I was fortunate enough to spend 3 hours one-on-one at Bill’s motel north of the Capitol Records Bldg. when Bill did his second stint at Shelley’s Manne Hole. Chuck Israels came to the door and said, “Who the hell are YOU?!” And then he began to slam the door in my face! Then Bill loomed over Chuck’s left shoulder said, “Let him in; I invited him.” Thus began the most meaningful event in my life at that time. Bill and I talked about all kinds of things, most of which is hazy after 58 years, but I most remember because of the kind of playing I did, what I should be aware of. He told me to work especially hard on touch. Being an introspective player, I found that advice some of the most valuable I’ve ever received. Because I’m basically a harmonic player and utilize a lot of counterpoint in my left hand, I found that, for me, touch was an essential part of bringing out inner voice lines. Bill also let me copy changes; this was before fake books. Interestingly, Bill didn’t have a book per say at the time. Everything was on menus, matchbook covers, and napkins! As I was leaving, I asked, “Bill, did you write BOTH “Blue In Green” and “Flamenco Sketches”? In those days, we weren’t sure. Bill’s one-word answer was, “Yes”. Bill died in September of 1980; I wrote him a piece that has become the fourth of my “Four Elegiac Songs”. I wish he could have heard it. Addendum: 10-16-21…. The “Four Elegiac Songs In Time Of Covid”, of which the Bill Evans tribute was the fourth, tied for 3rd prize in the massive American Prize competition’s Pop/Light Music division of composers! It was just a couple of months ago!

The amazing thing about Evans (among other things) is that so many the things he says have such depth and universality. "Intuition has to lead knowledge, but it can't be out there on its own... If its on its own, you are going to flounder sooner or later." "Knowing the problem is 90% of solving it." Et cetera.

His playing here is as great as his late records. So glad this exists...

I am a drummer and drumming instructor. I play a little xylophone too (not well); so drums is my main instrument...NOT piano. And yet, ever since I was a teenager, no musician was able to put me into "orbit" the way that Bill Evans could! It's his approach, like a ballerina or a fencer, that astonishes me, and I'm sure so many of you! Marian McPartland is genuinely in awe of Bill here! She is NOT fawning or gushing over him in an obsequious way. She just can't help herself, and I love her for it! Marian was a tremendous musician, composer, and piano historian herself! She heard and understood the nuances of Bill's performance better than anyone. A great friend and bandmate of mine, Jan Stevens runs the B.E. website and is an expert on Bill. Years ago Jan performed with Marian, Dick Hyman, Bill Charlap, Jack Reilly, and Fred Hersch at the 92nd Street Y in a special memorial tribute to Bill. I got to ask Ms. McPartland about Bill at the rehearsal and she told me about this very interview. She knew that I was a student of one of her own favorite drummers Joe Morello, and she was so effusive in her admiration of Bill to me. It is so, so thrilling and pleasing to hear here how much she loved Bill. This spectacular interview sounds like it was done around 1978, just two years before the music world would lose this immortal man. Thank you for presenting this audio "oil painting."

all art, no ego. if only more people had the mix of ability and modesty (realism) of these two.

This is a MUST LISTEN for all students of music. The man speaks the truth.

I just love Marian McPartland's interviews. She has a way to get the musicians to talk about their art so that we can all get to know the artists. I always looked forward to her show Piano Jazz and was so happy when these recordings started to show up on CDs and KZfaq. What a treat!

He was so good, and she brought the best out in all who were lucky enough to share her space. I will repeat my earlier comments, but first must again say what a genius, Bill Evans was. Thank you both. Lovely, from another time, same place, our city of hope. Thank you, dear lady, your class, and generosity of spirit were your calling card and shine through in you playing. Thank you, David Cox

That version of Waltz for Debbie was executed so well.. words fail trying to describe it.. Has any other musician been able to turn a musical composition into such an amazing work of art ? I mean Bach did, but in a different voice and genre.. Bill was such a gift to the planet of those w/ ears that can hear.. Who doesn't DIG Bill ? That album was titled so appropriately !

