Gil Evans at Umbria, Vols 1 & 2

[JSngry]

http://www.cybermusicsurplus.com/online_ca...tag=APL3EUJ1001

http://www.cybermusicsurplus.com/online_ca...tag=APL3EUJ1002

I've had a bear of a time finding these puppies, and I imagine some of y'all might have as well. But here they are.

Gil's last albums could be wandering, unfocused affairs, but these are anything but. It's wild, wooly, and electric, so don't expect "Moon Dreams" or anything like that. The pitfall of a loosely organized big band is that when everybody's not on the same page, you get a mess. The upside is that when everybody IS on the same page, magic happens, and goodgodalmighty does it happen hear. Profoundly and profusely so. Everybody was more than on the same page for this gig. It was a single mind, Gil's, operating through 19 players. Trthfully, it's not a band, not an orchestra, it's an ORGANISM. That's they way this band functioned.

I was listening to Volume 1 at work last night and damn near was moved to tears more than once, the collective power and beauty was so strong. Fortunately I was able to control myself, but it was a struggle. Still, the goosebumps came, and they remain as we speak. Magic? Oh HELL yeah, it's magic. Probably even more.

The band consists of:

Gil Evans(piano, conducter), Lew Soloff(tp), Shunzo Ono(tp), Miles Evans(tp), David Bargeron(tb,tuba), George Lewis(tb), John Clark(f.horn), John Surman(b.sax,Kb), Chris Hunter(sax), Gearge Adams(sax,v),Tom Malone(tb), Gil Goldstein(kb), Peter Levin(kb), Delmar Brown(kb, elb ), Urszula Dudziak(v), Emily Mitchell(harp), Mark Egan(bass), Danny Gottliev(drums), Anita Evans(perc)

This is amazing music. Act now, because knowing how cybermusicsurplus works, when they're gone, that'll be it.

Edited November 5, 2003 by JSngry

[kh1958]

I wish I had seen the band while Gil was alive, but it did continue for awhile after his death to play at Sweet Basil, and the couple of times I got to see the group, it was a pretty intense experience still.

[couw]

according to amazon.de these have been reissued earlier this year on the Egea label (distributed by SunnyMoon in Europe).

[JSngry]

according to amazon.de these have been reissued earlier this year on the Egea label (distributed by SunnyMoon in Europe).

The CMS stock is on EGEA, and it is copyrighted as 2000.

Like I said, I've had a bear of a time foinding either issue of this stuff. But no matter - now I got it, and I can tell you that I'm, uh, "happy" that I do.

[couw]

The 2000 issues were also listed as unavailable. Those available at amazon.de have been issued in april this year. I'll try and find some samples of these or otherwise order them just for the heck of it.

[kh1958]

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

[JSngry]

George Adams cutting loose on "Little Wing"...

People, if you're so inclined, grab these things NOW. You won't regret it.

[medjuck]

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

Where can one get it?

I'm an Evans completist (can never have too many versions of Little Wing) so

I've had the cds since they came out. (Vol 1 came out in 2000 and Vol 2 in 2001). They're both still availabe at Amoeba in LA. What makes these distinctive is the use of Urszula Dudziak as a wordless vocalist.

Edited November 7, 2003 by medjuck

[medjuck]

I wish I had seen the band while Gil was alive, but it did continue for awhile after his death to play at Sweet Basil, and the couple of times I got to see the group, it was a pretty intense experience still.

I was lucky enough to see the band 4 times while Gil was alive. In Paris in '78, in LA at the Bowl in'80 or 81 on a double bill with Miles (no they didn't play together) and twice at Sweet Basil's in '85. I was so enthralled each time that I avoided the band after Gil's death not wanting to be disappointed. I finally caught them at Ronnie Scott's in London in 2001 and was knocked out. Miles Evans has really improved both as a trumpet player and leader. And yes they did play Little Wing.

[king ubu]

Jim, thanks for the

I got Vol. 1 out of a sale bin earlier this year for some 6 or 7 bucks worth of money, but have only listened to it very casually.

Gotta sit down and give it a thorough listen! And get Vol. 2!

ubu

[JSngry]

What makes these distinctive is the use of Urszula Dudziak as a wordless vocalist.

