1
00:00:01,627 --> 00:00:07,633
[jazz piano music]
2
00:00:28,153 --> 00:00:29,821
- Ultimately I came
to the conclusion
3
00:00:29,821 --> 00:00:33,158
that all I must do
is take care of the music.
4
00:00:33,158 --> 00:00:35,494
Even if I do it in a closet.
- Mm-hmm.
5
00:00:35,494 --> 00:00:37,287
- See, and if I really do that,
6
00:00:37,287 --> 00:00:39,373
somebody's gonna come
and open the door of the closet
7
00:00:39,373 --> 00:00:41,250
and say, "Hey, we're looking
for you," you know?
8
00:00:41,250 --> 00:00:47,256
[jazz piano tunes]
9
00:00:54,805 --> 00:00:58,058
- People are interested
in who he was.
10
00:00:58,058 --> 00:01:00,018
What was he like?
11
00:01:00,018 --> 00:01:03,855
Damned if I know, really,
12
00:01:03,855 --> 00:01:05,274
but all the information
13
00:01:05,274 --> 00:01:08,986
that's really important
is in the music.
14
00:01:18,745 --> 00:01:22,833
- He had such a great sound
from the piano
15
00:01:22,833 --> 00:01:25,836
of his own sound, okay?
16
00:01:25,836 --> 00:01:27,296
And it was pretty.
17
00:01:27,296 --> 00:01:29,881
It was pretty, and deep,
18
00:01:29,881 --> 00:01:32,801
and he was able to get
through the piano
19
00:01:32,801 --> 00:01:35,012
how he felt, I believe.
20
00:01:35,012 --> 00:01:37,264
I mean, that's what we all strive for.
21
00:01:37,264 --> 00:01:40,809
- The most powerful thing
that he taught me
22
00:01:40,809 --> 00:01:44,938
was to search only
for truth and beauty.
23
00:01:49,151 --> 00:01:50,569
- That was Bill.
24
00:01:50,569 --> 00:01:52,946
He knew his destination,
25
00:01:52,946 --> 00:01:54,156
and it was jazz,
26
00:01:54,156 --> 00:01:56,700
and there were gonna be no detours.
27
00:01:56,700 --> 00:02:02,789
[jazz piano music]
28
00:02:25,645 --> 00:02:28,690
- Go by bus, by plane,
by car, by train.
29
00:02:28,690 --> 00:02:30,317
Go!
30
00:02:30,317 --> 00:02:32,903
[imitating drums and cymbals]
31
00:02:32,903 --> 00:02:34,905
New York, New York.
32
00:02:34,905 --> 00:02:36,907
A city so nice
they had to name it twice.
33
00:02:36,907 --> 00:02:38,241
[chuckling]
34
00:02:38,241 --> 00:02:39,826
- New York, New York,
35
00:02:39,826 --> 00:02:41,745
what they call
a somethin' else town.
36
00:02:41,745 --> 00:02:43,538
Yeah, if you can't make it
in New York City, man,
37
00:02:43,538 --> 00:02:45,165
you can't make it nowhere.
38
00:02:45,165 --> 00:02:47,084
So where do people come to scuffle?
39
00:02:47,084 --> 00:02:48,251
Right here.
40
00:02:48,251 --> 00:02:54,257
[jazz music]
41
00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:57,010
- It was either late 1954
42
00:02:57,010 --> 00:02:59,304
or early 1955, somebody told me
43
00:02:59,304 --> 00:03:01,723
that Jerry Wald
was holding auditions.
44
00:03:01,723 --> 00:03:05,352
So I figured I'd go over there
and see if I could get the gig.
45
00:03:08,230 --> 00:03:11,733
And when I got there,
Bill Evans was playing piano.
46
00:03:11,733 --> 00:03:15,821
He was auditioning,
and I overheard somebody say,
47
00:03:15,821 --> 00:03:16,947
"That's Bill Evans.
48
00:03:16,947 --> 00:03:18,323
"He's from Plainfield, New Jersey.
49
00:03:18,323 --> 00:03:20,909
He's supposed to be really good."
50
00:03:20,909 --> 00:03:22,994
And I started listening
and I said, "Wow, he is.
51
00:03:22,994 --> 00:03:24,663
He's great. I really like."
52
00:03:24,663 --> 00:03:26,206
I said, "I hope I get the gig,
53
00:03:26,206 --> 00:03:28,458
and I hope he gets the gig.
I'd like to play with him."
54
00:03:28,458 --> 00:03:29,501
And so it happened.
55
00:03:29,501 --> 00:03:30,961
He got the gig,
and I got the gig,
56
00:03:30,961 --> 00:03:31,837
and that's when we met.
57
00:03:31,837 --> 00:03:37,008
[upbeat jazz piano]
58
00:03:37,008 --> 00:03:38,218
- My first year in New York,
59
00:03:38,218 --> 00:03:41,138
I'm living in
a $75 a month apartment.
60
00:03:41,138 --> 00:03:43,557
I'm working three nights a week
way out in Brooklyn,
61
00:03:43,557 --> 00:03:46,977
which required, like,
three subway trains,
62
00:03:46,977 --> 00:03:50,730
working three nights out there
playing society music for $55.
63
00:03:58,113 --> 00:04:01,908
I was in my little apartment
on 83rd Street,
64
00:04:01,908 --> 00:04:04,077
just big enough for my piano
and bed, you know,
65
00:04:04,077 --> 00:04:05,954
just woodshedding
in that apartment.
66
00:04:05,954 --> 00:04:07,873
I think those were
the most productive
67
00:04:07,873 --> 00:04:09,749
three or four years of my life.
68
00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:13,086
- Yeah, that was his pad,
69
00:04:13,086 --> 00:04:16,298
and the piano was right over here,
70
00:04:16,298 --> 00:04:17,674
and that's the window.
71
00:04:17,674 --> 00:04:20,343
He's looking out
onto West End Avenue.
72
00:04:20,343 --> 00:04:21,845
And it was a mess.
73
00:04:21,845 --> 00:04:24,306
The kitchen was piled with
newspapers up to the ceiling,
74
00:04:24,306 --> 00:04:27,017
and there was a path to the sink
and the refrigerator.
75
00:04:27,017 --> 00:04:29,060
- We became really
close friends, man.
76
00:04:29,060 --> 00:04:31,062
I was--you know, we used to
hang out a lot together.
77
00:04:31,062 --> 00:04:34,733
We played with Tony Scott,
clarinet player.
78
00:04:34,733 --> 00:04:40,530
[jazz clarinet music]
79
00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:44,201
- Tony Scott really admired
what Bill did.
80
00:04:44,201 --> 00:04:46,745
Anywhere he wanted to go,
he said, "Go ahead," you know,
81
00:04:46,745 --> 00:04:48,872
and Bill said,
"I got you," you know?
82
00:04:48,872 --> 00:04:54,878
[jazz piano music]
83
00:05:01,218 --> 00:05:04,971
- I want to build my music
from the bottom up,
84
00:05:04,971 --> 00:05:06,765
piece by piece.
85
00:05:06,765 --> 00:05:09,017
And I just have a reason
86
00:05:09,017 --> 00:05:12,437
that I arrived at myself
for every note I play.
87
00:05:19,653 --> 00:05:22,697
- I never heard him
make a harmonic mistake.
88
00:05:22,697 --> 00:05:23,865
Never.
89
00:05:23,865 --> 00:05:26,660
Not one wrong note.
90
00:05:35,794 --> 00:05:37,212
- Bill could play anything, man.
91
00:05:37,212 --> 00:05:40,048
He would--you could put any
kind of music in front of him.
92
00:05:40,048 --> 00:05:42,759
He could read that--
classical music or whatever.
93
00:05:42,759 --> 00:05:44,219
I mean, he'd play
the shit out of it, man.
94
00:05:44,219 --> 00:05:45,303
I mean, he was playing piano
95
00:05:45,303 --> 00:05:47,347
since he was four or five years old.
96
00:05:47,347 --> 00:05:53,311
[slow jazz piano]
97
00:05:59,943 --> 00:06:02,988
- My brother was two years older.
98
00:06:02,988 --> 00:06:06,157
He started piano before I did.
99
00:06:06,157 --> 00:06:11,246
- Dad was playing, and Bill
would be under the piano,
100
00:06:11,246 --> 00:06:14,040
so fascinated with the sound.
101
00:06:16,126 --> 00:06:19,296
He was lost in music as a child.
102
00:06:24,301 --> 00:06:29,848
[bombastic classical music]
103
00:06:29,848 --> 00:06:32,058
Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky.
104
00:06:32,058 --> 00:06:35,687
I can't ever remember anybody
that was not Russian,
105
00:06:35,687 --> 00:06:38,607
you know, on the phonograph.
106
00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:45,822
- My mother was raised
in the Russian church.
107
00:06:45,822 --> 00:06:47,657
When we had dinner,
they would sing,
108
00:06:47,657 --> 00:06:49,534
you know, a lot of Russian music.
109
00:06:49,534 --> 00:06:54,247
At one point, my mother
bought us stacks of old music.
110
00:06:54,247 --> 00:06:57,834
[classical piano music]
111
00:06:57,834 --> 00:06:59,169
But after dinner every night,
112
00:06:59,169 --> 00:07:01,671
I would sit with the stack of old music,
113
00:07:01,671 --> 00:07:02,922
and I would go through it,
114
00:07:02,922 --> 00:07:06,843
and whatever I couldn't read
I'd put aside for later.
115
00:07:08,803 --> 00:07:11,931
And by the time I was nine,
I was quite a good sight reader.
116
00:07:16,645 --> 00:07:22,651
[jazz piano music]
117
00:07:24,027 --> 00:07:27,030
- Bill loved Harry,
and Harry admired Bill.
118
00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:29,908
They were close.
They really were close brothers.
119
00:07:32,577 --> 00:07:37,624
- My dad was like, "You'll come
through me before you dare,
120
00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:40,418
dare bully my brother."
121
00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,005
- My brother made me
very aggressive,
122
00:07:44,005 --> 00:07:45,548
and I wouldn't take
no shit from nobody
123
00:07:45,548 --> 00:07:48,843
because he used to pound
on me, and we'd scrap.
124
00:07:50,387 --> 00:07:53,598
- They must've had some hard
times with their parents.
125
00:07:53,598 --> 00:07:56,309
My grandfather was a drinker.
126
00:07:56,309 --> 00:07:59,145
He was very cruel
to my grandmother.
127
00:08:02,649 --> 00:08:06,486
It was like they could
kind of hold each other
128
00:08:06,486 --> 00:08:09,072
when their parents couldn't.
129
00:08:10,990 --> 00:08:12,033
- When I think about it now,
130
00:08:12,033 --> 00:08:13,827
I don't know what
kind of a person
131
00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:17,038
I would've been or whether--
if it hadn't been for him.
132
00:08:22,877 --> 00:08:28,967
[rapid jazz piano]
133
00:08:32,303 --> 00:08:35,807
I just got all very excited
about jazz when I was about 13,
134
00:08:35,807 --> 00:08:38,184
and then I started to hear jazz.
135
00:08:41,146 --> 00:08:43,189
There was Earl Hines.
136
00:08:45,608 --> 00:08:48,486
And Nat Cole to me
was a major jazz pianist.
137
00:08:48,486 --> 00:08:54,492
[jazz saxophone]
138
00:08:54,492 --> 00:08:57,245
Besides all the arrangers
and horn players
139
00:08:57,245 --> 00:08:58,663
and people that you
could mention,
140
00:08:58,663 --> 00:08:59,956
you know, hundreds.
141
00:08:59,956 --> 00:09:05,962
[jazz brass music]
142
00:09:12,844 --> 00:09:14,929
I got into a high school
rehearsal band,
143
00:09:14,929 --> 00:09:17,265
and so I was playing jazz
practically from the beginning,
144
00:09:17,265 --> 00:09:20,060
and I was 13, 14, you know, 15.
145
00:09:20,060 --> 00:09:23,521
[Benny Goodman's
"Sing, Sing, Sing"]
146
00:09:23,521 --> 00:09:26,065
- In those days, it was
the middle of the war,
147
00:09:26,065 --> 00:09:28,902
basically, and my father
was looking for good players
148
00:09:28,902 --> 00:09:30,820
to round out his band.
149
00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:34,866
- There's Bill Evans.
Myself--that's Connie Atkinson.
150
00:09:38,578 --> 00:09:40,413
- I learned mostly on the job,
you know,
151
00:09:40,413 --> 00:09:42,540
and then I started to learn
about changes
152
00:09:42,540 --> 00:09:44,501
and harmonics and what--
153
00:09:44,501 --> 00:09:47,253
how a tune was built harmonically.
