List of compositions by Bill Evans

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This list contains the known compositions of Bill Evans. It is likely that some of his works have not survived or remain unpublished, such as "Very Little Suite," an assignment composed during his college years.

NameYear of compositionYear of first recordingFirst recordingNotes
Are You All the Things1974 Intuition A contrafact based on Jerome Kern's classic "All the Things You Are," which rearranges the words of its title
B Minor Waltz1977 You Must Believe in Spring For ex-girlfriend Ellaine, who committed suicide.
Bill's Belle1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
Bill's Hit Tune1979 We Will Meet Again
Blue in Green 19591959 Kind of Blue Miles Davis claimed authorship, but Evans, Earl Zindars, and many jazz historians have maintained that it was Evans who composed it (or at least co-wrote it).
C Minor Blues Chase1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
Carnival1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
Catch the Wind1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
Children's Play Song1970 From Left to Right
Chromatic Tune1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
Comrade Conrad1971 The Bill Evans Album The tune originated as a Crest toothpaste jingle. It was later elaborated and dedicated to Conrad Mendenhall, a friend who had died in a car accident. [1]
Displacement1956 New Jazz Conceptions
Epilogue1959 Everybody Digs Bill Evans Short solo
Evanesque1980 (unfinished)Completed and first recorded by Eliane Elias on her tribute album Something for You (2008)
Five1956 New Jazz Conceptions Like many jazz tunes, it's based on the chords of "I Got Rhythm." It was for some years the Bill Evans Trio signature tune.
For Nenette1978 New Conversations For Evans' wife. There is also a lyric version titled "In April"
Fudgesickle Built for Two1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982
Fun Ride1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982
Funkallero 1956 Tenderly: An Informal Session Recorded with Don Elliott and released posthumously in 2001
Funny Man1967 Further Conversations with Myself
G Waltz1967 California Here I Come
Here Is Something for You1980 (unfinished)From a private cassette recording; completed and recorded with added lyrics by Eliane Elias on her tribute album Something for You (2008)
Interplay1962 Interplay
It's Love – It's Christmas1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous, lyrics also by Bill Evans
Knit for Mary F1980 Letter to Evan For fan Mary Franksen
Know What I Mean?1961 Know What I Mean? Piece for Cannonball Adderley's homonymous album
Laurie19791979 We Will Meet Again For girlfriend Laurie Verchomin
Letter to Evan1979 The Paris Concert: Edition Two Written for his son Evan Evans, born in 1975
Loose Bloose1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982
Maxine1978 New Conversations For his stepdaughter, Nenette's daughter
My Bells1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982; first appeared on Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra in 1966
N.Y.C.'s No Lark19631963 Conversations with Myself Anagram of the name of pianist Sonny Clark, a personal friend who died in 1963
One For Helen1966 Bill Evans at Town Hall For manager Helen Keane
Only Child
Orbit1966 A Simple Matter of Conviction a.k.a. Unless It's You
Peace Piece 1958 Everybody Digs Bill Evans Improvised solo, loosely based on Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time"
Peri's Scope1959 Portrait in Jazz For girlfriend Peri Cousins
Prologue1966 Bill Evans at Town Hall Prologue to the solo titled "In Memory of His Father Harry L."
Re: Person I Knew1962 Moon Beams Anagram of the name of his friend producer Orrin Keepnews
Remembering the Rain1978 New Conversations
Show Type Tune1962 How My Heart Sings!
A Simple Matter of Conviction1966 A Simple Matter of Conviction
Since We Met1974 Since We Met Dedicated to and titled by his wife Nanette
34 Skidoo1962 How My Heart Sings!
Song for Helen1978 New Conversations For manager Helen Keane
Song No.1First recorded by Chick Corea in 2010
Story Line1966 Bill Evans at Town Hall Part of the solo titled "In Memory of His Father Harry L."
Sugar Plum
The Opener
Theme (What You Gave)1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
There Came You1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982
These Things Called Changes1966 A Simple Matter of Conviction
Tiffany1980 Turn Out the Stars:
The Final Village Vanguard Recordings
For Joe LaBarbera's daughter
Time Out for Chris
Time Remembered 1962Loose BluesReleased in 1982; first appeared on Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra in 1966
Turn Out the Stars1966 Bill Evans at Town Hall First appeared in "In Memory of His Father Harry L.," an extended solo featuring other pieces; lyrics by Gene Lees
T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune)1971 The Bill Evans Album Based on a tone row
T.T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune Two)1973 The Tokyo Concert Based on a tone row
The Two Lonely People1971 The Bill Evans Album Lyrics by Carol Hall for the performance of the song by Tony Bennett
Very Early1949 (appr.)1962 Moon Beams Evans's first-known tune composed when he was an undergraduate
Walkin' Up1962 How My Heart Sings!
Waltz for Debby 1953 (appr.)1956 New Jazz Conceptions Written for his then recently born niece; lyrics later added by Gene Lees
Waltz in E1965–67 (appr.)Posthumous
We Will Meet Again1977 You Must Believe in Spring For his brother Harry; lyrics by Bill Evans (heard in recordings by others such as Tierney Sutton)
Yet Ne'er BrokenAn anagram of the name of cocaine dealer Robert Kenney
Your Story1980 Letter to Evan

References

  1. Pettinger 2002, p. 205.

Sources

Further reading