Jazz-Is

A walk through jazz history from post-bop and cool jazz to the modern day. Covering both acoustic and electric jazz… Cover photo: John Coltrane and Miles Davis

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Stan Getz & Bill Evans - Night and Day

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Instrumental version of Milagre de los Peixes by Milton Nascimiento. Mike Moreno captures the same futuristic vibe as Kurt Rosenwinkel here...

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John Coltrane - saxophone

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Posting a live version of the last tune “Grace and Mercy” by the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet.

Aspects of this composition are modal and strike me as primal and guttural; improvisational depth... Complex and emotionally heavy. Tension and resolution.

I had to post a live version of this. While the entire NPR tiny desk concert is on here, “Grace and Mercy” is the first tune in the line up.

Heavy as shit.

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Wayne Shorter - Witch Hunt

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Wayne Shorter - Footprints

Some more Wayne Shorter...

Wayne Shorter’s Footprints unfolds slowly, while Herbie Hancock supports from underneath, shifting harmony and feel without ever stepping forward.

Recorded in the mid-1960s, this performance comes from a moment when Shorter and Hancock were shaping the sound of Miles Davis’s second great quintet — a period defined by trust, openness, and a move away from fixed structures toward collective intuition.

It’s also interesting to hear Herbie Hancock alongside this music when you think about Bill Evans (see below), who was coming into his own around the same time. Both shared a love for rich, modern harmony and ambiguous chordal color, but their instincts were different. Herbie’s playing feels more open-ended and exploratory — willing to stretch form and harmony in real time — while Bill’s sound leaned toward a more inward, impressionistic clarity, shaped as much by classical lyricism as by swing. Two voices moving forward from similar materials, but toward very different worlds.

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Bill Evans - My Foolish Heart (1964)

My Foolish Heart - Bill Evans (piano), Scott LaFaro (bass), Paul Motian (drums)

Recorded in 1964, “My Foolish Heart” captures the Bill Evans Trio in a reflective, understated mood. The tune was written by Victor Young, with lyrics by Ned Washington, originally for the 1949 film of the same name. In Evans’ hands, the song is treated with patience and restraint, allowing its harmonic depth and emotional weight to emerge naturally, without excess.

What stands out most is Scott LaFaro and his remarkably modern approach to the bass. Rather than simply outlining the harmony, LaFaro plays as an equal melodic voice, responding to Evans phrase by phrase. His lines are fluid, interactive, and deeply musical, helping to redefine the role of the bass in the piano trio setting. The result is a performance that feels conversational and alive, built on listening as much as playing.

“My Foolish Heart” here is a reminder of how quietly radical this trio was — not through virtuosity alone, but through subtlety, trust, and an uncommon sense of musical balance.

And as it ends up, Bill played in a number of trios, but this one in particular stands out (for me) as the classic and “Bill” in his best element.

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Bill Evans - jazz pianist

Born: August 16, 1929 — Plainfield, New Jersey Died: September 15, 1980 — New York City (Age 51)

Bill was one of the most influential jazz pianists in history, reshaping the harmonic and expressive language of modern jazz. Classically trained and deeply introspective by nature, Evans brought a uniquely lyrical sensibility to the piano, blending the harmonic colors of French Impressionism—particularly Debussy and Ravel—with the rhythmic elasticity and emotional depth of jazz. His playing favored rich, closely voiced chords, inner-voice motion, and subtle reharmonization, creating a floating, translucent harmonic landscape that felt both intimate and expansive.

Evans’ improvisations were often described as “singing” at the piano—melodic lines unfolded organically, with a vocal quality that emphasized phrasing, breath, and emotional contour over virtuoso display. His landmark work with the Bill Evans Trio, especially alongside Scott LaFaro and later Eddie Gomez, redefined the piano trio format into a fully interactive conversation rather than a soloist-with-accompaniment model. Despite lifelong struggles with addiction and fragile health, Evans’ artistry reached extraordinary depths, leaving a legacy of profound beauty, introspection, and harmonic sophistication that continues to shape jazz piano to this day.

It’s no surprise that Bill Evans is my favorite jazz pianist. His music reflects so much of what I’m drawn to aesthetically—especially my love for French Impressionism. Composers like Fauré and Poulenc have always resonated with me, and Evans’ harmonic palette, sensitivity, and sense of space feel like a natural extension of that world, filtered through jazz.

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A brief interlude from Wayne Shorter…

Bill Evans here with one his famous compositions, “Gloria’s Step”, featuring the great Eddie Gomez on bass.

Bill Evans was one of the greatest jazz pianists of his generation and perhaps one of the greatest of all time, for his for his artistry, unique and beautiful harmonic approach, and cascading, flowing improvisational lines that sound like waterfalls at times, weaving subtle texture in and out of the chord changes.

I chose this rendition over any classics with Scott LaFaro on bass, as I’m into Eddie Gomez’s playing overall, and also that Bill’s playing at this point in his life, approaching and up to his death in the early 80’s, had reached a kind of peak maturity stylistically and harmonically, despite his growing heroin addiction which ultimately took his life.

THIS, is (real) Jazz!

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Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer

Another cool jazz era classic from Wayne Shorter… tasty jazz waltz. Lots of depth here; 60’s jazz culture in a bottle…

Notable players were Lee Morgan (trumpet), Reggie Workman (bass), Elvin Jones (drums)

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Probably gonna start the year off with some tunes from the great Wayne Shorter… steeped in jazz tradition, this legendary saxophonist stands alongside John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, etc as one of THE great saxophonists from the 20th century.

We heard a sophisticated sample from Joe Henderson a couple of months back which had some interesting things happening harmonically with a mid-60’s jazz vibe. Let’s continue that here, really sampling what these artists were doing compositionally that spoke of the times…

I really get the sense of sampling 50’s and 60’s culture here and its esteemed jazz heritage…

Enjoy!

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The Eye Of The Hurricane (Remastered 1999/Rudy Van Gelder Edition)

Yes sir! Starting off 2026 with something straight ahead...

Herbie had a notable lineup on this landmark album, Maiden Voyage, notably Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) and Ron Carter (bass)... sophistication abound

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Vince Guaraldi Trio - Skating

Jazzy Christmas from Vince Guaraldi!

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Take 6 - Hark The Herald Angels Sing

yes...