154
00:09:47,253 --> 00:09:50,048
["Tuxedo Junction" playing]
155
00:09:50,048 --> 00:09:52,342
- I remember the first time we
were playing "Tuxedo Junction,"
156
00:09:52,342 --> 00:09:54,761
and I remember just putting in
a little blues sound,
157
00:09:54,761 --> 00:09:56,971
and it was such a thrill
to do something of my own
158
00:09:56,971 --> 00:09:58,515
that was not written.
159
00:09:58,515 --> 00:10:00,391
- He worked like crazy.
160
00:10:00,391 --> 00:10:05,730
Bill would have at least an hour
and a half of practicing
161
00:10:05,730 --> 00:10:08,691
before he went to high school,
162
00:10:08,691 --> 00:10:10,735
and he played all the time.
163
00:10:10,735 --> 00:10:13,822
- The next train will be
stopping at Netherwood,
164
00:10:13,822 --> 00:10:17,951
Fanwood, Westfield,
Cranford, Roselle...
165
00:10:17,951 --> 00:10:20,954
[train bell sounding]
166
00:10:20,954 --> 00:10:25,834
[slow jazz piano]
167
00:10:25,834 --> 00:10:30,296
- What it really is,
is a endless kind of dues.
168
00:10:33,341 --> 00:10:37,470
The whole thing of working
three or four nights
169
00:10:37,470 --> 00:10:41,057
through high school,
waiting for trains late at night
170
00:10:41,057 --> 00:10:43,685
in lonely stations, you know.
171
00:10:49,524 --> 00:10:51,192
[train whistle blaring]
172
00:10:51,192 --> 00:10:55,613
[jazz music]
173
00:10:55,613 --> 00:10:58,032
When I started playing
with older musicians
174
00:10:58,032 --> 00:10:58,992
in central Jersey,
175
00:10:58,992 --> 00:11:01,661
a band led by a man
named Buddy Valentino.
176
00:11:01,661 --> 00:11:04,163
- Bill Evans played
with Buddy Valentino...
177
00:11:04,163 --> 00:11:05,415
- Right.
- And that's--
178
00:11:05,415 --> 00:11:07,292
I met him over there.
179
00:11:09,961 --> 00:11:11,963
- Russ Locandro,
a saxophone player,
180
00:11:11,963 --> 00:11:12,839
got a little job
181
00:11:12,839 --> 00:11:14,841
at a place called the Idle Hour
182
00:11:14,841 --> 00:11:17,010
in West Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
183
00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:20,221
- Just the three of us--
Bill and Connie and myself.
184
00:11:21,973 --> 00:11:25,643
Bill's piano was very, very tasty.
185
00:11:25,643 --> 00:11:28,479
In fact, those arrangements
on there were mostly his ideas.
186
00:11:28,479 --> 00:11:29,564
I may be wrong.
187
00:11:29,564 --> 00:11:35,570
[jazz piano music]
188
00:11:37,030 --> 00:11:38,865
Tasty.
189
00:11:38,865 --> 00:11:40,867
[snapping fingers]
190
00:11:41,951 --> 00:11:44,913
- He's already getting his voice.
191
00:11:44,913 --> 00:11:49,208
Very, very rhythmic, the phrasing.
192
00:11:54,672 --> 00:12:00,720
[classical piano music]
193
00:12:03,556 --> 00:12:08,144
- The main feature at
Southeastern was the classics.
194
00:12:10,563 --> 00:12:13,149
Bill played Gershwin,
195
00:12:13,149 --> 00:12:16,027
Rachmaninov, Villa-Lobos.
196
00:12:16,027 --> 00:12:19,197
He played with such ease.
197
00:12:19,197 --> 00:12:24,744
There was an expressive,
natural expressiveness there.
198
00:12:30,583 --> 00:12:32,794
- Bill used to play--
199
00:12:32,794 --> 00:12:35,296
get up in the morning
and play the piano.
200
00:12:35,296 --> 00:12:39,801
[jazz piano music]
201
00:12:39,801 --> 00:12:43,096
He'd get in that practice room
in the music building,
202
00:12:43,096 --> 00:12:45,014
and he'd play for hours.
203
00:12:53,356 --> 00:12:54,732
- I used to hear him all the time.
204
00:12:54,732 --> 00:12:57,026
He would walk down the hall
and knock on the door,
205
00:12:57,026 --> 00:12:59,654
and he'd say, "Bring your brushes."
206
00:12:59,654 --> 00:13:03,116
Well, and I'd scramble and get
my brushes and follow him.
207
00:13:03,116 --> 00:13:04,867
He would go sit in a room,
208
00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,911
and he'd just cook, man. That was...
209
00:13:06,911 --> 00:13:11,749
[upbeat jazz piano]
210
00:13:11,749 --> 00:13:14,711
- When he went to Southeastern,
he went down there
211
00:13:14,711 --> 00:13:16,963
to really work on his jazz.
212
00:13:16,963 --> 00:13:19,132
- There was a piano teacher
here, Gretchen McGee,
213
00:13:19,132 --> 00:13:21,384
and she taught us music theory.
214
00:13:21,384 --> 00:13:24,512
- Gretchen McGee, she was,
you know, really a good teacher.
215
00:13:24,512 --> 00:13:27,056
I owe a great deal to her.
216
00:13:47,035 --> 00:13:49,454
- Harry went down to Southeastern,
217
00:13:49,454 --> 00:13:52,999
and while Bill was just
such a great scholar,
218
00:13:52,999 --> 00:13:56,544
Harry really wanted to have fun,
you know what I'm saying?
219
00:13:56,544 --> 00:14:00,006
And really slept through
the classes most of the time.
220
00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,136
They were as different
as night and day.
221
00:14:05,136 --> 00:14:08,139
Bill, tall, so introverted.
222
00:14:08,139 --> 00:14:12,185
Harry, short and convivial
and outgoing.
223
00:14:14,687 --> 00:14:17,190
- Bill was clean-cut, handsome.
224
00:14:17,190 --> 00:14:20,276
Even with glasses, he was
a very nice-looking young man.
225
00:14:20,276 --> 00:14:24,655
- Bill was a good guy,
and the girls loved him.
226
00:14:30,536 --> 00:14:33,039
- The last two years
I was here were perhaps--
227
00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,875
I think without a doubt
the happiest years of my life.
228
00:14:44,425 --> 00:14:48,054
Jazz is the most central
and important thing in my life.
229
00:14:48,054 --> 00:14:54,060
[jazz piano music]
230
00:15:06,072 --> 00:15:10,368
Then I moved to New York,
got an apartment.
231
00:15:10,368 --> 00:15:15,540
At that time,
I made a pact with myself.
232
00:15:15,540 --> 00:15:17,125
I mean, if the world didn't show me
233
00:15:17,125 --> 00:15:19,168
that, you know, somehow--
234
00:15:19,168 --> 00:15:20,878
- Something was happening, yeah.
235
00:15:20,878 --> 00:15:23,089
- So I gave myself till I was 30.
236
00:15:25,091 --> 00:15:31,389
[jazz music]
237
00:15:31,389 --> 00:15:34,976
- Let's welcome Miles Davis
and the Quintet.
238
00:15:34,976 --> 00:15:36,727
[cheers and applause]
239
00:15:36,727 --> 00:15:37,854
- Ladies and gentlemen,
240
00:15:37,854 --> 00:15:40,857
how about a big hand there
for Art Blakey?
241
00:15:40,857 --> 00:15:42,316
Thank y'all!
242
00:15:42,316 --> 00:15:47,029
[upbeat jazz music]
243
00:15:47,029 --> 00:15:48,739
- He caught Miles at Birdland,
244
00:15:48,739 --> 00:15:50,867
or played here in Birdland,
245
00:15:50,867 --> 00:15:53,286
the Half Note with the Five Spot.
246
00:15:53,286 --> 00:15:55,705
I think I heard him out there
for the first time.
247
00:16:00,585 --> 00:16:01,836
Sonny Clark.
248
00:16:01,836 --> 00:16:06,424
[jazz piano music]
249
00:16:06,424 --> 00:16:07,550
John Coltrane.
250
00:16:07,550 --> 00:16:12,972
[smooth jazz saxophone]
251
00:16:12,972 --> 00:16:14,682
All of these guys,
what they were putting out
252
00:16:14,682 --> 00:16:16,934
was so much the life force.
253
00:16:16,934 --> 00:16:18,352
They had tapped it.
254
00:16:18,352 --> 00:16:20,980
They told me the truth.
They showed me the truth.
255
00:16:20,980 --> 00:16:22,398
They played their truth.
256
00:16:22,398 --> 00:16:28,404
[rapid jazz piano]
257
00:16:28,404 --> 00:16:30,698
- I grew up in the era of hard bop,
258
00:16:30,698 --> 00:16:33,868
and my first real hero
piano player was Horace Silver.
259
00:16:33,868 --> 00:16:37,330
- Horace Silver's solo
on "Soft Winds."
260
00:16:49,258 --> 00:16:50,718
- I loved Bud Powell.
261
00:16:50,718 --> 00:16:53,262
- Bud Powell comes in,
and he's just blazing.
262
00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,190
- It didn't matter much how much
he could play like Bud Powell.
263
00:17:04,190 --> 00:17:08,611
You know, finally he had
to play like Bill Evans.
264
00:17:14,533 --> 00:17:17,495
- At the time, Tony Scott and I
were rooming together,
265
00:17:17,495 --> 00:17:19,914
so Bill showed up,
and Bill was playing,
266
00:17:19,914 --> 00:17:23,417
and I pushed the record button
on this wire recorder,
267
00:17:23,417 --> 00:17:25,419
and it turned out to be pretty good,
268
00:17:25,419 --> 00:17:28,381
and I thought,
"I wonder if Orrin Keepnews
269
00:17:28,381 --> 00:17:30,925
would be interested in Bill Evans."
270
00:17:30,925 --> 00:17:34,845
- Mundell had a demo tape,
271
00:17:34,845 --> 00:17:37,848
which he played over the telephone.
272
00:17:37,848 --> 00:17:41,811
So that was the first time
I ever heard Bill Evans.
273
00:17:44,772 --> 00:17:50,778
[upbeat jazz music]
274
00:17:56,200 --> 00:18:01,414
Bill was working at some
of these small downtown clubs,
275
00:18:01,414 --> 00:18:03,833
and I stopped into
some of these places
276
00:18:03,833 --> 00:18:06,794
and started to listen to Mr. Evans.
277
00:18:11,632 --> 00:18:12,633
- He was--he was--
278
00:18:12,633 --> 00:18:14,176
he was really spanking the piano.
279
00:18:14,176 --> 00:18:17,888
I mean, he was really
being heard and playing.
280
00:18:17,888 --> 00:18:19,932
- And it seems like
he was someplace
281
00:18:19,932 --> 00:18:23,144
between maybe Bud Powell
and Lennie Tristano.
282
00:18:23,144 --> 00:18:25,855
Between bebop,
but extending it a bit.
283
00:18:25,855 --> 00:18:28,983
- He was an up-and-coming
young guy that, you know, say,
284
00:18:28,983 --> 00:18:30,568
"Hey, that's a good piano.
Get him."
285
00:18:30,568 --> 00:18:31,861
You know, that kind of stuff.
286
00:18:31,861 --> 00:18:33,863
- We played with Don Elliott,
287
00:18:33,863 --> 00:18:36,240
who played a mellophone
and vibraphone.
288
00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:37,992
Tony Scott--there's a record,
289
00:18:37,992 --> 00:18:42,079
a Tony Scott record
that I'm on with Bill Evans.
290
00:18:42,079 --> 00:18:45,333
That's, like, strictly 4/4 time, swing.
291
00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:47,209
- Right, right.
- Swingin' like a motherfucker.
292
00:18:47,209 --> 00:18:53,215
[jazz music]
293
00:19:03,434 --> 00:19:06,395
And then, I guess he got
the offer to make a recording
294
00:19:06,395 --> 00:19:08,522
for Riverside Records
at the time,
295
00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:09,982
and he asked me to do it,
296
00:19:09,982 --> 00:19:12,276
and the bass player
was Teddy Kotick at that time.
297
00:19:21,827 --> 00:19:25,998
- That trio album was critically
very well-received,
298
00:19:25,998 --> 00:19:29,835
but our total sales
in the first year
299
00:19:29,835 --> 00:19:32,797
was 800 copies.
300
00:19:35,841 --> 00:19:38,844
About a year after
the first record came out,
301
00:19:38,844 --> 00:19:41,931
Miles Davis
became aware of him.
302
00:19:41,931 --> 00:19:45,976
- Miles was about the music,
first and foremost,
303
00:19:45,976 --> 00:19:49,105
and he was really passionate
about--
304
00:19:49,105 --> 00:19:52,066
to him, he was serious
about that.
305
00:19:52,066 --> 00:19:53,901
I loved him for that.
306
00:19:56,445 --> 00:20:00,908
- Miles in the 1950s
was fast becoming the guy
307
00:20:00,908 --> 00:20:04,995
who was bearing a standard
for jazz in general.
