John McLaughlin plays Bill Evans Time Remembered  
 

A long promised tribute album to the late pianist Bill Evans was released in 1993. McLaughlin took the pains to score such classics as Very Early, Turn Out The Stars and Waltz for Debby for five guitars and acoustic bass. His student, Jan Maresz, provides the bottom and the European Aighetta Quartet, featuring four guitars, supplies the changes and context. McLaughlin, in quite clear liner notes, tells us the pieces have much the feel of classical music to them, but he had to infuse some improvisation in order to fully satisfy his desires.

What a beautiful album. Indeed, Time Remembered is a fragile sounding album. A missed note here or there could bring this concept down like a house of cards. But instead, fragility is a tremendous strength in its isolation and clearly captures the on-the edge- lyricism Bill Evans demonstrated. Very Early is a pleasing piece and should be compared to Evan's treatment on his own Blue N'Green and McLaughlin's over-dubbed version on Belo Horizonte. Turn Out the Stars is a lengthy mood piece also very realized by John with Herbie Hancock on Verve Celebrates 50 Years CD. (The contrast between the acoustic version on Time Remembered and Verves 50th electric version is quite startling).

The highlight of Time Remembered is Waltz for Debbie. This tune is by far Evans' most sincere and McLaughlin's rendering is a true homage. All musicians acquit themselves well and McLaughlin's signature riffs survive in a sea of delicate beauty.


Walter Kolosky
smsi@attbi.com


Walter Kolosky is a jazz fan and founder of Ecomonics.com who lives in Braintree, MA, USA

 

1. Prologue - (2:14) (B.Evans)
2. Very Early - (4:20) (B.Evans)
3. Only Child - (5:06) (B.Evans)
4. Waltz for Debby - (4:55) (B.Evans/Lees)
5. Hommage - (2:16) (J.McLaughlin)
6. My Bells - (3:22) (B.Evans)
7. Time Remembered - (3:59) (B.Evans)
8. Song for Helen - (1:54) (B.Evans)
9. Turn Out the Stars - (6:26) (B.Evans)
10. We Will Meet Again (for Harry) - (4:20)
(B.Evans)
11. Epilogue - (1:14) (B.Evans)

John McLaughlin - acoustic guitar
Yan Maresz - acoustic bass guitar
The Aighetta Quartet:

Francois Szony - acoustic guitar
Pascal Rabatti - acoustic guitar
Alexandre Del Fa - acoustic guitar
Philippe Loli - acoustic guitar

Recorded in Milan, March 25 - 30, 1993.
Produced by John McLaughlin

  Verve 519 861 (p) 1993