The world is a much better place because of these two.

It's a shame that I can only give this a single thumbs up.

20:21 -This part fascinates me. I have never heard a musician communicate this process so concisely, while demonstrating no less. This small piece of audio is a source of inspiration for the level of familiarity I wish to reach. The way he so casually breaks down the process of improvisation into words as he does it makes this some of the most amazing piano playing I’ve ever heard. I practically worship this segment for how much I’ve learned off it… and he has the audacity to say “I didn't do that too well" half way through.

"I used to be the fastest boogie woogie player in central New Jersey" LOL.

For me, Its hard to study Bill Evans because I rather sit back and enjoy listening to him as a jazz fan

I just thank the good Lord, these records still exist.What a treasure.Bill gave us so much, at great personal suffering.And MM was so wonderful in her own right

The greatest artist of the 20th century..

holy smokes! what a great opportunity to hear bill evans talk theory, structure, fundamentals.

When Marian asks Bill if he's playing a certain style at 20:18 on the time bar, then Bill describes it as an 'abstract' approach and begins to play it starting with a C major chord at 20:34 then he elaborates the structure and explains to bringing in an E major chord, at 21:50 or there about, [I have to go back and check the time bar numbers to indicate exactly where you hear this change-up in chords, as Marian then compliments Bill and says that's quite advanced for a new student as to what he just played. Bill then offers a great line of wisdom by saying - "Intuition has to lead knowledge but it can't be out there on its own. If it's on its own it's going to flounder."] They talk for quite a while longer and I know she's going to work up to mentioning certain keys, and I'm so pleased to hear that she brings up the key of D, and asks Bill to play Duke Ellington's Reflections in D, at 31:20 on the time bar. As I've been sitting at the piano lately trying to find these changes, and play them but I'm not an experienced piano player. I'm just self-taught, [as an accomplished and published technical visual artist and astronomy scientist,] so I can see now that this takes a tremendous amount of practice of hundreds of hours to attain this genius level of playing that Bill Evans accomplishes. I don't know if others know this but I've studied this for 20 years about left-handed people, and if you don't know, Bill Evans was a born left hander, as many of the history books show that the geniuses in art and music and science are a higher percentage of left-handed people - Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, we're all born left-handed, as was Rachmaninoff, the famous classical pianist and child prodigy, Glenn Gould, and other great jazz pianists such as Erroll Garner, [who could not read a note on a sheet of music, as Garner played entirely by ear. Erroll Garner was also heavily criticized by his recording label supervisors, due to his general character but in those days in the 1950s it was not understood that his left handedness probably caused a common condition in left-handers as we are known to be a higher percentage of diagnosis of Asperger's, dyslexia, autism, and bipolar. Although I'm not diagnosed with any of those conditions, but it is now believed in new medical journals today that Asperger's is no longer classified as a disorder - it's redefined as a trait of left-handed people, ie; Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple, the famous actor Tom Cruise, and the famous comedic actor director Woody Allen, and so many more untold natural born left-handers, as all these famous and genius left-handed people are diagnosed with Asperger's or other similar spectrum diagnosis.] Great left-handed artists are also known to suffer as left-handers diagnosed with Asperger's, such as Glenn Gould was diagnosed with severe Asperger's, and other famous left-handers such as The Rock guitarist and genius performer David Byrne, talks in interviews about his Asperger's as a left-hander.] Oscar Peterson is another one of the genius pianists, but I'm just rambling here now about famous left-handers, as genius pianists. There are probably many more I can't think of at the moment. But back to those timestamp numbers I listed above, if you listen to the changeup he makes from the C chord to the E major, this is classic Bill Evans signature style that everyone wishes they could imitate and there are many great imitators now with tutorials on KZfaq to show you how to play some of these change-up styles or abstracts that we all hear, as Bill Evans great accomplishments of genius on the piano. Just an aside, and somewhat out of context here, I should also add there's an amazing recording coming up to be released in June of 2021 next month. It's a rare find of audio tapes in the Abbey Road studios in England that Paul McCartney of The Beatles, during the recording of the White Album in July 1968, rang up Bill Evans and asked him to come over and play as Evans and his Trio of Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJonette, played for a session of an hour or so with McCartney and they performed several of both their numbers such as McCartney sings his famous Yesterday with Bill Evans on piano and other Jazz standards such as Summertime. You can look this up, as there's only one article release so far about it in a site titled - All About Jazz . com ... which I wrote not in hyperlink form here so it doesn't cause you to jump to the wrong location. But also search this new album titled by its name which the site mentions and the rundown of the track listings and the atmosphere as others were just recently called up and spoke briefly about remembering this session such as the recording engineer at Abbey Road and some few words from Paul McCartney so far. The article indicates they gave a pre copy of the recorded session with Paul McCartney and Bill and his Trio, to Ringo and he's been listening to it for the past 6 months and totally enthralled with it, as Ringo says he listens to it everyday. The new album is titled - Bill Evans: Hey Bill It's Paul From Abbey Road [Sorry for my rambling about too many things. I'm also a born left hander and accomplished in the Arts and Sciences world more so as a semi-professional astronomer and astronomy artist published by NASA many times over the past 10 years.] At 67 years now I've been giving up somewhat on acoustic guitar jazz, if only just to concentrate more lately on doodling with piano for the past 10 years but listening to a lot of Bill Evans and other pianists, so I hope to practice more and maybe get up to just barely performance level to imitating Evan's style a little, when I sit at a piano, [if only to entertain my friends, now and then.]

