Gil Evans was already a major force in jazz arranging through his work with Claude Thornhill and Miles Davis, but this 1957 date was his first opportunity to record as a leader. The midsize group will recall his influence on the Birth of the Cool sessions. Rather than the uniform instruments of the conventional big band, Evans picked his instruments individually for what they could contribute to distinctive tone colors. Thus the band includes a French horn in the brass and a reed section of soprano and alto saxophones and bassoon. The result is a series of highly distinct textures and a clarity that illuminates each piece. Evans's inventiveness extended to applying his gift for complex harmonies to Leadbelly's "Ella Speed," a sign of the openness that would later lead him to the music of Jimi Hendrix. The excellent soloists here include Evans's longtime associate John Carisi on trumpet, Lee Konitz on alto, and a young Steve Lacy on soprano. --Stuart Broomer Amazon.com
I love Gil Evans, but found this album to be dreadfully boring.
I must be in the minority, because this is a very highly rated album.
After playing it once, I'm looking for someone to give the CD to.
June 6, 2008 |  | what a pety of sound quality! |  |
This is one of the best Evans tittles, of course..., but at least this edition, (the first in cd, 1989), needs a deep mastering.
January 11, 2007 | | Recalling Downbeat on Two Essential Gil Evans Discs | |
David Keymer's otherwise excellent review contains a misplaced recollection of the original Downbeat review. Don Gold gave it 4 1/2 stars, calling Evans' work "exhilarating" and "'must' listening for musicians," while hailing the importance of his contribution to the development of jazz. Gold does in fact give 3 1/2 stars to "New Bottle Old Wine" because of Cannonball Adderly's performance, which he feels is not up to the level of Evans' writing. In my opinion both are essential recordings.
March 31, 2005I've been collecting jazz records for fifty-five years now and this is still one of my favorites. When it first appeared at the tail end of the fifties, Downbeat gave it a mixed review (3-1/2 stars, I believe) because it seemed too close to dance music (echoes of Evans's work for the Claude Thornhill band) and because of Evans's "composer" piano. There's no question that "Jambangle" is hokey, both the piano and the composition. But the best of this album is very, very good, and there is a great deal that is best. Take "Ella Speed" for instance, which features a driving solo by Steve Lacy, a premiere soloist even at this early stage of his career, and --for those who know him mostly for his austere peformances of today (which I enjoy, by the way)-- surprisingly melodic. Or "If You Could See Me Now," a lovely Tadd Dameron ballad, featuring underrated trombonist Jimmy Cleveland. The absolute best on the album, though, is "Big Stuff," Evans's transfiguration of a Billie Holiday song, with a floating clouds arrangement, exquisite solos by Cleveland and Evans, and riding out on bass trombone. This album may not be the best Gil Evans album --Miles Ahead or Great Jazz Standards (Johnny Coles! Budd Johnson! Steve Lacy! Jimmy Cleveland!) or Out of the Cool qualify as that. Evans's piano playing is on the verge of saccharine at times moments. But you will be hearing these songs -- the arrangements and soloists from this superior album-- inside your head for years to come. Dave Keymer, Dubai, UAE
April 25, 2003| | | Gil Evans' First Is One Of His Best | |
Those coming to Gil Evans' music via his association with Miles Davis, will be both pleased and pleasantly surprised by "Gil Evans And Ten." This is Evans' first session as a leader, recorded for the Prestige label during three dates in the Fall of 1957. It features John Carisi, Jack Loven and Louis Mucci on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland and Bart Varsalona on trombone, Willie Ruff on french horn, Lee Konitz on alto sax, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Dave Kurtzer on bassoon, Paul Chambers on bass, Jo Jones and Nick Stabulas alternating on drums, and of course, Gil Evans as pianist, arranger and conductor.
"Gil Evans And Ten" is a fantastic album, but very different from his most famous recordings with Miles Davis. While it does not feature the flamenco meets classical style of "Sketches Of Spain" or the tight, lyrical orchestrations of "Miles Ahead," comparisons can be drawn with the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions. Both recordings feature terrific textured horn arrangements, but "Gil & Ten" most often feels like a quartet session with lots of brass and reeds added. The individual solos with backing rhythm trio are as compelling as the larger arrangements for the whole ensemble. The material is also very mixed, from the traditional jazz of "Remember" to the bluesy "Ella Speed" to the boogie-woogie piano line on "Jambangle." "Gil Evans And Ten" is a great buy for old and new fans alike. September 28, 2000
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