308
00:20:04,995 --> 00:20:11,001
[jazz trumpet music]
309
00:20:12,837 --> 00:20:15,131
What he was doing,
album by album,
310
00:20:15,131 --> 00:20:16,924
year by year, you know,
311
00:20:16,924 --> 00:20:20,136
who was in his group
was a very important thing.
312
00:20:26,642 --> 00:20:28,936
- I loved the music
313
00:20:28,936 --> 00:20:33,858
'cause it was absolutely wild.
314
00:20:33,858 --> 00:20:34,900
[laughs]
315
00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:36,026
It was incredible.
316
00:20:39,989 --> 00:20:43,534
Miles would play this way
317
00:20:43,534 --> 00:20:44,910
and then that way,
318
00:20:44,910 --> 00:20:47,830
and Trane would play
everything Miles played.
319
00:20:47,830 --> 00:20:49,582
Even play it backwards.
320
00:20:55,004 --> 00:20:57,006
And, you know, Red Garland.
321
00:20:59,008 --> 00:21:01,635
And Paul is...
322
00:21:04,054 --> 00:21:06,223
You know, Joe is--bam!
323
00:21:06,223 --> 00:21:07,933
[imitating drums]
324
00:21:15,274 --> 00:21:19,361
And Miles would be at the bar
flirting with some chick, yeah.
325
00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:28,496
- And then in 1957, he starts
to kind of tinker with it
326
00:21:28,496 --> 00:21:31,832
and take it apart.
327
00:21:31,832 --> 00:21:35,628
He's been after this alto
player, Cannonball Adderley,
328
00:21:35,628 --> 00:21:37,087
gets him in the group.
329
00:21:37,087 --> 00:21:40,883
And he's got a new drummer
named Jimmy Cobb,
330
00:21:40,883 --> 00:21:44,053
and Red starts
not showing up in gigs.
331
00:21:46,347 --> 00:21:49,683
- And I was in my little
apartment on 83rd Street.
332
00:21:49,683 --> 00:21:50,976
The phone rang one day,
333
00:21:50,976 --> 00:21:52,269
and it was Miles
on the other end,
334
00:21:52,269 --> 00:21:54,021
saying could I make a weekend
335
00:21:54,021 --> 00:21:55,940
in Philadelphia
with him at Pep's?
336
00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:58,025
Well, of course, you know,
I was thrilled.
337
00:21:58,025 --> 00:22:01,028
- When they hired Bill,
that was big news.
338
00:22:01,028 --> 00:22:02,530
You know, that was something.
339
00:22:02,530 --> 00:22:06,408
[jazz music]
340
00:22:06,408 --> 00:22:09,954
- Miles, I think, was when
Bill kind of popped his cherry
341
00:22:09,954 --> 00:22:11,997
as far as getting on the road.
342
00:22:15,918 --> 00:22:18,212
- We just, you know,
started the traveling tour.
343
00:22:18,212 --> 00:22:20,381
It was a monstrous challenge.
344
00:22:20,381 --> 00:22:22,758
This was an all-black band.
345
00:22:22,758 --> 00:22:24,885
- Miles Davis All Stars
346
00:22:24,885 --> 00:22:29,098
coming to you live
from the Spotlight.
347
00:22:29,098 --> 00:22:31,850
- I was living right around
the corner from the Spotlight,
348
00:22:31,850 --> 00:22:35,479
and he was telling me that it
was really tough in Detroit.
349
00:22:38,649 --> 00:22:39,984
- We played black clubs.
350
00:22:39,984 --> 00:22:42,861
I got a lot of, you know, vibes,
like, silent treatment,
351
00:22:42,861 --> 00:22:44,572
you know,
not-so-silent treatment.
352
00:22:44,572 --> 00:22:46,490
"What's that white cat
doing up there?"
353
00:22:46,490 --> 00:22:47,700
Kind of thing, you know?
354
00:22:47,700 --> 00:22:50,035
- And people like Cannon
and Paul Chambers
355
00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:51,787
and whatnot would have
to turn and say,
356
00:22:51,787 --> 00:22:54,248
"He's up there because
Miles wants him up there."
357
00:22:54,248 --> 00:23:00,337
[slow jazz piano]
358
00:23:02,590 --> 00:23:07,094
- He gave Miles a sleekness
359
00:23:07,094 --> 00:23:11,015
and elegance again.
360
00:23:12,975 --> 00:23:14,893
It is elegant.
361
00:23:18,022 --> 00:23:19,940
- I think if you go to two tracks,
362
00:23:19,940 --> 00:23:21,275
"Stella by Starlight"
363
00:23:21,275 --> 00:23:23,027
and "On Green Dolphin Street,"
364
00:23:23,027 --> 00:23:26,447
you start to feel the elegance
365
00:23:26,447 --> 00:23:28,699
that they're gonna be shooting
for in "Kind of Blue."
366
00:23:28,699 --> 00:23:34,288
[jazz music]
367
00:23:35,789 --> 00:23:41,545
- You know, Miles was
so sensitive to subtleties.
368
00:23:41,545 --> 00:23:45,174
I learned a lot from just,
you know, listening to him.
369
00:23:50,971 --> 00:23:52,306
- Miles was like a witch doctor.
370
00:23:52,306 --> 00:23:53,974
He daunts you, you know?
371
00:23:53,974 --> 00:23:57,853
He pushes you
as far as he can, you know?
372
00:23:57,853 --> 00:24:01,273
- This was a very heavy
black pride band at that time,
373
00:24:01,273 --> 00:24:03,025
and Miles, he, you know,
374
00:24:03,025 --> 00:24:05,944
called me a white,
you know, piano player.
375
00:24:08,447 --> 00:24:14,411
[jazz piano music]
376
00:24:56,912 --> 00:24:58,872
- Most of the guys
then were playing
377
00:24:58,872 --> 00:25:00,916
some kind of macho bebop stuff,
378
00:25:00,916 --> 00:25:03,001
and Bill had the courage
379
00:25:03,001 --> 00:25:04,712
and the background
380
00:25:04,712 --> 00:25:06,046
to really open up the piano
381
00:25:06,046 --> 00:25:08,507
and listen really carefully
382
00:25:08,507 --> 00:25:10,926
and just play gorgeous chord voicings
383
00:25:10,926 --> 00:25:12,219
and that sort of things.
384
00:25:16,306 --> 00:25:17,975
And Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Giuffre,
385
00:25:17,975 --> 00:25:20,728
and I worked
at the Cafe Bohemia,
386
00:25:20,728 --> 00:25:23,272
and Bill was working
with Miles Davis' group.
387
00:25:23,272 --> 00:25:27,067
- Miles Davis playing
for you from the Cafe Bohemia.
388
00:25:27,067 --> 00:25:28,026
- One Sunday, we came in,
389
00:25:28,026 --> 00:25:31,155
and we couldn't get Bill
to get on the bandstand.
390
00:25:31,155 --> 00:25:32,990
He was sitting in the corner.
391
00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:34,908
"No, I can't play good.
I can't do this."
392
00:25:34,908 --> 00:25:37,327
"Come on, Bill, get your ass
up there," you know?
393
00:25:37,327 --> 00:25:39,163
"Oh, I can't," you know?
394
00:25:39,163 --> 00:25:45,169
[jazz piano music]
395
00:25:46,962 --> 00:25:52,050
He didn't always feel that
he was a great piano player.
396
00:25:59,975 --> 00:26:01,935
- So you want to be able
397
00:26:01,935 --> 00:26:06,940
to deal with the work,
398
00:26:06,940 --> 00:26:10,694
but not feel the pain?
399
00:26:11,862 --> 00:26:15,324
Heroin is particularly
well-suited to that.
400
00:26:24,124 --> 00:26:26,084
- There was this nice,
401
00:26:26,084 --> 00:26:28,712
obviously very talented,
402
00:26:28,712 --> 00:26:30,255
very funny kid,
403
00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:34,802
and then almost imperceptibly
he became a junkie.
404
00:26:39,014 --> 00:26:40,057
- I asked Bill about that.
405
00:26:40,057 --> 00:26:41,475
I said, "You get started
on smack, man?
406
00:26:41,475 --> 00:26:44,061
It was a dumb thing to do."
He says, "Yeah, I know."
407
00:26:44,061 --> 00:26:47,439
He said, "The first time
I took smack, I didn't rush.
408
00:26:47,439 --> 00:26:49,024
"I just stayed right there.
409
00:26:49,024 --> 00:26:51,193
There's no voices
going off in your head."
410
00:26:57,825 --> 00:27:00,244
- I remember seeing him.
411
00:27:00,244 --> 00:27:02,871
He was walking south
on 7th Avenue,
412
00:27:02,871 --> 00:27:05,958
and I was not going to go over.
413
00:27:05,958 --> 00:27:09,628
I knew he would
hit me up for money.
414
00:27:13,048 --> 00:27:17,594
- It was no longer
just a shirt and tie
415
00:27:17,594 --> 00:27:19,179
when I met him, you know?
416
00:27:19,179 --> 00:27:23,559
Everything was serving
the beast, you know?
417
00:27:23,559 --> 00:27:25,561
I hated to see that, you know?
418
00:27:38,115 --> 00:27:41,368
- I think what I really got
from the experience with Miles
419
00:27:41,368 --> 00:27:46,498
was returning more confidently
to my own identity
420
00:27:46,498 --> 00:27:49,501
and realizing that I had
to really be myself.
421
00:27:51,587 --> 00:27:55,215
- The subject is...jazz.
422
00:28:01,722 --> 00:28:03,599
- And Bill was playing
"Billy the Kid,"
423
00:28:03,599 --> 00:28:05,267
which he had just recorded.
424
00:28:13,442 --> 00:28:15,986
Bill was just beginning
to have his problems.
425
00:28:15,986 --> 00:28:17,112
We talked.
426
00:28:17,112 --> 00:28:22,534
As a matter of fact,
he began to date my assistant.
427
00:28:25,579 --> 00:28:28,665
- I met Peri here in New York.
428
00:28:28,665 --> 00:28:32,794
She was very cool, very cool.
429
00:28:34,922 --> 00:28:37,925
She knew everything
about jazz, everything.
430
00:28:37,925 --> 00:28:40,427
- Peri was great.
431
00:28:40,427 --> 00:28:42,971
Peri was a wonderful woman.
432
00:28:47,017 --> 00:28:48,977
- Peri was very much
in love with Bill.
433
00:28:48,977 --> 00:28:50,979
That is a fact.
434
00:28:52,564 --> 00:28:54,274
- She wanted
to get married with Bill.
435
00:28:54,274 --> 00:28:55,609
I thought she was great for him.
436
00:28:55,609 --> 00:28:57,778
She loved him, man.
437
00:29:10,874 --> 00:29:13,085
- I got fascinated with jazz,
438
00:29:13,085 --> 00:29:15,671
and I heard Bill on record,
439
00:29:15,671 --> 00:29:17,714
and it just totally
transformed my life.
440
00:29:17,714 --> 00:29:20,926
- One of my favorite Bill Evans
records is "Everybody Digs."
441
00:29:20,926 --> 00:29:24,972
- Bill's second album:
"Everybody Digs Bill Evans."
442
00:29:39,653 --> 00:29:41,571
It was clear to me
and all my friends
443
00:29:41,571 --> 00:29:43,740
that this was the piano player.
444
00:29:54,835 --> 00:29:57,504
- You know, when he's playing
that "I'm So Lucky to Be Me,"
445
00:29:57,504 --> 00:29:58,922
I thought, "My God, this is
446
00:29:58,922 --> 00:30:01,425
the most beautiful music
I've ever heard."
447
00:30:01,425 --> 00:30:04,469
He's just so connected to his heart.
448
00:30:14,521 --> 00:30:17,232
- People think technique
is playing fast,
449
00:30:17,232 --> 00:30:20,777
and Bill could do that.
450
00:30:20,777 --> 00:30:24,698
But technique is also being able
to play beautifully slowly,
451
00:30:24,698 --> 00:30:27,242
and Bill could do that.
452
00:30:31,997 --> 00:30:32,998
- It goes--
453
00:30:32,998 --> 00:30:34,708
[singing]
Bom, bom
454
00:30:34,708 --> 00:30:36,918
Chord, chord.
455
00:30:36,918 --> 00:30:42,924
[soft jazz piano]
456
00:30:48,055 --> 00:30:51,016
And the piece starts to unfold.
457
00:30:55,854 --> 00:30:59,858
He just draws you along as he tells
458
00:30:59,858 --> 00:31:02,819
this increasingly complicated
459
00:31:02,819 --> 00:31:07,991
and tension-building story.
460
00:31:21,963 --> 00:31:26,384
And he strings you out
until you are about to break
461
00:31:26,384 --> 00:31:29,513
and then resolves it
and moves it back in again.
462
00:31:39,898 --> 00:31:42,776
- And you listen to that--
man, it's so damn beautiful,
463
00:31:42,776 --> 00:31:44,152
man, it'd make you want to cry.
