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.
The opening track, "Granadas," is based on the "maiden" theme of Granados's "The Maiden and the Nightingale" from his piano suite Goyescas but does not employ the "nightingale" theme.[1] The two Evans originals, "Time Remembered" and "My Bells," had previously been recorded by a quintet led by Evans, featuring saxophonist Zoot Sims and guitarist Jim Hall; but since the pianist did not approve the release of that album, which appeared only posthumously, this was the first time recordings of these pieces reached the public.[2] The Ogerman piece, "Elegia," is adapted from his Concerto for Orchestra and Jazz Piano.[3]
Evans stated, "I really enjoyed making this album with Claus and record my deepest respect and admiration for him."[4] The pianist would go on to make another orchestral album with Ogerman, Symbiosis, in 1974.
In 1967, Hellas Music Corp published a set of transcriptions of the arrangements for the Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra LP.[5] The recording was issued on compact disc by Verve Records in 1984.
The album divided critical opinion.[10]Scott Yanow stated in his AllMusic review: "This collaboration ... is predictably dull ... one of Bill Evans' least significant recordings, a weak third stream effort."[7]
In contrast, Roger Crane states in his All About Jazz review, "Although dismissed by some critics, this CD, with arrangements by Claus Ogermann [sic], is very lovely. Evans was very proud of this album. Ogermann's charts are sweetly romantic rather than overbearing, and this gives Evans and his trio (with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Grady Tate) room to maneuver. Evans' composition 'My Bells' is one of the stronger cuts."[8]
Evans biographer Keith Shadwick wrote that the album "has often been written off as something of a commercial aberration in the pianist's career, but this writer finds no reason to do so. It is a sincere if somewhat conservative attempt to marry together jazz and classical using material susceptible to that kind of arrangement. It is also often rather beautiful, always tasteful, and enjoyably relaxing."[11] He singled out the performances of the Granados, Fauré, and Ogerman pieces for special praise.[12]
The composer Johnny Mandel liked the album a lot, and Tony Bennett "declared it one of his all-time favorite albums."[13]
Grady Tate – drums (The CD booklet says, "Larry Bunker or Grady Tate, drums."[14] However, Israels confirmed that it was Tate who appeared on these sessions and praised his contribution,[15] and Tate is listed as the drummer in Pettinger's discography[16] and in the online "Bill Evans Discography."[17])
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