The Universal Mind of Bill Evans!!!

[DaNatiMaestro]

Hello all,

I just finished watching a 5 part video series on YouTube called The Universal Mind of Bill Evans.  It's a very enlighting and mind-opening conversation with the great jazz pianist Bill Evans as he talks about The Creative Process and Self-Teaching.  Honestly, this video series has changed the way I think about music and life in general.  Not only was Bill Evans a musical genius but he was a great mind as well.  These clips have arguable one of the greatest Jazz Pianist ever talking about improvising, altering harmonies and displays some of his playing.  My whole thought process and approach to music has been changed by watching this.

This is one of the best things that you'll watch from a music standpoint.  I have alot of instructional gospel music DVDs and none of them have spoken to me like this video series has.

One of the biggest points that I've taken away from watching this is that so often we are wrapped up in learning musical STYLES, Urban Worship, Neo-Soul, Talk Music, Preacher Chords, Shout Music, etc. When really our focus and energies should be emersed in learning principles and concepts that we've extracted from those styles that we can use to develop our OWN STYLE that we all have inside of us.  Part of the joy and excitement of music is developing your own sound and style based on principles and fundamental building blocks.  We should learn to extract the principles separate from some ones playing style and use those as the building block to take our playing to the next level.  T-Block and so many others on LGM do this the right way by teaching principles and fundamentals separate from style.

Here are the links to the video series:

The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 1/5 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm6V7bWnVpw

The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 2/5 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihw6K7jiAS4

The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 3/5 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=basa3P38BRQ

The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 4/5 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKAEMkbDXfE

The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 5/5 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRuhSrLyZOs

I hope this challenges someone else because it has certainly challenged me!

Feel free to post any thoughts you may have based on the clips here!!

[darkwing]

Bill Evans has been a favorite of mine ever since my first Jazz piano instructor turned me on to him.  I will definitely check these out!  He's got some great inner voice movement that would sound killer if applied to the organ.  A bunch of these inner voice movement progressions are found in "Stylistic II-V7-I's for Jazz Keyboardists" by Luke Gillespie.  I lost my book and need to reorder it!

DW

[chevonee]

Thanks for sharing this DaNati, it is indeed very challenging . These videos sort of remind me of the principles that the Hannon exercises teach, in that they really challenge you to step outside of the box. Fundaments can sometimes be very boring but if you can get through that tough period of time, you can really separate yourself from other musicians. God bless you DaNati and thanks again for sharing.

[Rjthakid]

A deeper understanding of music and concepts is FAR more valuable than a progression or a lick.

thanks for this Maestro

[DaNatiMaestro]

Bill Evans has been a favorite of mine ever since my first Jazz piano instructor turned me on to him.  I will definitely check these out!  He's got some great inner voice movement that would sound killer if applied to the organ.  A bunch of these inner voice movement progressions are found in "Stylistic II-V7-I's for Jazz Keyboardists" by Luke Gillespie.  I lost my book and need to reorder it!

DW

Great minds must think alike because I have that same book!  And yes it is very good!  I really like the section on Altered Dominant Chords & Scales Lesson #3.

Bill Evans had gotten to a point in his playing that he was able to fully express himself in every way through his instrument.  I think that is the ultimate goal of playing and really art in general.  To get so imersed in the joy and excitement that is playing piano or organ to the point that the instrument becomes an extension of you so that what and who you are comes out on the instrument.

DW continue to bless others with the great knowledge, playing principles and fundamentals that you have to offer!

[Rjthakid]

What are some good albums I can get by Bill Evans?

[DaNatiMaestro]

Thanks for sharing this DaNati, it is indeed very challenging . These videos sort of remind me of the principles that the Hannon exercises teach, in that they really challenge you to step outside of the box. Fundaments can sometimes be very boring but if you can get through that tough period of time, you can really separate yourself from other musicians. God bless you DaNati and thanks again for sharing.

Absolutely!  As soon as I finished watching it I posted this message on LGM because that's what it's all about.  I'm not in the business of hoarding all of the good material to myself.  Plus, these clips are an excellent opportunity to probe the mind of a musical genius.

Fundaments can be extremely boring but in the midst of those exercise and rudiments you have to remember the end goal in mind and that is to take the job of playing and move it to the subconscious so that your conscious can be free to explore and communicate musically.  Now to many this is a huge undertaking but I like how Bill Evans puts it in this video. Don't try to grasp everything in one huge glob of information.  You'll never learn anything that way.  Break what ever your doing down to it's simplest form and start from there.  Tackle the concepts of music in baby steps and enjoy the journey.  Remember you'll probably be playing piano or organ for the rest of your life.  Why try to learn it all over night?

A deeper understanding of music and concepts is FAR more valuable than a progression or a lick.

thanks for this Maestro

RJ truer words have never been spoken.  Once people truly understand your statement then they will be able to make music that is real, true and accurate and not mearly an approximation of what another person's style is.

I thank God for being able to give us fresh thoughts and approaches to music.  As the New Year draws near, take the opportunity to refocus your energies and adventurous spirit on learning and understanding music and its concepts!

[DaNatiMaestro]

What are some good albums I can get by Bill Evans?

Great question.. here are some of my favorites (in no particular order):
- Conversation With Myself (WOW.. it may be a little hard to grasp with 3 pianos going at the same time but after a while you get used to it.. He's playing of Spartacus Love Theme is AMAZING..)
- Portrait in Jazz - Bill Evans Trio (I'm still amazed by Bill Evans playing of Autumn Leaves.. UNBELIEVABLE)
- The Last Waltz - Bill Evans Trio (Recorded shortly before he died.  You could tell he was playing his heart out!!)
- Kind of Blue - Miles Davis with Bill Evans playing keys (Arguably the greatest jazz album ever made.. Miles, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb all on the SAME ALBUM.. REMARKABLE.. I heard they made the album in one setting/recording..)

This will definitely get you started in an exploration of Bill Evans.

You should be able to get all of these on Amazon.com or iTunes or like I used to do for free at the Public Library.

[DaNatiMaestro]

One more Bill Evans album...

Everybody Digs Bill Evans - classic!

[musallio]

Wow...The man was sure amazing..

I'll have to watch the vids again properly when I'm not rushed..

This stuff is so good..

I like Kind of Blue & The Last Waltz (those were probably the only 1s I knew from the man..)

But I'm so glad 2 be here bcos I will learn more than I ever anticipated..