464
00:31:47,489 --> 00:31:51,743
- Somehow Bill just
spoke to me in a way
465
00:31:51,743 --> 00:31:55,622
that I hadn't heard anybody talking.
466
00:32:06,508 --> 00:32:10,345
[upbeat jazz music]
467
00:32:10,345 --> 00:32:13,265
- One of the stories
that comes out of "Kind of Blue"
468
00:32:13,265 --> 00:32:17,227
is this two brothers
exploring music together.
469
00:32:17,227 --> 00:32:20,689
That is the Miles Davis,
Bill Evans story.
470
00:32:20,689 --> 00:32:23,150
- I was with Miles
for a good part of '58,
471
00:32:23,150 --> 00:32:24,943
and he called me
to do that album,
472
00:32:24,943 --> 00:32:26,945
which happened
about three or four months
473
00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:28,905
after I left the band.
474
00:32:34,035 --> 00:32:37,080
- Bill and Miles
decide in early '59,
475
00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:40,250
we're gonna explore
this idea of modal jazz,
476
00:32:40,250 --> 00:32:43,837
staying on one scale
for a long period of time.
477
00:32:43,837 --> 00:32:47,007
That sort of sets the stage
for "Kind of Blue."
478
00:32:55,140 --> 00:32:59,019
- "Kind of Blue" was 1959,
and that's what was going,
479
00:32:59,019 --> 00:33:00,937
that's what was going on, baby.
480
00:33:00,937 --> 00:33:02,731
It was Jack Kerouac
and Lenny Bruce,
481
00:33:02,731 --> 00:33:04,024
and everybody was hip and cool,
482
00:33:04,024 --> 00:33:06,026
and, you know,
and "Kind of Blue" was--
483
00:33:06,026 --> 00:33:07,986
especially with "So What,"
it was kind of like--
484
00:33:07,986 --> 00:33:08,987
[snaps fingers]
485
00:33:08,987 --> 00:33:10,113
This kind of thing,
486
00:33:10,113 --> 00:33:11,781
because they weren't in a hurry.
487
00:33:11,781 --> 00:33:12,949
They were relaxed.
488
00:33:12,949 --> 00:33:14,367
They were loose, you know?
489
00:33:14,367 --> 00:33:20,373
[jazz piano melody]
490
00:33:34,804 --> 00:33:36,640
- "Kind of Blue"
is its own thing.
491
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,894
You really hear
the individual spirit
492
00:33:40,894 --> 00:33:42,938
of Cannonball Adderley,
493
00:33:42,938 --> 00:33:45,106
John Coltrane, Miles,
494
00:33:45,106 --> 00:33:46,983
and of course Bill Evans.
495
00:33:46,983 --> 00:33:52,989
[Miles Davis' "So What"]
496
00:33:58,954 --> 00:34:02,540
- Miles was one of the few
jazz soloists
497
00:34:02,540 --> 00:34:04,167
who listens to his accompaniment,
498
00:34:04,167 --> 00:34:06,878
and there's almost
a feeling of a dialogue,
499
00:34:06,878 --> 00:34:09,381
and it's a marvelous quality.
500
00:34:09,381 --> 00:34:15,345
[jazz saxophone solo]
501
00:34:21,643 --> 00:34:23,103
- When you listen to "So What,"
502
00:34:23,103 --> 00:34:25,063
and Cannonball comes in,
he does his thing,
503
00:34:25,063 --> 00:34:26,523
and he's right straight down the line.
504
00:34:43,373 --> 00:34:45,875
And then Trane's doing his thing
with the sheets of sound,
505
00:34:45,875 --> 00:34:47,919
and then here comes Bill Evans.
506
00:34:47,919 --> 00:34:50,964
[jazz piano music]
507
00:34:50,964 --> 00:34:52,257
Mostly chorus.
508
00:35:00,390 --> 00:35:02,892
With Bill Evans,
Miles heard something.
509
00:35:02,892 --> 00:35:04,978
You know, Miles,
he heard something in Trane,
510
00:35:04,978 --> 00:35:07,689
and he knew how to put
those elements together.
511
00:35:07,689 --> 00:35:09,774
Miles Davis was a genius.
512
00:35:16,531 --> 00:35:18,491
"Flamenco Sketches"--
you know, the root of that
513
00:35:18,491 --> 00:35:21,411
is "Peace Piece," Bill Evans'
"Peace Piece," just kind of--
514
00:35:36,051 --> 00:35:38,845
- If you're gonna do
Bill Evans' greatest moments,
515
00:35:38,845 --> 00:35:40,930
his solos--all of his solos
516
00:35:40,930 --> 00:35:43,099
on "Kind of Blue"
would have to be on there.
517
00:35:54,569 --> 00:35:57,030
- It is elegant.
518
00:35:57,030 --> 00:36:00,408
"Blue in Green"
is an exercise in elegance.
519
00:36:04,704 --> 00:36:07,040
- Bill wrote much of the material,
520
00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,250
even though it's credited to Miles.
521
00:36:10,627 --> 00:36:11,836
- He was over to see Miles.
522
00:36:11,836 --> 00:36:13,296
They were planning the session,
523
00:36:13,296 --> 00:36:18,009
and Miles gave him
two chord changes,
524
00:36:18,009 --> 00:36:21,012
and Miles said,
"What would you do with that?"
525
00:36:22,055 --> 00:36:24,516
And Bill said, "I went home,
and I wrote 'Blue in Green.'"
526
00:36:49,874 --> 00:36:53,420
- "Kind of Blue" is the result
of two musical architects:
527
00:36:53,420 --> 00:36:55,964
Miles Davis and Bill Evans.
528
00:37:08,226 --> 00:37:10,812
- When you listen to Miles
and Bill Evans playing together,
529
00:37:10,812 --> 00:37:12,188
this was a marriage
made in heaven.
530
00:37:12,188 --> 00:37:17,318
It was just, like, so right.
531
00:37:17,318 --> 00:37:19,279
It was so perfect.
532
00:37:24,492 --> 00:37:26,161
- It's a masterpiece.
533
00:37:26,161 --> 00:37:27,996
It's a masterpiece.
534
00:37:27,996 --> 00:37:30,248
- The unforgettable
experience of playing
535
00:37:30,248 --> 00:37:33,960
with these fantastic musicians.
536
00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:35,837
I'm very thankful about it.
537
00:37:51,978 --> 00:37:54,355
- Of all the relationships
he had with women,
538
00:37:54,355 --> 00:37:57,317
probably the one
I knew the best was Ellaine.
539
00:37:57,317 --> 00:38:00,737
- He said he was on mescaline,
and he looked across the room,
540
00:38:00,737 --> 00:38:02,655
and this lady just went like--
[exclaims]
541
00:38:02,655 --> 00:38:03,865
Like this, and that was Ellaine,
542
00:38:03,865 --> 00:38:05,909
and it was love at first sight.
543
00:38:09,537 --> 00:38:10,997
- She was small. She was dark.
544
00:38:10,997 --> 00:38:12,248
She was Jewish.
545
00:38:12,248 --> 00:38:14,792
- Nervous energy,
always smoking.
546
00:38:16,836 --> 00:38:18,796
- She was a very sweet girl.
547
00:38:18,796 --> 00:38:20,215
Very nice, very intelligent.
548
00:38:24,385 --> 00:38:26,346
- They hit it off,
and, you know,
549
00:38:26,346 --> 00:38:27,889
they started living
together and stuff.
550
00:38:27,889 --> 00:38:30,892
- I think Bill and Ellaine had
a very, very deep relationship.
551
00:38:30,892 --> 00:38:33,603
You know, I think
he loved her a lot,
552
00:38:33,603 --> 00:38:35,188
and I think she loved him a lot,
553
00:38:35,188 --> 00:38:38,066
but at the same token,
what came first?
554
00:38:38,066 --> 00:38:39,901
The music.
555
00:38:41,653 --> 00:38:43,571
- Bill's career path continues.
556
00:38:43,571 --> 00:38:45,865
He sets up his first great trio.
557
00:38:47,909 --> 00:38:49,744
Paul Motian on drums.
558
00:38:50,954 --> 00:38:52,914
Scotty LaFaro on bass.
559
00:38:52,914 --> 00:38:54,624
- In my first meeting with Scott,
560
00:38:54,624 --> 00:38:56,709
I heard this tremendous talent
561
00:38:56,709 --> 00:38:57,919
that was bubbling over.
562
00:38:57,919 --> 00:38:59,295
Everything was bubbling out,
563
00:38:59,295 --> 00:39:02,841
and this was a very unique
and exceptional talent.
564
00:39:06,970 --> 00:39:09,889
- Scotty was just really
hanging out at the Lighthouse,
565
00:39:09,889 --> 00:39:13,059
just going out to clubs and sitting in.
566
00:39:13,059 --> 00:39:16,980
[upbeat jazz music]
567
00:39:16,980 --> 00:39:18,565
- Somebody told me about him,
and they said
568
00:39:18,565 --> 00:39:22,944
he's playing down at
the Hermosa Beach Lighthouse.
569
00:39:22,944 --> 00:39:24,320
And so I wanted
to check the guy out.
570
00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:30,410
[jazz bass music]
571
00:39:33,204 --> 00:39:35,957
It was like, "Who is this guy?"
572
00:39:40,128 --> 00:39:41,879
- Scotty used to play
with three fingers.
573
00:39:41,879 --> 00:39:45,008
I mean, he played the bass
sort of almost like a guitar.
574
00:39:45,008 --> 00:39:47,802
Nobody played the bass
like Scotty.
575
00:39:47,802 --> 00:39:48,845
Just didn't exist.
576
00:39:53,933 --> 00:39:54,976
- And he played with Monk,
577
00:39:54,976 --> 00:39:56,603
and he played
with Victor Feldman,
578
00:39:56,603 --> 00:39:59,480
and he'd studied
Sonny Rollins' music, and so--
579
00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:01,733
[whistles]
580
00:40:01,733 --> 00:40:04,068
He was brilliant,
581
00:40:04,068 --> 00:40:05,653
just brilliant.
582
00:40:05,653 --> 00:40:06,946
- He would get up in the morning,
583
00:40:06,946 --> 00:40:09,073
and he would pick up the bass.
584
00:40:09,073 --> 00:40:11,659
He would start, like, at 9:30.
585
00:40:11,659 --> 00:40:13,911
I would say, "Can't we do
something else in the mornings
586
00:40:13,911 --> 00:40:15,455
other than you
picking up the bass?"
587
00:40:15,455 --> 00:40:17,290
He goes, "What?
What can we do?"
588
00:40:17,290 --> 00:40:19,167
And I said,
"We could go to bed."
589
00:40:19,167 --> 00:40:21,169
[laughing]
You know?
590
00:40:21,169 --> 00:40:22,879
- I mean, he never had
the bass out of his hand.
591
00:40:22,879 --> 00:40:25,256
He would practice all day long.
592
00:40:28,426 --> 00:40:31,054
- Bill, he had a gig at Basin Street,
593
00:40:31,054 --> 00:40:34,891
and Scott LaFaro sat in
when I was playing with Bill,
594
00:40:34,891 --> 00:40:38,603
and that shit really clicked,
really clicked.
595
00:40:38,603 --> 00:40:44,609
[jazz music]
596
00:40:49,030 --> 00:40:51,658
And so then that became a trio.
597
00:40:55,828 --> 00:40:57,538
- Bill Evans, everybody.
598
00:40:57,538 --> 00:40:59,999
Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro,
Paul Motian.
599
00:41:04,170 --> 00:41:07,048
- We played in Birdland opposite
Count Basie Big Band, man.
600
00:41:07,048 --> 00:41:08,883
I mean, that place was packed.
601
00:41:08,883 --> 00:41:10,051
It was like a madhouse.
602
00:41:14,972 --> 00:41:17,850
We knew what we were doing, man,
and we were having a ball.
603
00:41:17,850 --> 00:41:20,019
- That's all they wanted to do,
those guys.
604
00:41:20,019 --> 00:41:21,437
They wanted to just play.
605
00:41:28,778 --> 00:41:29,904
- Well, you hear Scott
with other groups.
606
00:41:29,904 --> 00:41:31,114
He sounds good.
607
00:41:31,114 --> 00:41:33,908
You hear Scott with Bill Evans
and Paul Motian.
608
00:41:33,908 --> 00:41:35,284
Then he sounds amazing.
609
00:41:35,284 --> 00:41:37,954
- Bill and Scotty, they had--
they just had a thing
610
00:41:37,954 --> 00:41:39,956
where they had
this kind of interaction
611
00:41:39,956 --> 00:41:43,751
where there was really
a real communication
612
00:41:43,751 --> 00:41:45,002
between the piano and the bass.
613
00:41:45,002 --> 00:41:46,754
Before that, it was trios.
