Symbiosis | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1974 | |||
Recorded | February 11, 12 & 14, 1974 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 40:53 | |||
Label | MPS | |||
Producer | Helen Keane | |||
Bill Evans chronology | ||||
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Symbiosis is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans with an orchestra playing a two-movement work composed by conductor Claus Ogerman, recorded in February 1974 and originally released on the German MPS label. [1]
It was the third orchestral album by Evans and Ogerman, following Plays the Theme from The V.I.P.s and Other Great Songs (1963) and Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra (1966), which mostly consisted of relatively brief arrangements of works by other composers, modern and classical.
Ogerman said that his composition is divided into two "entirely opposed night pieces." He described them as follows: [2]
The tranquillo of the second movement (largo) releases the inner tension of the first. However, both movements share one joint foundation. The second movement is almost in its entirety a (slowed-down) repeat of a fast 41-bar 16th-note woodwind/saxophone passage of the first movement. ... This transfiguration is preceded by two new largo themes for piano and accompanying orchestra. The piano concludes the piece by establishing once more the D-Major theme of the first largo.
The work's two movements are divided into subsections (a, b, and c for the first movement and a and b for the second). Evans plays a Steinway grand piano on the first part of the first movement and the whole second movement but switches to a Fender-Rhodes electric piano for the last two sections of the first movement. [3]
Ogerman praised Evans's performance of his work, saying that the pianist "is—as no other player—able to create within any degree of musical tension. His elimination of everything unnecessary and a rare sensitivity confirm again that he's with no doubt the most distinguished jazz pianist of our time. ... I am unable to envision the piece being played by anyone else but Bill." [4]
Evans recorded the composition with his regular trio at the time, consisting of Eddie Gómez on bass and Marty Morell on drums. The orchestra included some notable jazz players such as Phil Woods and Jerry Dodgion on alto saxophones.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [6] |
Evans sent a copy of the album to his friend the famous Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould, who later wrote to Ogerman: [7]
I have to tell you what a fantastic construction it is, and what a tremendous impression it has made on me. Symbiosis is very much my kind of music. I find your harmonic invention quite staggering, and recently, indeed, I've been listening to the work almost obsessively. As a matter of fact, I have included it in a CBC [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] program which I am guest hosting this summer and which will include only works that, in one way or another, have had a particular influence upon me over the years.
The AllMusic review awarded the album 3 stars, saying that it "runs the stylistic gamut: there are moments of Philip Glass-like minimalism (!), samba-flavored big-band passages, echoes of the early 20th century Russian composers, Third Stream jazz, lush yet slightly ominous string arrangements and '70s film music. Throughout, Evans, alternating between acoustic and electric pianos, shimmers and entrances with his inventively lyrical solos. Not your 'typical' Bill Evans album—but that's what makes SYMBIOSIS such a fine, gently challenging listen." [5]
Evans biographer Keith Shadwick says, "This new session is as fascinating for the logical development in Ogerman's writing as for the superb response from Evans and his trio. ... Evans brings to the work the consummate artistry and sensitivity that occurs when he is stretched and stimulated. His rubato playing in the opening of the second movement—sometimes alone, sometimes in perfect unison with strings—is both moving and immensely accomplished in a way that few other jazz or classical pianists could have countenanced. ... Additionally, Evans brings to the interpretation of his written part here a freedom and license that [are] quite simply beyond concert pianists working in the classical tradition. ... It is one of his finest achievements within the confines of a recording studio." [8]
The album was released on compact disc by Verve Records in 1994 and reissued in 1999 as part of "The Verve Collection." MPS Records released a new CD edition in 2016.
In February 1975, Evans gave a broadcast performance of Symbiosis in the Netherlands with the Metropole Orchestra conducted by Dolf van der Linden. [9]
Portions of the second movement of the piece were used in the soundtracks of the 2004 film Sideways [10] and the 2021 film Judas and the Black Messiah . [11]
William John Evans was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, block chords, innovative chord voicings, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines continue to influence jazz pianists today.
Edgar Gómez is a Puerto Rican jazz double bassist, known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1966 to 1977.