This was a long standing Jazz Piano Series on NPR hosted by Jazz Pianist, Marian Mc Partland which- I looked forward to catching each week..if my memory serves me correctly, I caught this interview with Bill Evans, a musical genius in every sense of the expression!!

Their verbal interplay is so enjoyable. Bill seems comfortable with Marian. Both clearly admire one another as musicians. This is a great conversation, along with great music.

This man is a great force of nature! One of outstanding genius of all time! Thanks, Bill!!

I understand that we are in America, and everyone has a right to their likes and dislikes, but seriously, who in their right mind would admit to not liking this?

Without a doubt the very best jazz interview ever..revealing of a real chemistry between them and the sheer love of the music and brilliance to share with us .Timeless artistry. Bill was so animated . almost shocking but Marian brought out the best in him..wow

What a light and inspiration Bill Evans was and will always be! Amazing soul, depth and musical talent!

Please take a break, and enjoy this marvelous, and historical session. I only wished, that I had learn to play this wonderful instrument. Bill is absolutely superb.. I had purchased several of his LP's and love them all.

What an incredible interview. Bill Evans was always my guiding light when it came to honesty and sheer intellectual heft about music in general. He seems like the kind of person who'd share a cup of coffee with anyone and talk about music. When I was a music student in college in the early 60s my classmates introduced me to Evans and his music. He left us way too soon.

Yep, that's what a genius sounds like.

Two of my favourite people - and artists, uncommonly together making music. Thanks for this rare find!

So wonderful. He's in absolutely top form, sounds healthy, engaged, etc. Thank you, haven't heard this for ages.

How many ways and in how many keys can I express, I love this!

Ms. McPartland is absolutely bubbly & enchanted in this (wonderful!) interview.

Even a single G7 chord from Bill's playing is far better than mine.

I get teary-eyed whenever I tune in to Marian's interviews. Sure miss her. Thank you.

A gem! Thanks so much for putting this online!

Some nice and lean and open and free-flowing sounds and I thank Marian for conducting this session back a few years ago. I'm just now seeing their talk.

Sat afternoon NPR Radio on a Los Angeles afternoon for me eons ago ' Now....... 'Love!!!!!! Thank you!!!

@ George Drazenovich Thank you very much for this upload. What a treasure these two together!