614
00:41:46,754 --> 00:41:49,799
It was a piano player with bass
and drum accompaniment.
615
00:41:49,799 --> 00:41:51,551
This thing was like three people
616
00:41:51,551 --> 00:41:53,678
making, like, one instrument.
617
00:41:53,678 --> 00:41:56,305
- Almost a collective dialogue.
618
00:42:12,488 --> 00:42:16,451
- But Paul kept it all together.
619
00:42:16,451 --> 00:42:18,327
Paul was wonderful.
620
00:42:28,504 --> 00:42:29,881
- Our first record-- that is,
621
00:42:29,881 --> 00:42:32,508
the "Portrait in Jazz"
on Riverside,
622
00:42:32,508 --> 00:42:35,970
you hear a type of interplay
and things which we discovered.
623
00:42:35,970 --> 00:42:38,598
- "Portraits," where we play
"Witchcraft"
624
00:42:38,598 --> 00:42:41,851
and "Autumn Leaves"--
that's great.
625
00:42:41,851 --> 00:42:43,102
I love that record.
626
00:42:52,987 --> 00:42:55,406
- Scotty thought Bill was
absolutely brilliant.
627
00:42:55,406 --> 00:42:56,949
You know, they had
a special relationship.
628
00:42:56,949 --> 00:43:00,036
They, you know, started
discussing Eastern philosophies.
629
00:43:00,036 --> 00:43:04,832
- Scott was always
at a high pitch of intensity.
630
00:43:04,832 --> 00:43:06,959
He was a constant
inspiration to me.
631
00:43:06,959 --> 00:43:08,169
- Bill was doing some drugs
632
00:43:08,169 --> 00:43:09,962
when we were playing
with Scott LaFaro.
633
00:43:13,007 --> 00:43:16,302
- Bill and his old lady
lived up on West End Avenue.
634
00:43:18,888 --> 00:43:20,473
And it was kind of
in the wintertime,
635
00:43:20,473 --> 00:43:22,475
and the landlord
put all their furniture
636
00:43:22,475 --> 00:43:24,727
out on the sidewalk.
637
00:43:24,727 --> 00:43:26,020
Everything was chaotic.
638
00:43:26,020 --> 00:43:27,605
They didn't know
where they were gonna go,
639
00:43:27,605 --> 00:43:29,941
didn't have any money and,
you know, that kind of scene.
640
00:43:31,901 --> 00:43:34,070
- Bill was screwing up,
you know,
641
00:43:34,070 --> 00:43:35,321
with the drugs and stuff,
642
00:43:35,321 --> 00:43:37,907
and Scotty didn't understand it.
643
00:43:39,909 --> 00:43:41,494
- One night, he really
put Bill down, man.
644
00:43:41,494 --> 00:43:43,037
He said, "You ought to go
and look in the mirror, man."
645
00:43:43,037 --> 00:43:45,039
He said, "What the fuck
are you doing, man?"
646
00:43:45,039 --> 00:43:45,832
He said, "You were
playing great."
647
00:43:45,832 --> 00:43:46,958
He said, "Now"-- he said,
648
00:43:46,958 --> 00:43:48,417
"You aren't playing good at all."
649
00:43:48,417 --> 00:43:50,837
So I mean, he let him know.
You know, he would say it.
650
00:43:50,837 --> 00:43:53,422
- Bill was just so strung out
those days.
651
00:43:53,422 --> 00:43:57,802
As much as he wanted to quit...
652
00:43:58,886 --> 00:44:00,263
He couldn't.
653
00:44:00,263 --> 00:44:02,306
He had inner demons.
654
00:44:02,306 --> 00:44:08,312
[jazz music]
655
00:44:12,733 --> 00:44:14,735
- The "Explorations" album,
for instance,
656
00:44:14,735 --> 00:44:15,820
I wasn't gonna release.
657
00:44:15,820 --> 00:44:18,281
We had a very, very bad feeling
658
00:44:18,281 --> 00:44:20,575
within the group
that night for reasons
659
00:44:20,575 --> 00:44:22,660
which I won't bother to explain.
660
00:44:30,835 --> 00:44:33,004
- "My Haunted Heart,"
that's an amazing song.
661
00:44:33,004 --> 00:44:34,380
The way Scott--
662
00:44:34,380 --> 00:44:36,674
Scott can break your heart
with notes he's playing,
663
00:44:36,674 --> 00:44:38,175
and it's just amazing.
664
00:44:44,599 --> 00:44:46,851
- And "Explorations"
is just like a seminal record,
665
00:44:46,851 --> 00:44:48,853
not just for Bill Evans but in jazz.
666
00:44:48,853 --> 00:44:51,898
You listen to "Elsa" and "Israel"
667
00:44:51,898 --> 00:44:54,108
and "Sweet and Lovely."
668
00:44:54,108 --> 00:44:56,819
That record is just--mwah.
669
00:45:17,882 --> 00:45:19,008
- Sunday afternoon
670
00:45:19,008 --> 00:45:22,678
and Sunday night of the final day
671
00:45:22,678 --> 00:45:25,139
of a Bill Evans Trio engagement
672
00:45:25,139 --> 00:45:29,018
at the Village Vanguard
was completely recorded.
673
00:45:35,107 --> 00:45:36,943
- It's the first actual records
I bought, you know,
674
00:45:36,943 --> 00:45:37,985
in vinyl 12-inch discs.
675
00:45:37,985 --> 00:45:39,946
"Waltz for Debbie,"
"Sunday at the Vanguard."
676
00:45:39,946 --> 00:45:41,447
And I heard
on "Sunday at the Vanguard,"
677
00:45:41,447 --> 00:45:43,532
and just from the downbeat,
you know,
678
00:45:43,532 --> 00:45:44,992
the air in the club
and everything
679
00:45:44,992 --> 00:45:46,285
and just fell in love with it.
680
00:45:46,285 --> 00:45:52,291
[soft jazz music]
681
00:45:58,297 --> 00:46:00,800
- I remember sitting
in the back, be hanging there.
682
00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:02,551
Scotty would be there, Paul,
683
00:46:02,551 --> 00:46:04,261
and Bill would be
sitting there usually,
684
00:46:04,261 --> 00:46:05,846
and he had this little book,
685
00:46:05,846 --> 00:46:08,683
a little music book,
and I remember him--
686
00:46:08,683 --> 00:46:11,394
he'd be writing down
the changes to some tune
687
00:46:11,394 --> 00:46:13,646
that he wanted to play
or something, you know?
688
00:46:21,070 --> 00:46:22,905
- "Waltz for Debby."
That says it.
689
00:46:22,905 --> 00:46:26,283
Here's a man who,
early in his career,
690
00:46:26,283 --> 00:46:30,663
just reached and came out
with a gem like this.
691
00:46:36,877 --> 00:46:40,006
This is a gorgeous
piece of music.
692
00:46:48,305 --> 00:46:49,932
- It was a feeling
that came across.
693
00:46:49,932 --> 00:46:51,892
The treatment of those pieces,
694
00:46:51,892 --> 00:46:54,770
they were really playing
for each other.
695
00:47:04,989 --> 00:47:06,699
- People listen
to those records,
696
00:47:06,699 --> 00:47:08,993
and they see how good
everything was,
697
00:47:08,993 --> 00:47:11,203
but if you didn't hear it live...
698
00:47:11,203 --> 00:47:12,705
[laughs]
699
00:47:12,705 --> 00:47:14,915
Listen, you can't--
there's no comparison, man.
700
00:47:14,915 --> 00:47:16,876
If you were sitting here
when we were playing,
701
00:47:16,876 --> 00:47:19,045
you'd really get it.
702
00:47:19,045 --> 00:47:20,004
You'd get a message.
703
00:47:20,004 --> 00:47:22,214
[laughing]
704
00:47:22,214 --> 00:47:24,175
- No matter what he did
before that and after that,
705
00:47:24,175 --> 00:47:26,469
the Vanguard sessions, you know,
706
00:47:26,469 --> 00:47:28,971
they'll be still out there
before everything falls away.
707
00:47:28,971 --> 00:47:31,807
They'll still be there, yeah.
708
00:47:31,807 --> 00:47:34,769
[applause]
709
00:47:34,769 --> 00:47:39,815
[jazz music]
710
00:47:39,815 --> 00:47:41,776
- There was the Sunday night
after the session,
711
00:47:41,776 --> 00:47:43,360
the recording session,
the end of the gig.
712
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:44,862
I'm packing up the drums,
713
00:47:44,862 --> 00:47:46,405
and I said to Bill and Scott,
714
00:47:46,405 --> 00:47:48,949
I said, "Hey, man,
let's work more.
715
00:47:48,949 --> 00:47:50,159
Let's--we can do more."
716
00:47:50,159 --> 00:47:52,953
You know, we could be--
and they both agreed.
717
00:47:52,953 --> 00:47:54,121
They said, "Yeah, this--
718
00:47:54,121 --> 00:47:55,664
everything's really
clicking now."
719
00:47:58,834 --> 00:48:02,838
- They were so wired from that
evening, people talking,
720
00:48:02,838 --> 00:48:04,715
rapping, doing everything.
721
00:48:04,715 --> 00:48:07,301
Scotty was just thrilled.
722
00:48:07,301 --> 00:48:08,803
So was Bill.
723
00:48:08,803 --> 00:48:12,932
- Whoever knew that that day
would be such an important day?
724
00:48:13,933 --> 00:48:15,810
- That day was the last time
725
00:48:15,810 --> 00:48:17,853
that these two guys
played together.
726
00:48:20,523 --> 00:48:22,817
- And then, like,
a couple weeks after that,
727
00:48:22,817 --> 00:48:24,777
I get this phone call from Bill.
728
00:48:27,780 --> 00:48:28,823
- I think at that time,
729
00:48:28,823 --> 00:48:30,908
Scotty had been
out on the road,
730
00:48:30,908 --> 00:48:32,618
I hadn't seen him for a while,
731
00:48:32,618 --> 00:48:35,830
and I had no idea that he went
to these friends up in--
732
00:48:35,830 --> 00:48:38,165
around Geneva,
where he was from.
733
00:49:06,610 --> 00:49:08,821
- It's a pain that never
goes away.
734
00:49:08,821 --> 00:49:11,824
[crying]
735
00:49:17,371 --> 00:49:21,125
- He was a kid.
He was 25 when he died.
736
00:49:21,125 --> 00:49:24,003
He was a great guy.
I loved him.
737
00:49:24,003 --> 00:49:26,130
He was one of my best friends.
738
00:49:26,130 --> 00:49:29,800
- Memories, and tears,
and, you know, some--
739
00:49:29,800 --> 00:49:31,218
one of those kind of things
740
00:49:31,218 --> 00:49:33,804
that you don't forget forever.
741
00:49:33,804 --> 00:49:36,223
You know, you just don't
forget it forever.
742
00:49:36,223 --> 00:49:38,058
That's the love of my life.
743
00:49:44,481 --> 00:49:46,150
- I loved Bill, man,
and I loved Scott,
744
00:49:46,150 --> 00:49:47,318
and we got along great.
745
00:49:47,318 --> 00:49:49,403
It was a wonderful time.
746
00:49:54,575 --> 00:49:57,036
- I mean, I just can't
comprehend death.
747
00:49:57,036 --> 00:49:58,579
I just can't comprehend it.
748
00:49:58,579 --> 00:50:01,707
As far as I'm concerned,
he's alive.
749
00:50:01,707 --> 00:50:03,751
He's not here at this moment.
That's all.
750
00:50:03,751 --> 00:50:06,837
But I can't comprehend death.
751
00:50:13,719 --> 00:50:19,683
[slow jazz piano]
752
00:50:27,566 --> 00:50:29,860
- Bill was out of it.
753
00:50:29,860 --> 00:50:31,362
Scotty was gonna be someone
754
00:50:31,362 --> 00:50:34,365
he would probably miss
the rest of his life.
755
00:50:34,365 --> 00:50:36,617
- He didn't want to play
for a while. He was really down.
756
00:50:36,617 --> 00:50:38,202
So was I, man.
757
00:50:40,829 --> 00:50:43,249
- Bill was floundering
without management,
758
00:50:43,249 --> 00:50:45,918
and I found him a manager,
Helen Keane.
759
00:50:48,254 --> 00:50:51,215
- My mom was
totally centered on Bill.
760
00:50:51,215 --> 00:50:54,385
There was just this...
761
00:50:54,385 --> 00:50:57,930
this flow between them,
this--this connection.
762
00:50:57,930 --> 00:51:00,849
- Helen, she was very strong,
and very good for Bill.
763
00:51:00,849 --> 00:51:03,310
He'd have been dead without her.
764
00:51:03,310 --> 00:51:06,313
I don't think Bill would have had
the career he did without her.
765
00:51:09,817 --> 00:51:15,823
[rapid jazz piano]
766
00:51:17,032 --> 00:51:18,951
- So when it was time
to start playing again,
767
00:51:18,951 --> 00:51:21,036
Bill got Chuck Israels.
