Bill Evans, "Time Remembered"; Bill Evans Tribute Concert
Dave Thompson, piano
Tim Miller, bass
Alan Winkel, drums
Sunday, November 19, 2017, 7 p.m.
Drinkward Recital Hall
Collage of Bill Evans and commentators from Bruce Spiegel's documentary "Bill Evans, Time Remembered" (2015). Image provided by Bob Keller.
“The Evans family is deeply grateful for the enduring appreciation of Bill Evans music.”
– Nanette Evans
Bill Evans (1929-1980) is one of a very few jazz pianists who set a new style for playing. His selective introduction of color and dissonance, through novel, often rootless, chord voicings and extended harmonies, has become part of the standard technique for modern jazz pianists. Evans created a plateau above the notable style of predecessor Bud Powell. Evans’ lines were unmistakably bebop-derived, yet he found new ways to couple them with chord inversions to produce astounding solos. As a performer on Miles Davis’ famous Kind of Blue album, he was part of the introduction of modal jazz to the world. In addition to appearing as a leader or sideman on hundreds of albums, Evans was a prolific composer. He also covered a vast array of standards in his recorded work. We are fortunate to be able to provide a small tribute to this revered composer and performer.
Our celebration of jazz great Bill Evans begins with a master class with guest pianist Dave Thompson, then a screening of Bruce Spiegel’s acclaimed documentary “Bill Evans, Time Remembered” (2015; 1hr 24min) followed by Q&A. The evening concert features Dave Thompson on piano, Tim Miller on bass, and Alan Winkel on drums, playing a mix of originals and standards Bill Evans played during his career.
2 p.m. Master Class
4 p.m. Film and Q&A
7 p.m. Tribute Concert
Dave Thompson has been teaching and performing for more than 25 years. He studied with George Shearing and Joanne Brackeen in New York City, and for many years with Don Haas in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has performed both as a solo performer, and with trio. He has also composed scores for documentaries and films for the Sierra Club and commercial video productions. His solo CD, Introspect, met with critical acclaim, including reviews by Marc Meyers of The Wall Street Journal, JazzWax.com, and Grammy Award Winning Writer Neil Tesser of Chicago Jazz. Thompson is currently teaching master classes on the life and music of Bill Evans, at music programs around the US, and next year in Europe and Asia. He also accepts students for private instruction.
Tim Miller has been playing double bass for over 25 years. He has been fortunate to play classical and jazz music, while pursuing a rewarding career in the technology sector. He is an active community member and can be seen playing in symphonies, musicals, small jazz groups and big bands local to the San Bernardino, San Diego and Orange county areas. Always aiming to improve and strive, Miller has studied privately with the late great Dr Art Davis, Dr Matt Hare, and Cielito de Jesus. He has attended jazz study programs with Francois Rabbath and the Stanford University Jazz summer programs. He has performed with great musicians and friends - Alan Winkel, Al Torre (Cal Tjader), Roberto Magris (Europlane), Ron Kobayashi, Ron Levy, Danny King, Bob Holts big band, Jim Taylor, Bob Keller, Norm Abejon, Dave Thompson (Bill Evans scholar) and others. He notes, “I hope to continue to grow as a musician and see where the music takes me.”
Alan Winkel, born into a musical family, began to play drums in his parents dance band at 14 for weddings, country clubs, and the local moose lodges. He studied voice, piano and drums in college, performing with choirs, orchestras, and jazz bands. Since college, he has recorded and performed with many diverse bands; Willoughby Station was his favorite. He prefers the American songbook to any genre but is up for any opportunity to make music.