Imagine the commotion when previously unknown manuscripts of Beethoven or Bach were discovered. In the jazz world, the equivalent of such an event might occur with regard to the music of innovators like Duke Ellington or Gil Evans. Indeed, that is exactly what composer-arranger-conductor-producer Ryan Truesdell has uncovered with Evans' music.
He researched and found a treasure trove of sketches, arrangements and compositions by the great Gil Evans in several collections, and many of them have never been heard before, other than perhaps in live performances many years ago. Truesdell is preparing a CD with today's musicians playing a selection of these vintage charts that shed new light on Evans' work.
Gil Evans is especially known for his landmark Columbia recordings with Miles Davis: Miles Ahead(1957), Porgy and Bess (1958) and Sketches of Spain (1960) as well as his contributions to the breakthrough Birth of the Cool (Capitol, 1956), album that changed the face of jazz. His legacy, however, was much broader than that, spanning five decades, beginning with his work with theClaude Thornhill Orchestra, with Evans subsequently adapting his unique sound to various formats, groups, vocalists, and instrumentalists.
Truesdell has been presenting this big picture on the ArtistShare- based website www.GilEvansProject.com, and at concert halls and clubs in New York and elsewhere.
The Gil Evans Project will be featured on a CD to be released in 2012 as part of the 100th anniversary of Evans' birth. It will include performances of Evans' charts never heard before on record.
Truesdell—who also works with the world-famous Maria Schneider Orchestra, in addition to pursuing his own composing, arranging, and conducting—hails from Madison, Wisconsin, and currently resides in New York City.A medley of Gil Evans music performed at PrezFest 2011 Celebrating Gil Evans by The Eastman School of Music Chamber Jazz Ensemble, with guests Phil Woods (alto saxophone), Andy Bey (vocal), Frank Kimbrough (piano) and guest conductor, Ryan Truesdell on March 13, 2011 at St Peter's Church in New York City.
This concert was a "kick-off" concert for the launch of the Gil Evans Centennial Project, which will record recently discovered, never-before-heard music of Gil Evans and released on Gil's 100th birthday, May 13, 2012.
Check out www.gilevansproject.com for more information and to participate and help bring this music to life.
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