Artist info
The Universal Mind Of Bill Evans
[Dir. Louis Carvell, 1966, b/w; 45 min.]
In a 1966 television interview with the erudite Steve Allen, legendary composer and pianist Bill Evans essays the meaning of jazz, through performance and engaging conversation. Filmed as an informal talk between Evans and his brother Harry [a professor of music at LSU], this documentary features in-depth discussion of the famed pianist's internal process of song interpretation, improvisation and repertoire. A fascinating document.
PLUS
Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together
[dir. Stevenson Palfi; 1982; color; 76 min.]
This is a portrait of three great New Orleans pianists and how each influenced the other. Tuts Washington [1907-1984], the legendary Professor Longhair [1918-1980] and present-day master Allen Toussaint [1938- ] are featured rehearsing together as they prepared for an upcoming concert; as it turned out Longhair died two days before the scheduled performance -- the only time the three men attempted to work together. The documentary takes viewers through the very personal and sacred New Orleans tradition of a jazz wake and funeral procession -- captured at the behest of Longhair's widow
