He also tried to democratize the role of the bassist and drummer in his succession of piano trios, encouraging greater contrapuntal interplay.īespectacled, shy, soft-spoken, and vulnerable, Evans was not a good fit into the rough-and-tumble music business. Since he already had those tools in hand, he worked very hard on his touch, getting the special, refined tone that he wanted out of a piano. In interviews, Evans often stressed that pianists should thoroughly learn technique and harmony so that they can put their inspiration to maximum use. Indeed, classical pianists like Jean-Yves Thibaudet have recorded note-for-note transcriptions of Evans' performances, bringing out the direct lineage with classical composers. Borrowing heavily from the impressionism of Debussy and Ravel, Evans brought a new, introverted, relaxed, lyrical, European classical sensibility into jazz - and that seems to have attracted a lot of young conservatory-trained pianists who follow his chord voicings to the letter in clubs and on stages everywhere. There is no more influential jazz-oriented pianist - only McCoy Tyner exerts nearly as much pull among younger players and journeymen - and Evans has left his mark on such noted players as Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Brad Mehldau.
With the passage of time, Bill Evans has become an entire school unto himself for pianists and a singular mood unto himself for listeners.
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