Yeah, that's a big part of it, but even more noticable to me is the way the whole band seems to be thinking and breathing together, like it really is one mind at work rather than a collection of individuals playing together. You can sense it from the first cut, on "Up From The Skies" - that phrasing would defy all but the most intricate notation (and maybe even that!), but it's TOTALLY Together. And relaxed. And loose. All at once. When I talked in the Andrew Hill PASSING SHIPS thread about feeling that something is together at the highest level of intuitivity (is that a word?) possible, this is the kind of thing I was referring to.

There was so much improvisation in Gil's later bands, and sometimes the results were outright sloppy, or at least a little awkward, as it seemed that not everybody was moving towards the same place at the same speed. That's the risk of working without a net. But there's NONE of that here. "Subway" scared the shit out of me the first time I heard it, and has given me chills everytime since. It's a seamless performance that keps building and building, yet it never loses control. And, all the improvisation, in both the solos and the ensembles, is towards a single end, perfectly in sync, and that's something that did not always happen with this band. Or ANY band! "For Bud And Bird" is just freakin' RIDICULOUS. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've not heard a big band combine written and improvised playing with this much unity, this much sheer fun and joy, and this much swing since the early Basie Band. That's as good as it's gonna get, and this is in the same league. I kid you not.

It's magic, I tell you, pure magic.

Edited November 7, 2003 by JSngry

[medjuck]

There's no guitarist credited on these cd's. If there's no guitar what instrument is playing the intro to "Comes a Time"? Did Hiram Bullock stay home because of Sting? (Actually Hiram plays on the Sting/Evans studio version of Little Wing.)

[medjuck]

Listening to it again I think it's possible that what I hear as a guitar tuned very low (on both Comes a Time and Little Wing is in fact a synth. Sort of the opposite of jack Chaambers mistaking Sonny Sharrock for a synth on Jack Johnson.

[Gary]

Mr Sangry

Ive noticed that you've posted here once or twice before & you seem to know a thing or two about this jazz malarky - so I've given you the benefit of the doubt & placed an order.

[JSngry]

Uh oh....

Guess you don't know that I'm always drunk, never sleep, and only listen to the first 15 seconds of a disc before I move on to the next one....

Seriously - thanks for the compliment, and I sincerely hope you like it.

[Clunky]

just received this from those Cyber people along with the J.R Monterose "In Action" all for the pricely sum of £12 including postage !!

Should be interesting. I know very little of Gil's latter stuff but I'm a big fan of Monterose.

[Free For All]

Damn you, Sangrey!

I had to go look to see if I had those Gil sides and discovered I didn't, whereupon I logged onto the site and purchased those PLUS a buncha other stuff for cheap.

Damn you, Sangrey. You and your "recommendations". And damn me for being a Gil completist.

[JSngry]

Damn me! Damn me!

They oughta take a rope and ham me!

[kh1958]

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

Where can one get it?

I'm an Evans completist (can never have too many versions of Little Wing) so

I've had the cds since they came out. (Vol 1 came out in 2000 and Vol 2 in 2001). They're both still availabe at Amoeba in LA. What makes these distinctive is the use of Urszula Dudziak as a wordless vocalist.

This is the Gil Evans DVD.

http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2747554

[tjobbe]

Hi Jim, again followed your recommendation and order from the cyber guys... got me one step closer to poverty

Stop making suggestion on what to buy , else I need to get me a fresh, unused bank account

Cheers, Tjobbe

BTW: great, great piece of music !

[medjuck]

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

Where can one get it?

I'm an Evans completist (can never have too many versions of Little Wing) so

I've had the cds since they came out. (Vol 1 came out in 2000 and Vol 2 in 2001). They're both still availabe at Amoeba in LA. What makes these distinctive is the use of Urszula Dudziak as a wordless vocalist.

This is the Gil Evans DVD.

http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2747554

Thanks. I do have this. It's not from Umbria, but it's very good. (Herb Geller plays on it!) According some discographies I've seen there's a Japanese DVD release of this show with at least one alternate number. Hard to tell though because the songs are not identified correctly on the US DVD.

Anyone here know any sources for Japanese DVD's?

Edited April 16, 2004 by medjuck