This is so good. Thank you!

I remember piano jazz program. Heard this many years ago and will keep listening to it over & over. 💜

One other thought, David Cox here. What a beautiful picture, it is interesting, creative, and so reflects the interview and music. Lovely again, David

I was a mailman in the 80's. Marion's house was on my route. Just around the corner from Eric Boom's (Blue Oyster Cult) house.

Some of the stuff he played here sounds better to me than anything I'd heard on his albums.

Such a beautiful version of Waltz for Debby, the phrasing, articulation, coloration. His appreciation and affection for Marion are clear. 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Thank you for sharing this timeless interview!

increible and hearing him, listening is even more, many thanks!

Great interaction. Love this!

How cool !!! A very great episode of piano jazz, perhaps the best!! Bill and Marian too were both such wonderful people!

This is great! It's so wonderful to hear Bill in any interview, not only because he is incredibly articulate, but also because he never has a bad word to say about any other musicians he knew or worked with. People always describe him as gentle and kind. It seems that is true. Confidence mixed with humility is an awesome combination in a person.

All Piano Jazz should be released on cd’s! WhAt a treasure these programs were. Marian McPartland Was amazing on every one I’be ever heard!

Geez o Pete, I’m a dozen or so years into true maid Marion standom and this the first time hearing her with so high a regard of a guest. So very cool to hear her pleased with the level of playing and conversation. She’s low key a GOAT, mad deep knowledge, skill, and sensitivity. Could and did keep up with literally anybody for decades First time hearing Evans talk at all, and he seems wonderfully grounded and aware without more ego of your average successful 50’s-60’s dude lol

Marian. Thank you for including my music when you had so many genius pianists like Bill and so many others including singers such as sarah Vaughan and the underrated Chris. Connor Third stream New England Conservatory

Absolutely wonderful.

Love this exchange of intelligence and musical knowledge.

This is a master piece. Thanx

This is such a great episode.

This interview and performance are as critical as the new movie, "Bill Evans: Time Remembered" (2018), in acquiring an understanding of the complete artist, whose playing evolved from "impressionist" art (esp. with the seminal bassist Scott LaFaro) to a more direct and personal "expressionist" art. His final trio, with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera, represents an implementation of what he discusses and demonstrates with Marian McPartland during this exceptionally revealing program. Like much of the literature about Bill, the new movie concentrates on a mere several years: 1959 ("Kind of Blue" with Miles) to 1961 (the "Vanguard Sessions" with LaFaro and Paul Motian). LaFaro would die in an automobile accident less than 2 months later, and the attention would shift to younger players (Jarrett, Hancock, Corea). The assumption about Bill was that his playing was stuck in neutral or even in decline. This program, recorded just two years before Bill's passing, clearly refutes any such notions. Bill talks about, then demonstrates, a new rhythmic technique he had been "working hard on" and emphasizes his opposition to "trends" (rock, fusion, dance music) and his devotion to art as the path to truth and beauty. For me, this program was a revelation, leading me to discover an artist who left us at the height of his creative powers.

Bill on the importance of knowing a tune well before playing it well..."Intuition has to lead knowledge, but it can't be out there on it's own." This statement pretty much sums Bill Evans up in my opinion and is just pure, simple, genius!!

That is the best recording of Your Own Sweet Way i have ever heard. Bill shines in the first chorus

woo hoo...thanx for this...legendary.....

not just talented on the musical level, but also talented in voicing over his mental pathway as it was developing with actual words that could usher the listeners thru that tunnel of time and emotion. Priceless. too bad is not a video... but thank God that the audio has survived.

Muchas gracias. Bendiciones

Bill's use of modal chords, soft touch, and phrasings, remain the high standard for classically trained jazz pianists yesterday and today. That distinction is what Miles focused on in giving Bill the Kind of Blue nod over Wynton Kelly. Although Wynton played on Freddie Freeloader it was his composition so it stood to reason, he'd be included. Bill only worked with Miles for a very brief stint. But his contributions during that time created a wealth of music from arguably one of the greatest jazz ensemble ever recorded. Great interview!

