Symbiosis (1974)

Bill Evans Trio With Claus Ogerman Orchestra

Mel Davis, Johnny Frosk, Bernie Glow, Marky Markowitz, Victor Paz, Marvin Stamm (tp) Paul Faulise, Urbie Green, Tom Mitchell (tb) Ray Alonge, Jim Buffington, Earl Chapin, Peter Gordon, Al Richmond, Gruce Tilotson (frh) Don Butterfield (tu) Don Hmmond, Hubert Laws, Bill Stapin (fl) Phil Bodner, George Marge (ob) Wally Kane, Don McCourt (basn) Danny Bank, Ron Janelly (cl) Jerry Dodgion, Harvey Estrin, Walt Levinsky, Phil Woods (sax) David Nedien (concertmaster) Bill Evans (p, el-p) Eddie Gomez (b) Marty Morell (d) Doug Allan, Dave Carey, George Devens, Ralph MacDonald (per) Claus Ogerman (arr, cond)

NYC, February 11, 12 & 14, 1974

SEE...


"Things went better for Evans and his trio a couple of years later when the second of these projects, Symbiosis, was recorded. A suite in two movements and five parts composed by Claus Ogerman, it is based on the encounter and contrast between two dialoguing entities (trio and full orchestra) according to a compositional model widely diffused during Romanticism in piano and violin concertos. Ogerman counter-posed the trio with a rather anomalous ensemble, in which six French horns, clarinets, oboes, bassoons and four percussionists are added to the three usual big band sections (trumpets, trombones and saxophones). Perhaps, thanks to a shared musical background, Ogerman was German by birth and musical culture, Evans, for his part, had a deep knowledge of European classical music, the same "linguistic" area beloved by Ogerman - Symbiosis can be considered Evans' artistic peak of those years.

Freed from the onus of arranging the music (as he had had to do with the trio), and finding himself dealing with particularly stimulating harmonic sequences, Evans and his trio, surely spurred by that broad and fascinating overall "sound", gave their best. An important role was also played by Ogerman’s acute capacity to insert Bill's soloing into a well Nineteen-seventy-five was a very important year for Evans. Drummer Eliot Zigmund took his place in the trio, joining Gomez and Evans for an extensive European tour in February of that year."
(Bill Evans: Ritratto d’artista con pianoforte/Bill Evans: The Pianist as an Artist.Enrico Pieranunzi, Rome 1999, Stampa Alternativa)(thanks http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com !!!)