768
00:51:21,036 --> 00:51:23,247
So Chuck started
playing with us.
769
00:51:28,877 --> 00:51:31,422
- And we went to New York
and worked at the Hickory House
770
00:51:31,422 --> 00:51:33,716
and then jobs at the Vanguard.
771
00:51:36,969 --> 00:51:39,054
This was the real deal for me.
772
00:51:39,054 --> 00:51:42,808
This was where I wanted to be,
and there I was.
773
00:51:42,808 --> 00:51:48,814
[upbeat jazz music]
774
00:51:54,236 --> 00:51:55,863
- And that's when he got
Larry Bunker,
775
00:51:55,863 --> 00:51:57,072
and then they went to Europe
776
00:51:57,072 --> 00:51:58,991
for the first time after that.
777
00:52:02,119 --> 00:52:04,538
- One of the most
wonderfully integrated units
778
00:52:04,538 --> 00:52:06,915
in the history of jazz,
the Bill Evans Trio.
779
00:52:20,095 --> 00:52:23,223
- In Europe, Bill could walk
into a concert hall with,
780
00:52:23,223 --> 00:52:24,933
you know, 5,000 people,
781
00:52:24,933 --> 00:52:26,852
and you could hear a pin drop.
782
00:52:49,041 --> 00:52:50,125
- "My Foolish Heart."
783
00:52:50,125 --> 00:52:52,503
The way that he would
do the voicings
784
00:52:52,503 --> 00:52:55,047
was such a complete marriage
785
00:52:55,047 --> 00:52:57,966
of harmony and counterpoint.
786
00:52:57,966 --> 00:53:00,052
Really authentic,
787
00:53:00,052 --> 00:53:01,637
very inspirational.
788
00:53:01,637 --> 00:53:02,638
Wow.
789
00:53:12,856 --> 00:53:15,484
- Bill was playing so beautiful.
790
00:53:15,484 --> 00:53:19,154
He had such a knowledge
of what to do.
791
00:53:22,825 --> 00:53:24,952
Every modern piano player
792
00:53:24,952 --> 00:53:27,538
wants to arrive at the concept
793
00:53:27,538 --> 00:53:30,833
that Bill Evans did with the piano.
794
00:53:36,338 --> 00:53:39,299
[applause]
795
00:53:46,140 --> 00:53:50,060
- He was on the road a lot,
796
00:53:50,060 --> 00:53:52,187
but he did visit Baton Rouge.
797
00:53:52,187 --> 00:53:53,605
When he'd come
visit us, you know,
798
00:53:53,605 --> 00:53:56,525
it was the two of them
having conversations
799
00:53:56,525 --> 00:53:57,860
either at the piano...
800
00:53:57,860 --> 00:53:59,486
- Something like this
for instance, maybe.
801
00:53:59,486 --> 00:54:03,282
[jazz piano tune]
802
00:54:03,282 --> 00:54:07,953
- Bill just adored the fact
that Harry was a great teacher.
803
00:54:07,953 --> 00:54:12,624
Harry became
the first music supervisor
804
00:54:12,624 --> 00:54:13,750
in Baton Rouge.
805
00:54:13,750 --> 00:54:15,836
- A schoolteacher in the day,
806
00:54:15,836 --> 00:54:16,879
and then at night,
807
00:54:16,879 --> 00:54:20,507
almost every weekend playing jazz.
808
00:54:20,507 --> 00:54:22,384
- I'll never forget that visit
when you came down
809
00:54:22,384 --> 00:54:24,636
to my home in Louisiana, and I said,
810
00:54:24,636 --> 00:54:27,139
"Bill, show me those changes
in harmonics, you know?"
811
00:54:27,139 --> 00:54:30,642
- "No, Har,
I'm not gonna deprive you
812
00:54:30,642 --> 00:54:33,937
of the opportunity
to discover it yourself."
813
00:54:33,937 --> 00:54:35,564
- That's--you're hitting home.
814
00:54:35,564 --> 00:54:38,025
- It was two jazz brothers
815
00:54:38,025 --> 00:54:39,985
talking to each other about jazz.
816
00:54:42,863 --> 00:54:44,072
- But there were gaps,
817
00:54:44,072 --> 00:54:47,034
sometimes several years
where we didn't see him.
818
00:54:48,619 --> 00:54:49,912
- There were periods--
819
00:54:49,912 --> 00:54:51,830
up and down periods in his life.
820
00:54:51,830 --> 00:54:53,916
You know, he was always
fighting that demon.
821
00:54:55,876 --> 00:54:57,878
- In Bill's hotel room,
822
00:54:57,878 --> 00:55:00,255
Bill and Ellaine
shooting up before the gig.
823
00:55:01,965 --> 00:55:04,676
Cooking some stuff
in a bottle cap,
824
00:55:04,676 --> 00:55:07,429
pulling it in through
a hypodermic needle.
825
00:55:07,429 --> 00:55:09,306
Come on, man!
826
00:55:15,187 --> 00:55:18,690
- In 1963, Harry went
to Bill's apartment,
827
00:55:18,690 --> 00:55:21,818
and Harry pulled up his sleeve,
828
00:55:21,818 --> 00:55:23,862
and there were just
needle marks all over.
829
00:55:29,034 --> 00:55:32,162
And Harry was obsessed
to try to save his brother.
830
00:55:35,666 --> 00:55:40,045
Love, unconditional love.
831
00:55:54,893 --> 00:55:57,938
- Eddie was able to bring
something else to the table.
832
00:55:57,938 --> 00:56:00,440
Eddie could play, you know?
833
00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:01,608
[laughing]
834
00:56:15,747 --> 00:56:17,541
- I had seven wonderful years.
835
00:56:17,541 --> 00:56:19,793
It was a very special period
in my life.
836
00:56:19,793 --> 00:56:23,255
[jazz music]
837
00:56:23,255 --> 00:56:25,507
We worked maybe 45 weeks a year.
838
00:56:25,507 --> 00:56:28,635
Top of the Gate--that was
kind of our home base gig.
839
00:56:32,472 --> 00:56:33,557
And then we'd fly to Europe
840
00:56:33,557 --> 00:56:35,892
and do three,
four weeks in Europe.
841
00:56:38,520 --> 00:56:41,773
Maybe go out to the west coast
for a couple of weeks.
842
00:56:45,193 --> 00:56:47,946
Maybe go to South America
or maybe Canada.
843
00:56:53,035 --> 00:56:56,997
Bill was, like, a father figure
as well as a musical mentor,
844
00:56:56,997 --> 00:56:58,832
and very nurturing.
845
00:56:58,832 --> 00:57:00,626
I feel really blessed
846
00:57:00,626 --> 00:57:04,046
to have spent that time
with Bill and have him--
847
00:57:04,046 --> 00:57:05,631
that kind of relationship.
848
00:57:17,017 --> 00:57:20,437
- "Conversations With Myself"
was a spectacular session.
849
00:57:26,526 --> 00:57:28,904
When he would play the Vanguard,
I was there every night.
850
00:57:28,904 --> 00:57:32,032
We became fast friends.
851
00:57:32,032 --> 00:57:33,492
- First time I met Bill,
852
00:57:33,492 --> 00:57:34,951
he invited me
down to the Vanguard,
853
00:57:34,951 --> 00:57:36,745
and he wrote out
a couple tunes for me
854
00:57:36,745 --> 00:57:38,246
right in the break.
855
00:57:38,246 --> 00:57:41,124
That's how kind he was
to a guy he'd just met,
856
00:57:41,124 --> 00:57:43,126
and I thought that was
857
00:57:43,126 --> 00:57:45,253
the real, genuine article.
858
00:57:46,963 --> 00:57:50,550
- Bill was introverted,
quiet, funny,
859
00:57:50,550 --> 00:57:53,804
and those pictures of him
crouched over the piano
860
00:57:53,804 --> 00:57:56,723
are a pretty accurate portrait
of his personality.
861
00:58:01,144 --> 00:58:05,399
[lively piano music]
862
00:58:05,399 --> 00:58:08,819
- Bill asked me about doing
a duet recording with him.
863
00:58:13,115 --> 00:58:15,701
It was as if he were
in part of my brain.
864
00:58:15,701 --> 00:58:17,828
His sense of texture
was just amazing.
865
00:58:26,545 --> 00:58:29,798
- Bill's touch--it's the sound
he made at the piano.
866
00:58:29,798 --> 00:58:31,091
The ability to...
867
00:58:31,091 --> 00:58:37,097
[soft jazz tune]
868
00:58:50,902 --> 00:58:52,904
Just a complete command of
869
00:58:52,904 --> 00:58:54,865
the tonal colors on the piano,
870
00:58:54,865 --> 00:58:56,950
you know, like a great
concert pianist.
871
00:59:13,341 --> 00:59:14,509
The harmonic choices,
872
00:59:14,509 --> 00:59:16,178
the way that the melody is singing,
873
00:59:16,178 --> 00:59:20,515
it all came out
very uniquely Bill Evans.
874
00:59:31,860 --> 00:59:35,489
- He had that basic
classical training to begin with
875
00:59:35,489 --> 00:59:38,200
that solidified his approach
876
00:59:38,200 --> 00:59:39,910
to how to play the piano.
877
00:59:39,910 --> 00:59:43,038
- Getting the sound
out of the instrument
878
00:59:43,038 --> 00:59:44,247
with his fingers,
879
00:59:44,247 --> 00:59:46,374
and not anything else.
880
00:59:46,374 --> 00:59:48,835
- I guess everything that Bill
did was informed by the fact
881
00:59:48,835 --> 00:59:50,003
that Bill was a composer.
882
00:59:50,003 --> 00:59:56,009
[Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby"]
883
01:00:03,850 --> 01:00:05,393
- Bill loved Debby, you know,
884
01:00:05,393 --> 01:00:08,230
and when she was three,
he wrote that tune,
885
01:00:08,230 --> 01:00:09,898
you know, "Waltz for Debby."
886
01:00:11,817 --> 01:00:15,070
- Being at the beach with him,
going swimming,
887
01:00:15,070 --> 01:00:18,907
those were, like,
happy, happy times.
888
01:00:25,539 --> 01:00:26,915
He always played it.
889
01:00:26,915 --> 01:00:30,710
You know, it was like,
you're here in my heart.
890
01:00:30,710 --> 01:00:32,379
You're here in my heart.
891
01:00:43,557 --> 01:00:48,770
- There was a side of Bill
that always yearned for family.
892
01:00:56,278 --> 01:00:58,321
- Bill had a unique voice.
893
01:00:58,321 --> 01:01:02,993
His compositions should rate
with those of Chopin.
894
01:01:02,993 --> 01:01:04,744
It's the harmonies.
895
01:01:07,789 --> 01:01:10,959
"Turn Out The Stars"--that was
written after his father died.
896
01:01:10,959 --> 01:01:16,965
[jazz piano music]
897
01:01:24,264 --> 01:01:26,099
Chopin wrote strictly
for the piano.
898
01:01:26,099 --> 01:01:28,852
I think Bill wrote
strictly for the piano.
899
01:01:40,155 --> 01:01:42,282
- That little notebook is, like,
really fascinating,
900
01:01:42,282 --> 01:01:45,535
'cause he always had two
or three of those in his pocket.
901
01:01:45,535 --> 01:01:46,912
You know,
you'd be on the subway
902
01:01:46,912 --> 01:01:48,330
or in a restaurant,
and all of a sudden,
903
01:01:48,330 --> 01:01:50,540
he'd whip out a notebook
and start writing stuff.
904
01:01:50,540 --> 01:01:52,667
This is "Walkin' Up."
I used to love that.
905
01:01:52,667 --> 01:01:58,673
[lively jazz piano]
906
01:02:18,443 --> 01:02:19,945
That's it.
907
01:02:19,945 --> 01:02:20,987
That's a tricky ending.
908
01:02:23,907 --> 01:02:26,743
- In 1970,
909
01:02:26,743 --> 01:02:29,871
Bill was at Kennedy Airport
with his trio.
910
01:02:29,871 --> 01:02:31,623
They patted him down,
911
01:02:31,623 --> 01:02:33,750
and they found the syringe,
and that was it.
912
01:02:33,750 --> 01:02:35,418
They went into the suitcases,
913
01:02:35,418 --> 01:02:38,421
and they found
a huge stash of heroin.
914
01:02:38,421 --> 01:02:40,715
Bill told me that at that time,
915
01:02:40,715 --> 01:02:43,176
he was shooting up
every 45 minutes.
916
01:02:45,220 --> 01:02:47,013
Bill went on methadone,
917
01:02:47,013 --> 01:02:49,474
which he kept up
for a number of years,
918
01:02:49,474 --> 01:02:52,477
and he looked great.
919
01:02:57,190 --> 01:03:00,527
- Bill kind of went through
the classic midlife crisis.
