Prize Winning Jazz section, “Evans & Co. tops at Top of the Gate” by Andy Nadelson
NEW YORK–Tuesday night, Oct. 14, I visited the Top of the Gate to hear the Bill Evans Trio gig which started there Sept. 30 and is scheduled to last through Oct. 26.
Although he has been around a number of years, this is the first time I saw Evans and his trio live and I must say that the music was beyond my wildest expectations. It is rare that you encounter a performer who is so smooth, so professional, so tasteful, so musical that you experience the music as pure energy and sound. It takes a while to realize that that energy is being brought to you by human beings…
After Evans’ last set, Jeremy Steig, a flutist who has just recorded an album on Verve with the Evans trio, came on and played with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morrell for about half an hour. He charmed and exhilarated the audience with his virtuosity and musicianship. Even in so short a set once could hear that Jeremy explores the potential of the flute like no one in our time has done. Listen.
Summa summararum: It’s a fabulous show at the Top of the Gate–probably one of the best for some time to come. Go see it.