Thursday, April 14, 2022

ccxxv. EVANS, Bill: Peace Piece

ccxxv. EVANS, Bill (1929-1980)

Peace Piece (1958)
BE, piano
(6:44)


from: Everybody Digs Bill Evans.


Two chords: CMaj7 to G9(sus4).


It's what BE does on top with his right hand that makes this a stunning recording.


"Peace Piece is an example of the depth of Evans' compositional technique ... the improvisation starts simply over a gentle ostinato, which quickly fades into the background. Evans allows the fantasy that evolves from the opening motive (an inversion of the descending fifth in the ostinato) more freedom than he would in an improvisation tied to a changing accompaniment. He takes advantage of the ostinato as a unifying element against which ideas flower, growing more lush and colorful as the piece unfolds. Polytonalities, cross rhythms [and dissonance -- LS] increase in density as the ostinato undulates gently, providing a central rhythm and tonal reference. The improvisation becomes increasingly complex against the unrelenting simplicity of the accompaniment, until, near the end, Evans gradually reconciles the two elements."

**

You can't copyright two chords, so Lady Blackbird "borrowed" the idea for her 2021 song "Fix It."

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INDEX to 1000 POSTS NON-CLASSICAL BLOG A-M

N-Z A-HA / Take On Me / ccclxx ABERCROMBIE, John / Timeless / xxiii ABERCROMBIE, John / JOHNSON, Marc / ERSKINE, Peter / Light Beam / cxlix ...