Bill Evans is a true innovator in the world of jazz! Thanks to him, jazz has become dynamic and brighter.
And you will learn the most interesting facts from the life of Bill Evans from our article!
Biography facts
Bill Evans was born on August 16, 1929 in the United States, in the state of New Jersey, Plainfield.
Bil's mom was Orthodox Christian and was of Russian descent, and her husband, Harry Leon Evans, was a Protestant and worked as a golf course manager. She sang in the church choir and thereby instilled in her son a love of music.
At the age of 6, Bill first picked up the violin, then mastered the flute. But later he chose the piano as his main instrument.
Evans began his career in 1949 when he wrote his first melody, Veri Earli.
Evans received his musical education at the Music Department of Southeastern University in Louisiana, graduating in 1950.
Professional career and work in musical groups
Evans' creative professional career began with a collaboration with guitarist Mandel Lowe and double bass player Red Mitchell, with whom they played jazz.
After the army, where Bill Evans played in the Fields Herbie military band, he first appeared on the scene in New York. It happened in 1956, Beal performed in a duet with clarinetist Tony Scott. In the same year, Evans recorded his first album, New Jazz Conceptions, with the trio. But this album did not make him a big fortune, as only 800 copies were sold in the first year. But on the other hand, music critics gave a good assessment to the disc, without which, perhaps, his dizzying career would not have continued.
In April 1958, Bill Evans went on tour with the Miles Davis Sextet. But in November, Beale left the team due to Davis' exaggerated demands. However, already in 1959, Evans returned to the band and took part in the recording of the album Kind of Blue. Subsequently, this album became a cult, it became one of the best and best selling albums of all time.
In the fall of 1959, Bill Evans has already assembled his own trio, which, in addition to him, included double bass player Scott Lafaro and drummer Paul Motian. The trio became very popular and Evans became famous. Together they recorded the album Portrait in Jazz.
But in June 1961, Scott Lafaro died in a car accident. The death of a colleague was a great shock and Evans dropped out of his creative life for a year. However, in 1962, Bill Evans decided to recreate the trio, and he brought in bass player Chuck Israel.
Bill Evans' personal life and family
After Evans graduated from university, he was drafted into the army. For a pianist, this was one of the most difficult periods in his life. According to friends, the army was the reason for Evans' early departure from life, since it was in the army that he became addicted to drugs.
In 1950, Bill met the waitress Ellen Schultz. Their relationship lasted for 12 long years. Ellen also used drugs, she suffered from heroin addiction. Because of this, they incurred large debts.
In 1970, Bill Evans decides to give up drugs. And he succeeds, but not for long. Ellen commits suicide three years later. This tragedy was a blow for Evans and he returns to heroin again.
But in the same 1973, Evans meets Nannet Zazzara, who becomes his wife. After a while, they have a son.
During his life, Beal made several attempts to participate in treatment and rehabilitation programs for drug addicts, but was thwarted by the tragic events that took place in his life.
Bill Evans made a huge contribution to the development of jazz music, his famous album Melody make award was awarded a Grammy in 1969.
The pianist died on September 15, 1980 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
In 1994, Evans was awarded the Grammy Award for Achievement and Merit in the field of music.