920
01:03:00,527 --> 01:03:01,987
You know,
he grew a beard, and he--
921
01:03:01,987 --> 01:03:03,822
and, you know,
he got into clothes.
922
01:03:06,157 --> 01:03:09,202
- He always used to like to wear
those flashy sport jackets.
923
01:03:10,870 --> 01:03:13,206
Looked like somebody
from Hawaii,
924
01:03:13,206 --> 01:03:15,959
you know, a tourist.
925
01:03:15,959 --> 01:03:17,627
- Bill Evans comes out here,
926
01:03:17,627 --> 01:03:18,837
and they were
at the Playboy Club.
927
01:03:18,837 --> 01:03:22,424
Standing next to me for at least
20 minutes was Bill Evans,
928
01:03:22,424 --> 01:03:24,342
but I didn't recognize him.
929
01:03:39,607 --> 01:03:42,819
- He lived in the Bronx.
930
01:03:42,819 --> 01:03:45,697
He lived with his first wife,
931
01:03:45,697 --> 01:03:47,574
really--or common-law wife, Ellaine.
932
01:03:51,202 --> 01:03:54,706
- Ellaine, she was
a sweetheart, really.
933
01:03:54,706 --> 01:03:57,500
She was totally devoted to Bill.
934
01:04:00,795 --> 01:04:03,882
- She was with him all the way
through the times
935
01:04:03,882 --> 01:04:05,425
when things were really, really bad,
936
01:04:05,425 --> 01:04:08,053
and they were literally
on the streets.
937
01:04:08,053 --> 01:04:11,097
- I felt a lot of warmth
and love toward her.
938
01:04:11,097 --> 01:04:13,141
You know, my whole family did.
939
01:04:13,141 --> 01:04:15,727
They knew she was an addict.
They didn't care.
940
01:04:15,727 --> 01:04:17,520
They loved her.
941
01:04:17,520 --> 01:04:19,522
He wanted a child,
942
01:04:19,522 --> 01:04:22,525
and he couldn't have
a child with Ellaine.
943
01:04:22,525 --> 01:04:26,321
And then he got hooked up
with Nenette.
944
01:04:26,321 --> 01:04:28,281
- Working at
Concerts by the Sea,
945
01:04:28,281 --> 01:04:29,991
Redondo Beach,
he met her there.
946
01:04:29,991 --> 01:04:32,035
She was a waitress there
in the club.
947
01:04:32,035 --> 01:04:35,038
Bill just, you know,
he flipped over Nenette.
948
01:04:35,038 --> 01:04:36,623
You know, he took her back
to New York,
949
01:04:36,623 --> 01:04:38,625
and went and told Ellaine
that, you know--
950
01:04:38,625 --> 01:04:41,211
she had no idea
what was happening.
951
01:04:41,211 --> 01:04:44,672
So this came
as a complete shock to her.
952
01:04:49,844 --> 01:04:51,554
- And I called her
when I found out
953
01:04:51,554 --> 01:04:54,057
he was going to leave,
you know, and said,
954
01:04:54,057 --> 01:04:56,476
"Come stay with us
in Baton Rouge for a while,"
955
01:04:56,476 --> 01:04:58,394
but she didn't.
956
01:04:58,394 --> 01:05:03,024
- I just don't think she could
envision a life without him.
957
01:05:07,403 --> 01:05:09,572
[brake screeches]
958
01:05:09,572 --> 01:05:12,534
[horn blaring]
959
01:05:12,534 --> 01:05:14,702
- I was at work,
and I get a call from Bill,
960
01:05:14,702 --> 01:05:18,998
and he said, "Ellaine is dead.
961
01:05:18,998 --> 01:05:21,584
She threw herself
in front of a subway."
962
01:05:25,880 --> 01:05:27,549
- Oh.
963
01:05:29,008 --> 01:05:33,680
All of us, yeah.
I was just heartbroken.
964
01:05:35,014 --> 01:05:36,975
- I remember going
to the funeral.
965
01:05:36,975 --> 01:05:38,977
Bill was driving.
966
01:05:38,977 --> 01:05:41,688
You know, Bill took it really hard.
967
01:05:41,688 --> 01:05:47,694
[soft jazz piano]
968
01:06:00,707 --> 01:06:03,293
I think it was maybe
a couple of months later,
969
01:06:03,293 --> 01:06:05,879
and here, you know,
my next trip down to New York,
970
01:06:05,879 --> 01:06:07,964
I'm going to Bill's wedding,
you know?
971
01:06:07,964 --> 01:06:11,050
- They got married
in a big hotel in New York.
972
01:06:12,677 --> 01:06:16,973
- He was 43, and she was 27.
973
01:06:26,900 --> 01:06:28,526
- She did provide
974
01:06:28,526 --> 01:06:30,570
what he had wanted so badly:
975
01:06:30,570 --> 01:06:34,449
a beautiful, healthy child
named Evan Evans.
976
01:06:44,834 --> 01:06:46,669
- They had the house
in New Jersey,
977
01:06:46,669 --> 01:06:48,504
I think, just about that time.
978
01:06:48,504 --> 01:06:49,964
That was a good period in his life.
979
01:06:49,964 --> 01:06:51,132
I mean, really happy.
980
01:06:51,132 --> 01:06:53,092
About as happy
as I'd ever seen him.
981
01:07:00,183 --> 01:07:03,019
- Here's a woman
who gave him a marriage,
982
01:07:03,019 --> 01:07:05,063
who gave him a son.
983
01:07:07,941 --> 01:07:10,568
Who gave him
a stepdaughter, Maxine,
984
01:07:10,568 --> 01:07:12,070
wonderful girl who loved Bill
985
01:07:12,070 --> 01:07:14,948
and whom Bill treated
as his daughter.
986
01:07:18,952 --> 01:07:22,288
I think Nenette
gave Bill another--
987
01:07:22,288 --> 01:07:24,332
almost another
ten years of life.
988
01:07:24,332 --> 01:07:30,338
[jazz piano music]
989
01:07:39,847 --> 01:07:41,724
- The musicians' world,
990
01:07:41,724 --> 01:07:44,102
everybody knew about Bill Evans.
991
01:07:44,102 --> 01:07:47,105
I mean, I had
such respect, it was just--
992
01:07:47,105 --> 01:07:49,983
it felt like I was recording
with the symphony.
993
01:07:49,983 --> 01:07:52,735
[singing]
The night
994
01:07:52,735 --> 01:07:58,574
Is like a lovely tune
995
01:07:58,574 --> 01:08:04,247
Beware, my foolish heart
996
01:08:04,247 --> 01:08:07,166
And Bill said,
keep all the groupies away
997
01:08:07,166 --> 01:08:08,876
from the record date.
998
01:08:08,876 --> 01:08:11,838
Just you and I come in,
999
01:08:11,838 --> 01:08:12,964
you know, and Helen.
1000
01:08:12,964 --> 01:08:18,303
[singing]
Take care, my foolish heart
1001
01:08:18,303 --> 01:08:21,848
What was fascinating to me
was just to listen
1002
01:08:21,848 --> 01:08:26,269
to how he constructed
the performances of each song.
1003
01:08:26,269 --> 01:08:29,355
It was the greatest
music lesson I ever got.
1004
01:08:29,355 --> 01:08:35,445
[Bill Evans'
"A Child Is Born"]
1005
01:08:37,488 --> 01:08:42,493
[singing]
One small heart
1006
01:08:42,493 --> 01:08:47,707
One pair of eyes
1007
01:08:47,707 --> 01:08:52,045
One work of art
1008
01:08:52,045 --> 01:08:54,922
Here in my arms
1009
01:08:54,922 --> 01:08:57,216
I've recorded since 1950
1010
01:08:57,216 --> 01:09:00,303
with so many different
great musicians and orchestras.
1011
01:09:00,303 --> 01:09:05,058
It was really
the best involvement
1012
01:09:05,058 --> 01:09:07,518
I ever had with a musician.
1013
01:09:15,985 --> 01:09:19,781
- I was literally jumping off
the floor in my hotel room.
1014
01:09:19,781 --> 01:09:21,032
I couldn't believe it.
1015
01:09:21,032 --> 01:09:22,158
I called up my dad,
who's in California.
1016
01:09:22,158 --> 01:09:23,618
"Dad, guess what?"
1017
01:09:23,618 --> 01:09:26,037
You know, "I got this gig
with Bill Evans," you know?
1018
01:09:26,037 --> 01:09:27,455
- Marc Johnson was 24,
1019
01:09:27,455 --> 01:09:29,874
and I was 30
when we joined Bill.
1020
01:09:34,587 --> 01:09:37,048
- Bill told me,
the trio with Marc and Joe--
1021
01:09:37,048 --> 01:09:39,008
he had the same feeling
with that trio
1022
01:09:39,008 --> 01:09:40,885
that he had with Scott and Paul.
1023
01:09:40,885 --> 01:09:45,807
[jazz bass music]
1024
01:09:45,807 --> 01:09:47,558
- Bill loved Marc.
He loved him like a son.
1025
01:09:47,558 --> 01:09:50,895
You know, I think he saw a lot
of Scott LaFaro in Marc.
1026
01:09:50,895 --> 01:09:53,064
There was a spirit there
that Bill recognized
1027
01:09:53,064 --> 01:09:55,817
and really, really enjoyed.
1028
01:09:55,817 --> 01:10:01,823
[lively jazz music]
1029
01:10:06,452 --> 01:10:08,121
- I saw he was playing
at the Vanguard.
1030
01:10:08,121 --> 01:10:09,539
I wanted to say hello,
1031
01:10:09,539 --> 01:10:11,666
so I went in the dressing room
1032
01:10:11,666 --> 01:10:12,834
and I said, "How you doing?"
1033
01:10:12,834 --> 01:10:14,877
He said, "Well, you're a friend,"
1034
01:10:14,877 --> 01:10:17,672
and he said, "I want to--
I want to tell you
1035
01:10:17,672 --> 01:10:19,674
before you're gonna hear this
from other people."
1036
01:10:19,674 --> 01:10:22,552
But he said,
"I'm using drugs again."
1037
01:10:22,552 --> 01:10:26,180
And he said, "Nenette found out,
and she threw me out."
1038
01:10:26,180 --> 01:10:28,558
She was finding the syringes.
1039
01:10:28,558 --> 01:10:30,435
Here she is with little kids
in the house.
1040
01:10:30,435 --> 01:10:33,187
And that was when
the marriage really fell apart.
1041
01:10:44,157 --> 01:10:46,117
- Like many virtuoso pianists,
1042
01:10:46,117 --> 01:10:49,829
Bill had a selfishness.
1043
01:10:49,829 --> 01:10:51,581
He was a very selfish,
1044
01:10:51,581 --> 01:10:53,749
dedicated-to-himself
kind of guy.
1045
01:10:55,918 --> 01:10:57,753
And Bill got very involved
with people.
1046
01:10:57,753 --> 01:10:59,380
He got too involved with them,
1047
01:10:59,380 --> 01:11:01,966
and I think he hurt
a hell of a lot of people.
1048
01:11:08,556 --> 01:11:12,018
- Bill absolutely adored Harry.
1049
01:11:20,067 --> 01:11:23,321
I didn't notice his getting sick
until somebody said,
1050
01:11:23,321 --> 01:11:25,531
"Pat, I think
something's wrong with Harry.
1051
01:11:25,531 --> 01:11:28,951
He's talking to himself
at the piano."
1052
01:11:28,951 --> 01:11:31,746
- My father was
diagnosed schizophrenic.
1053
01:11:34,332 --> 01:11:35,917
- He was on medication.
1054
01:11:35,917 --> 01:11:38,044
Finally I had to have him
hospitalized.
1055
01:11:40,296 --> 01:11:44,300
- It was quite a shock
going from music supervisor
1056
01:11:44,300 --> 01:11:46,886
to the state hospital.
1057
01:11:49,972 --> 01:11:53,184
Bill footed the bill to get
the best treatment possible.
1058
01:11:55,853 --> 01:11:58,731
It was sad.
He suffered terribly.
1059
01:12:01,734 --> 01:12:04,028
- I went to work, and I said,
1060
01:12:04,028 --> 01:12:06,781
"I better go check on him."
1061
01:12:06,781 --> 01:12:11,035
He'd gone out and got a gun
and shot himself.
1062
01:12:20,419 --> 01:12:21,921
- We were on the bandstand,
1063
01:12:21,921 --> 01:12:25,007
and all of a sudden,
the sound stops from the piano.
1064
01:12:26,634 --> 01:12:28,052
Waited, I gave it
a pregnant pause,
1065
01:12:28,052 --> 01:12:30,346
and I looked up,
and he's, like, standing up,
1066
01:12:30,346 --> 01:12:33,015
backing away from the piano
with tears coming down his face.
1067
01:12:33,015 --> 01:12:34,642
He says, "I can't. I can't go on.