Intermodulation is a 1966 jazz album by pianist Bill Evans and guitarist Jim Hall.
Claus Ogerman was a German arranger, conductor, and composer best known for his work with Billie Holiday, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Bill Evans, Michael Brecker, and Diana Krall.
You Must Believe in Spring is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, recorded by him with bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Eliot Zigmund in August 1977 and released in February 1981, shortly after Evans's death in September 1980.
Marty Morell is a jazz drummer who was a member of the Bill Evans Trio for seven years—longer than any other drummer. Before joining Evans, he worked with the Al Cohn-Zoot Sims Quintet, Red Allen, Gary McFarland, Steve Kuhn, and Gábor Szabó.
Alone is a solo piano album by jazz musician Bill Evans, recorded in the fall of 1968 for Verve Records, featuring a particularly notable 14+-minute performance of the jazz standard "Never Let Me Go." Evans contributed notes to the album, including the following statement:
Perhaps the hours of greatest pleasure in my life have come about as a result of the capacity of the piano to be in itself a complete expressive musical medium. In retrospect, I think that these countless hours of aloneness with music unified the directive energy of my life. At those times when I have achieved this sense of oneness while playing alone, the many technical or analytic aspects of the music happened of themselves with positive rightness which always served to remind me that to understand music most profoundly one only has to be listening well. Perhaps it is a peculiarity of mine that despite the fact that I am a professional performer, it is true that I have always preferred playing without an audience. This has nothing to do with my desire to communicate or not, but rather I think just a problem of personal self-consciousness which had to be conquered through discipline and concentration. Yet, to know one is truly alone with one’s instrument and music has always been an attractive and conducive situation for me to find my best playing level. Therefore, what I desired to present in a solo piano recording was especially this unique feeling.
I Will Say Goodbye is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, recorded in 1977 but not released until January 1980. It was his final album for Fantasy Records, making the title quite appropriate.
Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans and his trio, released in 1966, featuring jazz arrangements of works by classical composers Granados, J.S. Bach, Scriabin, Fauré, and Chopin. The trio is accompanied by an orchestra consisting of strings and woodwinds arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman. Originals by both Evans and Ogerman are also included.
Bill Evans at Town Hall is a live album from 1966 by American jazz pianist Bill Evans and his trio. It is his only trio recording featuring drummer Arnold Wise.
Quintessence is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was recorded in 1976 for Fantasy Records and released the following year. At this time usually playing solo or with his trio, for these sessions Evans was the leader of an all-star quintet featuring Harold Land on tenor saxophone, guitarist Kenny Burrell, Ray Brown on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums.
From Left to Right is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1971. It was recorded with his regular bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Marty Morell and with an orchestra arranged and conducted by Michael Leonard. This was the first album on which Evans played a Fender Rhodes electric piano.
The Gary McFarland Orchestra is an album by composer, conductor, and vibraphonist Gary McFarland with an orchestra featuring guest soloist jazz pianist Bill Evans recorded in early 1963 for Verve.
The Tokyo Concert is a live album by jazz pianist Bill Evans with bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Marty Morell recorded at the Yūbin Chokin Hall in Tokyo, Japan, in 1973 and released on the Fantasy label.
Plays the Theme from The V.I.P.s and Other Great Songs is an album of theme music by jazz pianist Bill Evans with an orchestra conducted by Claus Ogerman recorded in 1963 for the MGM label.
Comin' in the Back Door is an album by American jazz pianist Wynton Kelly released on the Verve label featuring performances by Kelly with Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb with guitarist Kenny Burrell and an orchestra recorded in 1963.
Time Remembered is a modal jazz standard composed by jazz pianist Bill Evans.
Sandy's Gone is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1963 and released on the Verve label.
Warm Wave is an album by Latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader fronting an orchestra arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman recorded in 1964 and released on the Verve label.
The Maiden and the Nightingale is a piano piece by the Spanish composer Enrique Granados. The piece, which lasts about six minutes, is part of his suite Goyescas which was inspired by the work of the painter Goya.