is insulting to me. To think that everything he did in his life and everything I have done in mine are mutually exclusive, is just plain unwise.

I could be the generic human being that everyone loves. But I have chosen to be someone who is loved by those who respect my uniqueness. I have chosen to be unlike anyone else. And most people who do not like me are actually closed minded. Ironically I am very open minded, and I naturally like and respect even those who do not like and respect me. But it is not my place to influence others. I wish to bring people out of darkness, but I cannot push it. You cannot help someone who cannot help themselves.

So to those who disagree with Evan Evans as a person, I say "spend the neurons on something else, because it doesn't mean anything to a proudly unique person such as myself."

I'm going to enjoy my life just the same without other's opinions of me. That's the beauty being confident in who you are, the choices you've made, and the direction you see yourself going.

Furthermore, I don't mind arguing with someone about my opinions or even defending mine against other's disagreement, but basically, with 2 kids, a wife, a wonderful life and career, .. I just don't have time for those close minded people anymore. They can go argue with their roommate and come back to me when they're married and know what it means to enjoy life and other's opinions. A certain degree of discretion must be taken with some of the people who attack me. I can't give everyone equal credit for being valid. I pick and choose those who seem to have an air of respect for other's about them.

So if I choose not to defend myself, it doesn't mean I am not offended. It just means, I don't have enough seconds in this life to spend another one with that person, defending myself. They're on their own .. and I wish them the best in coming to new realizations and illuminations about what is truly important in the universe, this world, and one's life. And also I recommend that people not try to be controlled by chemicals and emotions, and other influences that are created by chemicals and emotions. Use your mind. Think before you leap.

To R.K,
Thanks for your kind words. You're perspectives show why you love my father's music. It takes more than just ears to appreciate it, and I can see by you're view of life that you understand me and my father quite well. You can AIM me anytime if you wish. Or email.

Yours truly,
Evan Evans

It's been said that time dims the memory. Oft times, that's true. But there are memories that can be recalled in an instant. I heard, many years ago, a great recording of Bill and Niels petersen. Man, they were cooking. Bill's linear sense was faultless, and (IMO), he gave more than a passing nod of recognition to others, without playing a collection of someone else's licks. I've read Bill was influenced by the likes of Sonny Clark and Bill Powell. I don;t know if that was actually true from the late Mr. Evans's perspective, but you can hear it in his structure and fluidity, and yet he went it alone so often, reaching places most of us players could only dimly dream of.

There are some musicians whose music, and importantly, history, should be taught to the up and comers, passing on a legacy that stood apart from the mainstream, and took a genre or style in a nw direction. These people, and the profound moments they hit us with, need to be remembered, studied, and most of all enjoyed, free of past perceptions, or elitist assumptions of what fits and doesn't. These are the guys who we should stand up for when they enter the room, paying our respects, and no doubt embarrasing them in the process!

Bill Evans was, and is, one of those great musicians, whose contribution helped shape the sound of Jazz in particular, and music in general. Great chops, Mr. Evans.

As for the 'young' Mr. Evans?
Well, what's to say?

The man's enjoying himself in life in his own right, with his own skills and abilities, and i'm with him on this one, as a particular personal experience taught me the value of every moment, and to get on with it, without letting the wannabe's slow you down.

Besides, Evan's got a horrible sense of humour, shares considerable amounts of knowledge with others he often doesn't know, and drinks Port.

In my book, that makes him a thoroughly civilised chap.

Regards,

Alex.

p.s.

R.K., i agree with your point about DG's work. Outstanding composer and orchestrator. I had the good fortune recently to listen to some of his stuff.

Evan, sorry if my post has been misunderstood.
I didn't mean by any way to be insulting.
I have a enormous respect for your father (he's been my musical guide while I was learning to improvise and I've been transcribing him a lot).

Please don't take everything too seriously

R.K. thanks for your very human posts, that was cool to read "-)

p.s. you beat me, you've one more kid.
"-)

Only half à propos this thread, Bill Evans' version of "The Dolphin" is just freaky. It's one thing to play a complicated tune the way he does, but then he goes back and comes up with a great reharmonization for it on the fly. Humans aren't supposed to be able to do that.

__

How DARE you say that, Guy? [6]

---

Am I the only sane person on this forum?

@Christian Marcussen said:

Am I the only sane person on this forum?