1068
01:12:34,642 --> 01:12:37,562
He was--he was too much
a part of the music."
1069
01:12:37,562 --> 01:12:41,399
And he had learned that day that
Harry had committed suicide.
1070
01:12:50,908 --> 01:12:52,869
- Harry represented to him
1071
01:12:52,869 --> 01:12:54,579
his reason for being in music.
1072
01:12:54,579 --> 01:12:56,038
I mean, it was his older brother,
1073
01:12:56,038 --> 01:12:57,999
and he loved him
and respected him.
1074
01:12:57,999 --> 01:13:01,085
And so this was
a tremendous loss for Bill.
1075
01:13:13,347 --> 01:13:15,516
- Harry had just
committed suicide,
1076
01:13:15,516 --> 01:13:19,604
and Bill wrote to me from the plane
1077
01:13:19,604 --> 01:13:22,231
on his way back from the funeral.
1078
01:13:22,231 --> 01:13:25,067
I met Bill at a club in Edmonton
1079
01:13:25,067 --> 01:13:27,903
five days after my 22nd birthday.
1080
01:13:30,531 --> 01:13:32,783
I just remember him
standing at the doorway,
1081
01:13:32,783 --> 01:13:35,036
and then he leaned down,
and he kissed my cheek,
1082
01:13:35,036 --> 01:13:39,582
and I'd never had a man do that.
1083
01:13:39,582 --> 01:13:43,002
I decide to go to New York
and see Bill,
1084
01:13:43,002 --> 01:13:45,880
and then he just, like,
took me right into his bedroom,
1085
01:13:45,880 --> 01:13:47,214
sat me down on the bed,
1086
01:13:47,214 --> 01:13:51,093
and it was
a very intimate moment
1087
01:13:51,093 --> 01:13:54,096
of just getting to know someone
1088
01:13:54,096 --> 01:13:56,515
that you know is gonna have
1089
01:13:56,515 --> 01:13:59,060
a really big impact on your life.
1090
01:13:59,060 --> 01:14:04,899
[jazz piano music]
1091
01:14:11,072 --> 01:14:14,033
He was sitting at the piano,
working on some stuff,
1092
01:14:14,033 --> 01:14:17,161
and he handed me this chart,
and it had my name on it,
1093
01:14:17,161 --> 01:14:18,913
and he's like,
"Well, I wrote your song.
1094
01:14:18,913 --> 01:14:21,457
It just kind of came out
fully formed."
1095
01:14:26,796 --> 01:14:31,717
It's his way
of connecting me to him.
1096
01:14:34,970 --> 01:14:37,556
He was writing tunes all the time,
1097
01:14:37,556 --> 01:14:39,892
and then he was working
with that trio
1098
01:14:39,892 --> 01:14:42,061
that was his dream trio.
1099
01:14:42,061 --> 01:14:48,025
[jazz music]
1100
01:14:54,448 --> 01:14:58,786
- That fall, the trio
really hit a peak,
1101
01:14:58,786 --> 01:15:00,079
the fall of '79.
1102
01:15:05,000 --> 01:15:07,044
He recorded in Paris.
1103
01:15:07,044 --> 01:15:10,965
That recording is probably
the pinnacle of that trio.
1104
01:15:15,386 --> 01:15:16,595
- A couple of the recordings
1105
01:15:16,595 --> 01:15:18,597
are some of
the last recordings that Bill did.
1106
01:15:18,597 --> 01:15:22,143
Sounded great to me, man,
and I thought that--gee, I said,
1107
01:15:22,143 --> 01:15:24,395
"Bill's just playing
his ass off again, man."
1108
01:15:24,395 --> 01:15:25,980
It seemed like he knew
he was dying.
1109
01:15:25,980 --> 01:15:28,023
He knew he was gonna die.
1110
01:15:31,444 --> 01:15:33,571
- You know the tragedies
in his life, obviously,
1111
01:15:33,571 --> 01:15:36,824
with Ellaine
and then his brother Harry
1112
01:15:36,824 --> 01:15:38,826
and this, you know,
his failed marriage.
1113
01:15:38,826 --> 01:15:41,912
I think he just kind of gave up
on a certain level.
1114
01:15:41,912 --> 01:15:44,832
He just didn't--
he'd still play great.
1115
01:15:44,832 --> 01:15:46,000
He was still there for the music.
1116
01:15:46,000 --> 01:15:48,711
In fact, it seemed like
he was living for that alone.
1117
01:15:48,711 --> 01:15:50,087
He was living
for the music alone.
1118
01:15:58,053 --> 01:16:00,765
- I really believe
that he wanted to kill himself.
1119
01:16:00,765 --> 01:16:02,516
That's what I believe.
1120
01:16:05,102 --> 01:16:07,646
- Every day was life and death.
1121
01:16:07,646 --> 01:16:09,940
Every day was Russian roulette.
1122
01:16:09,940 --> 01:16:14,612
He was probably shooting close
to an ounce of cocaine a week.
1123
01:16:18,949 --> 01:16:21,494
- He said, "I don't know
why I should stay alive."
1124
01:16:21,494 --> 01:16:24,789
And I said,
"Well, what about your son?"
1125
01:16:24,789 --> 01:16:27,333
I said, "You got a little boy.
1126
01:16:27,333 --> 01:16:28,501
"What's gonna happen to him?
1127
01:16:28,501 --> 01:16:30,044
He's gonna grow up
without a father?"
1128
01:16:36,467 --> 01:16:37,718
And Bill said, "Yeah."
1129
01:16:37,718 --> 01:16:38,844
He said, "Evan."
1130
01:16:38,844 --> 01:16:42,056
He said, "That's right,
I could do it for Evan."
1131
01:16:42,056 --> 01:16:44,391
He said, "Thanks, thanks, man."
1132
01:16:44,391 --> 01:16:47,394
That was pretty much
the last time I saw him.
1133
01:16:52,066 --> 01:16:54,735
- As things progressed
through August,
1134
01:16:54,735 --> 01:16:57,905
he had moved
into a very dark, dark place.
1135
01:16:57,905 --> 01:16:59,490
You can hear that in the music.
1136
01:17:05,496 --> 01:17:08,958
- Bill's physical exterior
was pretty much falling apart,
1137
01:17:08,958 --> 01:17:10,960
but the power of his music
1138
01:17:10,960 --> 01:17:13,003
was still completely intact,
1139
01:17:13,003 --> 01:17:14,421
right to the bitter end.
1140
01:17:14,421 --> 01:17:16,048
- The last time I saw Bill,
1141
01:17:16,048 --> 01:17:19,343
I was doing the "Merv Griffin
Show" in Los Angeles,
1142
01:17:19,343 --> 01:17:20,594
and he was on.
1143
01:17:20,594 --> 01:17:23,055
- One of the most
influential piano soloists
1144
01:17:23,055 --> 01:17:26,475
in the jazz world today,
the great Bill Evans, Bill?
1145
01:17:26,475 --> 01:17:27,685
[applause]
1146
01:17:27,685 --> 01:17:31,063
- I thought he looked terrible,
and I asked him,
1147
01:17:31,063 --> 01:17:32,398
"Do you feel all right?"
1148
01:17:32,398 --> 01:17:35,150
And, you know, he kind
of gave me a vague answer.
1149
01:17:35,150 --> 01:17:36,735
- I would like to do this,
which I think
1150
01:17:36,735 --> 01:17:40,281
is a little more serious
maybe for your audience.
1151
01:17:40,281 --> 01:17:43,033
It's just a rubato,
and I won't improvise,
1152
01:17:43,033 --> 01:17:44,410
just play two choruses of medley.
1153
01:17:44,410 --> 01:17:47,413
It's now called "Your Story."
1154
01:18:02,720 --> 01:18:04,972
- It was a really peaceful day.
1155
01:18:04,972 --> 01:18:07,349
We drove into Manhattan.
1156
01:18:07,349 --> 01:18:09,059
Bill had actually
made an appointment.
1157
01:18:09,059 --> 01:18:11,604
He wanted to get set up
at a new methadone clinic.
1158
01:18:11,604 --> 01:18:13,480
- I remember sitting in the car,
1159
01:18:13,480 --> 01:18:15,190
and Bill laid down
in the back seat.
1160
01:18:15,190 --> 01:18:17,067
Laurie was sitting
up front with me.
1161
01:18:22,489 --> 01:18:24,033
- As he looked out
into the street,
1162
01:18:24,033 --> 01:18:26,035
we had a few jokes.
1163
01:18:26,035 --> 01:18:27,745
We were having
a few light moments,
1164
01:18:27,745 --> 01:18:29,413
and then pretty soon,
like, there's, like,
1165
01:18:29,413 --> 01:18:31,957
a steady stream of blood
coming from his mouth.
1166
01:18:31,957 --> 01:18:35,920
- Bill started to hemorrhage,
and it was bad.
1167
01:18:40,132 --> 01:18:42,301
And I'm driving like a maniac,
1168
01:18:42,301 --> 01:18:44,470
and I'm blaring out the horn,
and people are stopping,
1169
01:18:44,470 --> 01:18:45,763
and we cut through.
1170
01:18:45,763 --> 01:18:46,972
We pull into the emergency room.
1171
01:18:46,972 --> 01:18:51,685
I pick Bill up and carry him
into the emergency room.
1172
01:18:57,524 --> 01:18:59,610
I called Helen,
and I called Marc,
1173
01:18:59,610 --> 01:19:01,278
and they came right over,
1174
01:19:01,278 --> 01:19:04,031
and the four of us
were actually together in a room
1175
01:19:04,031 --> 01:19:06,659
when the doctor came in
and told us
1176
01:19:06,659 --> 01:19:08,661
that Bill didn't make it.
1177
01:19:15,250 --> 01:19:17,294
- It's a devastating
moment, man.
1178
01:19:17,294 --> 01:19:18,963
[stammering]
1179
01:19:18,963 --> 01:19:21,340
It's the first person close to me
1180
01:19:21,340 --> 01:19:25,719
that I'd ever...lost.
1181
01:19:25,719 --> 01:19:31,725
- I felt really relieved
and happy because--
1182
01:19:31,725 --> 01:19:34,603
oh, 'cause I knew
his struggle was over.
1183
01:19:50,202 --> 01:19:56,208
[somber piano music]
1184
01:20:00,462 --> 01:20:04,883
- When I go to Baton Rouge,
they're both under an oak tree.
1185
01:20:15,185 --> 01:20:19,064
Sometimes I feel like
Bill almost calls out.
1186
01:20:19,064 --> 01:20:21,734
I don't know why.
1187
01:20:25,029 --> 01:20:30,868
[lively jazz piano]
1188
01:20:37,082 --> 01:20:39,960
- Finally, we live
with what Bill left behind,
1189
01:20:39,960 --> 01:20:42,046
which is all these
wonderful recordings.
1190
01:20:58,854 --> 01:21:01,815
- Playing with Bill and Scott
at that time, it was original.
1191
01:21:01,815 --> 01:21:04,360
I was just real--
you know, it was good.
1192
01:21:04,360 --> 01:21:05,819
[laughing]
1193
01:21:05,819 --> 01:21:07,863
- And when I think of Bill,
I always just think about,
1194
01:21:07,863 --> 01:21:10,074
you know, beauty, you know.
1195
01:21:10,074 --> 01:21:11,533
It's beautiful, you know?
1196
01:21:21,877 --> 01:21:23,587
- That's what made Bill
so special, you know,
1197
01:21:23,587 --> 01:21:26,006
'cause he was just so--
1198
01:21:26,006 --> 01:21:27,716
it's an outpouring of his heart.
1199
01:21:27,716 --> 01:21:31,595
- This incredible poignancy,
you know?
1200
01:21:31,595 --> 01:21:34,389
To my knowledge, nobody
is making music like this.
1201
01:21:38,894 --> 01:21:42,272
- His courage to go deeply
within himself
1202
01:21:42,272 --> 01:21:46,110
makes the music touch everybody
in such a large way.
1203
01:21:50,072 --> 01:21:53,283
- Bill Evans, Monk, Art Tatum,
same kind of thing.
1204
01:21:53,283 --> 01:21:55,577
They dared to be different.
1205
01:22:01,625 --> 01:22:03,961
- Just before he died,
I got a call from him.
1206
01:22:03,961 --> 01:22:09,633
He said,
"Just go with truth and beauty,
1207
01:22:09,633 --> 01:22:11,385
and forget the rest."
1208
01:22:11,385 --> 01:22:14,304
And ever since then, that's been
the premise of my life.
1209
01:22:20,894 --> 01:22:24,273
- The influence
that he had on jazz is--
1210
01:22:24,273 --> 01:22:26,066
go on for another hundred years.
1211
01:22:30,571 --> 01:22:33,866
There was a uniqueness in him
1212
01:22:33,866 --> 01:22:36,368
that will transcend all time.
1213
01:22:56,889 --> 01:22:59,975
[applause]