Our Chopin, near the end. Inspires and breaks my heart.

Bill might be referring to "You Must Believe in Spring" as the warner brothers record that showcases eddie's unbelievably responsible yet outstanding playing.

Bill Evans' rhythmic displacements always jumps right out at you and may be the most distinguishing characteristic of his playing, imo.

Oh my god.... My heart is melted

Man, cats today (myself included) wish they could be as cool as these two!

He was influenced by Eric Satie insofar as conjuring up the left hand voicing technique which he mastered like nobody else could.

This must have been done at a time when Evans was drug free, or comparitively so. He's at his best here conversationally, it seems to me. His playing was almost always superb.

Exquisite.....BEYOND Category. RESPECT!

This astounding episode was just before Bill's last trio of Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera and his exhausting but productive world tour, ending with an 8 night stay in San Francisco with an amazing 16 CDs (in "Consecration" and "Last Waltz." My fav Evans, even more than the '61 Vanguard sessions.) I was disappointed in a recent interview of Joe, who gives the standard line on Bill, dating back to the LaFaro trio. But his last trio was different--the fullest expression of Bill's own music and its vision.

Excellent sound

So cool!!! Bill is the man

My old friend was a great classical player who had never listened to jazz, so he asked me to buy him some top piano jazz records, from Art Tatum, to Dave Brubeck, to Thelonious Monk, to Bill Evans. I asked him to critique all of them. He said he was "blown away" by Tatum's technique, and enjoyed Erroll Garner, but asked me, "What is that funny sound in the background??" When I told him it was Erroll actually humming along as he played, he didn't quite know what to think about it. But he immediately seemed to gravitate to Evan's playing the most. When I asked him to comment on Bill's playing he answered, "All I can say is that he's so far ahead of everyone else that he's on a whole other level. I can't exactly explain it." He didn't realize that he just did.

My favorite McPartland song: "Summer Song". The changes are...addictively cool.

The then unreleased albums mentioned at 9:00 are 'I Will Say Goodbye' (Fantasy) and 'You Must Believe In Spring' (Warner), both from 1977.

Bill Evans is an piano saint.

MASTER.. !!!

There is so much more to Bill's music than just great musicianship. It's wonderful stories, beautifully told, and THAT SOUND, what a maestro !!!!

Bill and Marian🎉 great humans!

I love those voicings he uses on April in Paris.

Lol, who the hell could click dislike on this!!?

The Gold standard is Bill Evans.

Recorded 11/6/1978

Thanks for uploading this enjoyable and relaxed session, and thanks for editing out those lame and annoying N.P.R. announcements with the tiddle iddle um pum pum piano licks every 10 minutes.

Thanks so much, George, for uploading this wonderful interview - and interplay- between Marian and Bill. Their version of "I Love You" which terminates the clip left me with moist eyes. Without insulting the rest of the material is there any way of isolating the Cole Porter tune to put on my own jazz website? I wouldn't know how to do this due to my age and technical ignorance. If not, gratitude in abundance anyway - Jamie

He likes E and A, Jim Hall was a big influence.

I think Marian interviewed Hiromi Uehara. I heard it live on radio when I was in Japan...

Completely amazing, from start to finish. Bravo!!!

YOU DON'T HAVE THE DIMENSIONS TO BE A SOLO PIANIST? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THATS FUNNY.

What a gal...what a guy...we are lucky!!!

Kindred spirits!

what happened there at 43:32? sounds like the tune he was about to play was cut out? copyright infringement?

Set list: www.discogs.com/Bill-Evans-Marian-McPartlands-Piano-Jazz-Radio-Broadcast/release/3701398

36:01 Real wisdom about trying to tackle jazz here.

Bill Evans sounds like an orchestra.

The comments below are from David Cox, not Leslie.

21:20, WOW

What a giant

27:45 do you play in any key?