One of the most influential artists in the history of jazz, Bill Evans (1929–1980) was known for his conversational interplay within his trios, his lyrical compositions, and his matchless approach to the piano. His work with Gomez and Zigmund on You Must Believe in Spring offers a brilliant example of all three.
At the time that they recorded the album, in August 1977, this particular iteration of the Bill Evans Trio had reached their apex, after three busy years of live performances and studio outings (including 1977’s Crosscurrents and I Will Say Goodbye). Speaking to Marc Myers, Zigmund recalls, “We had reached a high level of conversational playing … By Spring, we captured that ease of relating to each other”.
Recorded over three days at Hollywood’s famed Capitol Studios, the album paired Evans with the legendary producer Tommy LiPuma, whose extensive credits included Barbra Streisand, George Benson, and Natalie Cole, among many others. Together, they selected an introspective collection of material which, notes Marc Myers, gave the album “a gentle, melancholy feel and a music-box tenderness.”
PERSONNEL:
Bill Evans – (piano)
Eddie Gómez – (bass)
Eliot Zigmund – (drums)
1 B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine)
2 You Must Believe in Spring
3 Gary’s Theme
4 We Will Meet Again (For Harry)
5 The Peacocks
6 Sometime Ago
7 Theme from M*A*S*H* (Aka Suicide Is Painless)
8 Without a Song (Bonus Track)
9 Freddie Freeloader (Bonus Track)
10 All of You (Bonus Track)