Gil Evans: The Individualism Of Gil Evans (Verve Vault) (180 g) (LP)

When recording in the late 1940s, the search was on for ensembles that were larger than the trio to quintet "combos", but smaller than the "big bands" that were on the verge of economic unviability. Evans assembled a wide palette of orchestral colors, with French horns and tuba, alto and bass flutes, double reeds and harp; orchestral instruments not associated with "swing" bands, but which provide the ethereal quality heard in Gil's arrangements. The Ellington-esque big band piece Nothing Like You sticks out like a toe, while the half-baked bluesy-swing jazz Concorde again falls outside the theme of the original LP. The final (and lengthy) bonus track, the Willie Dixon classic blues Spoonful, on the other hand, fits the individualism much better by respecting the album's aesthetic. "This album is his most ambitious and deeply satisfying. It encompasses his love of Kurt Weill, the blues, Spanish music and spirited original pieces, all dipped in translucent arrangements that make you feel like you've entered a uniquely magical musical land as soon as the orchestra makes a sound." (Jazzwise) With the album "The Individualism of Gil Evans", released in 1964 on Verve Records, the composer, arranger and pianist Gil Evans created one of his most captivating and detailed works. With a breathtaking big band featuring jazz greats, young talents and classical musicians, Evans presents two of his own compositions inspired by Latin American music, a piece co-written with Miles Davis and a number from Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's "Threepenny Opera". Verve Vault Series: cut and mastered from the original analog tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal. Gatefold cover with iconic original artwork.