His rubato playing in the opening and second movement sometimes alone, sometimes in unison with the strings, is both moving and immensely accomplished in a way that few jazz or classical pianists could have countenanced."ġst Movement (Moderato, Various Tempi) - 24:58Ģnd Movement (Largo- Andante - Maestoso - Largo) - 15:55 “Symbiosis” is far too important to be neglected as often as it has when jazz writers discuss Bill Evans albums.Īs biographer Keith Shadwick noted: “Evans brings to the work the consummate artistry and sensitivity that occurs when he is stretched and stimulated. If we consider the aural comparisons to the other albums Bill did with orchestral accompaniment, it is far and away the most superior achievement, and may represent his best use of the electric keyboard in context. (Ogerman would later do the same for tenor sax virtuoso Michael Brecker for his "Cityscape" album.) Claus Ogerman as composer-arranger succeeds marvelously here with a work of great harmonic expression and rhythmic interest that showcases Evans’ lyrical expression and his obviously inherent classical strengths, yet within a composition that represents much of what jazz is about.
Evans’ choices as to when to use the Rhodes or the Steinway are wise indeed, and not without great sensitivity, integrating seamlessly within the composition. It is often used as punctuation at the end of a written ensemble phrase, or as an ensemble texture. The Rhodes fits in well here, as it does sparingly in and out through Symbiosis’ framework. Ogerman writes lush but never maudlin strings (and a few flutes) here in dense, often whole-tone and poly-chordal fashion underneath - creating a perfect cushion for the pianist’s swirling right-hand lines. In the third section of the first movement, working over a slow and gentle jazzy swing, Bill plays long and fast-moving lines on electric piano that catch your ear with their shimmering beauty and complexity. Claus Ogerman, who had worked with Bill on two previous albums in 1963 and in 1966 ( "Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra"), composed an adventurous and often hauntingly gorgeous work in two parts. "Symbiosis" is a beautiful and vastly overlooked album in Bill Evans’ prolific canon, yet one that needs to be seriously reckoned with.
Jan Stevens' review below nails it, so I'll hand you over and then add some more albums at the end on which Bill Evans plays the Rhodes. This was a fairly recent re-post at OIR, but I thought it should be up, should be heard, and should be here! Simply put, it's a beautiful piece of music and the best use of a fender rhodes in an orchestral setting.
First posted by Bacoso to "Orgy In Rhythm", July 2006
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