I was thinking the same thing (but not about you) [[:|]]

DG

Well maybe we are the only two left then [:D] - kind of being in a G. A. Romero film...

@Christian Marcussen said:

Well maybe we are the only two left then [:D] - kind of being in a G. A. Romero film...

Or...........






[I]

@Christian Marcussen said:

Well maybe we are the only two left then [:D] - kind of being in a G. A. Romero film...

Or...........






[I]
Don't you start.......... [6]

DG

@hermitage59 said:

Besides, Evan's got a horrible sense of humour, shares considerable amounts of knowledge with others he often doesn't know, and drinks Port. ... Alex...

Hehe. Thanks for all your kind words Alex. here here.
Evan Evans

@Laurent said:

Evan, sorry if my post has been misunderstood.
I didn't mean by any way to be insulting....

You know ... right after I posted my reply I went back and skimmed your post again and realized that it might not have been meant to be insulting at all. But I still needed to say what I said, even if it was in the wrong reflection of the moment. I still hold it true, it's just not directed at you in any way.

No problem. Water under the bridge.

Cheers,
Evan

@Nick Batzdorf said:

Only half à propos this thread, Bill Evans' version of "The Dolphin" is just freaky. It's one thing to play a complicated tune the way he does, but then he goes back and comes up with a great reharmonization for it on the fly. Humans aren't supposed to be able to do that.

Nick, there are so many great examples of that in my father's oeuvre. He was an enigma to be sure. It can be mind blowing.

Many times he said he was not naturally gifted. Not a freak of nature. That he practiced at least 8 hours a day every day of his life, and that what you hear as very complex and sophisticated was indeed the result of incredibly hard work. I witnessed this as a child, and my mother has told me the same.

On a side note, it was rather touching for me to learn, after I chose film scoring as my passion in this life, in an interview with my father a year before his passing he was asked if there was anything he wanted to do besides Jazz ... He answered "I would like to get into scoring films." Talk about freaking me out. First of all, you have to understand that my interest in music was purely genetic. There was a piano in the house. My mother never pushed me at all. I naturally gravitated towards it, asked for lessons, wanted to have an hour lesson twice a week at the age of 7, which by 8 turned into 3 lessons per week, 1 hour theory, 1 hour Piano, and 1 hour Trumpet. I did not even know my father was a musician (or realize it per sey, make the connection), until I was about 10 years old. And yet the moment I turned 9, I heard some music in the film THE 39 STEPS by Alfred Hitchcock, and it was the first time I realized that movies had music in them. At that point I said "that is what I want to do with my life. Write music for movies." I got my first job at age 12. I got my first film at age 21. It was when I was 24 that I learned of what my father had said. It was 15 years of confirmation in a single instant, that I indeed was following in my father's footsteps. He died when I was 5. So it's just incredibly touching to have his "approval", in that sense.

Anyway, alas I rambled on.

Basically I just wanted to say, that as a musician, an artist, I think he was much more than most people realize, and that music at that level is not an accident, improvised, or universally accepted without intending to do so.

How many of you have decided that your contribution deserves 8 hours of fortification through practice every day of your life? That is dedication of the highest. And it is very inspiring, at least to me.

Evan Evans

P.S. By the way, i recognize and love my father's music, completely unbiased from the fact that he was my father. I can assure you of this, since I disliked Jazz music for most of my life. It certainly was not something that was drilled into me. I discovered my father just like the rest of you ... through his music. And most people I meet in his circles, knew him better than I did. Yet, I consider him to be a genius of the 20th Century, as was Bernard Herrmann who wrote in pen and did not make mistakes.

Ah, this thread sucks, full of contradictions... I'm out.

haha. Plus it was supposed to be about how the demo's aren't up to snuff. Stream of consciousness is a bitch.

Evan Evans

Thanks for all evans !

I think guy has gone Quacky !

Just listen to his Donald demo. Its out of this world.


I wonder if DG can still swing like that.

@R.K. said:

Thanks for all evans !

I think guy has gone Quacky !

Just listen to his Donald demo. Its out of this world.


I wonder if DG can still swing like that.

Well I'd love to be able to answer that, but as Guy's site crashes IE, then no chance...........!

DG

Really good, especialy "black panther strikes again" !
Is it only the VSL (or VI) samples ?