If ever there was a jazz musician who needs no introduction, it surely must be Ernest Gilmore Evans (1912 –1988), who as well as being an acclaimed musician in his own right, will always be remembered first and foremost for his collaborations with Miles Davis, including ‘Birth of the Cool’, ‘Sketches of Spain’ and ‘Porgy and Bess’, where he set new heights for arrangements and orchestrations. He is widely regarded as having played a key role in the development of cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz and jazz fusion, all of which can be found on this new recording by The Gil Evans Orchestra. Subtitled ‘Monday Nights’, this album revisits the famous Monday night engagements at the Greenwich Village club, Sweet Basil, which resulted in a number of successful live recordings by Gil Evans and the Monday Night Orchestra.
Gil’s sons, trumpeter Miles Evans and his brother Noah are keeping the flame alive with “Hidden Treasures,” a trilogy of recordings of which “Monday Nights” is the first. The concept for this release is to feature compositions that the Orchestra played live in the late 70’s and early 80’s while the next one, ‘The Classics’, will feature modern renderings of Evans’ original arrangements. To say this album is a delight from start to end is something of an understatement, as I can happily listen to this all night. Highlight for me is Miles Evans’ “LL Funk”, where although he is the composer this isn’t a trumpet fest but rather the perfect vehicle for Vernon Reid to show just why he is such a highly rated guitarist with shredding which wouldn’t seem out of place on a Malmsteen record, yet here also manages to fit in perfectly. With excess of 20 musicians featured on this CD, it is yet again the controlled arrangements which let them all shine in their individual ways, so the rigorous structure allows plenty of room for the virtuoso to make their presence felt. An easy album to listen to, while never easy listening, this is one for lovers of all forms of jazz.
Rating: 8/10
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Track list:
1. Subway
2. LL Funk
3. I Surrender
4. Groove from the Louvre
5. Lunar Eclipse
6. Moonstruck
7. Eleven
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Links:
https://www.gilevans.com/
