Stephen D. Anderson is not the first guitarist to do a keyboardless tribute to the late pianist and composer
Bill Evans, but his unaccompanied solo interpretations of pieces either written or performed by
Evans are impressive.
Anderson, who was inspired in part by the late
Lenny Breau's arrangements of
Evans' compositions, gets to the essence of each piece, turning out one lyrical setting after another. Not only does he explore the pianist's most widely known works, but also less familiar pieces like "Only Child" and "Remembering the Rain." Highlights include the magical performance of the bittersweet ballad "Time Remembered," and the equally moving take of the mournful "Turn out the Stars" (which incorporates three overdubbed takes in counterpoint) the deliberate, spacious approach to "Blue in Green," along with "Haunted Heart" -- a standard recorded on several occasions by
Evans. This commendable CD should be of great interest to fans of both jazz guitar and
Bill Evans. ~ Ken Dryden