Gil Evans - 1974 - The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix

Gil Evans

1974

The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix

01. Angel 04:09

02. Crosstown Traffic 06:34

03. Medley 11:30

    Castles Made From Sand

    Foxy Lady

04. Up From The Skies 10:39

05. 1983--A Merman I Should Turn To Be 07:29

06. Voodoo Chile 05:03

07. Gypsy Eyes 03:44

08. Little Wing 06:34

09. Angel (alt tk) 04:07

10. Castles Made Of Sand (alt tk) 05:04

11. Up From The Skies (alt tk) 10:12

12. Gypsy Eyes (alt tk) 03:23

Arrangements, Conductor Gil Evans

Trumpet: Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson

Trumpet: Lew Soloff

Horn: Peter Gordon

Horn, Synthesizer: Pete Levin

Trombone: Tom Malone

Bass Clarinet, Tuba: Howard Johnson (tubist, etc.)

Saxophone: David Sanborn

Reeds: Billy Harper

Reeds: Trevor Koehler

Keyboards: Dave Horowitz

Guitar: Keith Loving

Guitar: John Abercrombie

Guitar: Ryo Kawasaki

Bass: Michael Moore

Bass: Don Pate

Drums: Bruce Ditmas

Percussion: Warren Smith

Percussion: Sue Evans

Trumpet: Ernie Royal

Horn: Jon Clarke

Trombone, Tuba: Joe Daley

Tuba: Bob Stewart

Reeds: George Adams (saxophonist)

Bass: Herb Bushler

Bass: Paul Metzke

Drums: Tony Williams

Percussion: Joe Gallivan

These recordings occurred during a pivotal period in Gil Evans' career. In the early 1970s, Evans formed a new orchestra and took interest in incorporating the electric guitar with this ensemble. Evans' wife suggested he listen to Jimi Hendrix, who was newly established on the music scene at that time. Evans was so impressed, he setup a meeting with Jimi to discuss him fronting the new ensemble. Jimi was excited about the project. Unfortunately, Jimi died in September 1970, just prior to this meeting. Evans decided to carry forward with his original plans in an alternate way.

This is the basic history of this release. All arrangements are penned by Evans and this is his ensemble at the time, sans Jimi. Some will enjoy it while others will hate it. I, for one, am glad to see Evans having proceeded to produce a disc honoring Jimi's songwriting talents. Frank Zappa informed Hendrix' management, early in Jimi's career, that, in his opinion, they should hire others to focus on developing Jimi's songwriting ideas. This never happened, but in this instance, Evans is one of the first to take Jimi's ideas and do something truly unique with them. For that, I applaud his effort.

This release holds a certain amount of historical significance. Whether or not you'll like it is for you to decide. It's unique and represents a switch in gears for Evans, but it's not something the masses will embrace.

This CD reissue (which adds additional material to the original LP program) is much more successful than one might have expected. Jimi Hendrix was scheduled to record with Gil Evans' orchestra, but died before the session could take place. A few years later, Evans explored ten of Hendrix's compositions with his unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns; the tuba of Howard Johnson; three guitars; two basses; two percussionists; and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Billy Harper on tenor, and guitarists Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie. Evans' arrangements uplift many of Hendrix's more blues-oriented compositions and create a memorable set that is rock-oriented, but retains the improvisation and personality of jazz. [This album was re-released in 2002 on the Bluebird label with four bonus tracks from the same sessions.]

Out of all the myriad of tribute albums dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, this would have to be the most authentic and genuine. Evans and Hendrix had spoken on numerous occasions about working together, Jimi having even asked the legendary jazz arranger to teach him how to read and write music, thus liberating the guitarist from the burden of having to record everything on tape. But their friendship might never have happened were it not for producer Alan Douglas, who had been discussing with Gil the possibility of him and Jimi collaborating. He explained it thus: "I was recording Jimi at the time, and Miles was always around, always talking to Jimi. Jimi's music took people outside of anticipated structure, and consequently everybody thought they could adapt it to jazz. I played all the Miles and Gil stuff for him. We knew Gil was crazy about Jimi's music through Miles—Miles kept telling Jimi that Gil would love to talk to him." And so they did.

Rehearsals with Evans' orchestra were scheduled to take place at the end of September, after Hendrix's return from his European tour, followed by a performance at Carnegie Hall, then an album consisting of Evans' arrangements of Hendrix compositions, with Hendrix himself as the principle soloist. Tragically, Jimi died in London on the 18th of that month, however Gil never gave up on his ambition to release an LP based on the original project both he and Jimi had discussed in 1970.

Throughout Evans' arrangements are respectful, without taking too much away from the original compositions. No less than 19 musicians contribute (along with Evans himself): two saxophonists (David Sanborn and Billy Harper, on alto and tenor respectively), two French horns, three guitars (John Abercrombie, Ryo Kawasaki and Keith Loving), two bass players, two percussionists, one trumpeter, along with tuba, synthesizers, flugelhorns, piano, vibraphone and a long list of other instruments. Obviously, Evans was determined not to skimp when it came to making the record.