This time, I’d like to introduce a new YouTube video. It’s “Bill Evans – Waltz For Debby.” I clearly remember what I thought when I first watched this video. It was when I was riding on the train about two years ago. At that time, I was’t so much into jazz, but had a bit interest in it. So I just searched “Jazz piano” in the search box, and it appeared on the top. Yes, this video has now been played more than 12million times, and I guess it’s one of the most played jazz piano videos in the world.

So, when I opened the video, at first, Bill Evans, the jazz pianist was shown in the screen black and white, and started playing the melody. The drums didn’t play until the first verse ends, and that made a great accent of this song. Also, in the first verse, Bill played it a bit slower than the normal tempo, and I really like it. The thing I like the most about this video is the end. He ended with 5 consecutive chords, with the melody on the top note, which sound sooooo comfortable. Actually, he composed this song for his niece, Betty, and I can’t imagine how he came up with this amazing chords.. The longer I write about his playing, the more I come to like him…Well, I stop here.

Now, I’d like to write about Bill’s lifetime because it influenced his playing a lot. He was born in 1929, New Jersey, America. He was taught the classic piano from his father, and then he get into jazz. He had a great music life in his university until he had to go to the military service. There, he had some chances to play the piano, but at the same time, he started taking drugs. After finishing his military service, he released a lot of albums, but couldn’t quit drugs. Time after time, after he recorded the album “Waltz for Debby,” his best member Scott LaFaro passed away because of the car accident. Also, his ex-girlfriend and his brother suicided after that… Bill’s drug taking got worse and worse that one time, he couldn’t play the piano with his right hand, and played it only with his left hand. Finally, he passed away in 1980, at the age of 51. His lifetime was so heavy and I feel so sad, but his playing that somewhere has a gentleness is out of the world. His playing is something that he only can make, and that’s why a lot of people respect him and adore him. I’m of course  one of them, and I’d like to appreciate his great music for the rest of my life.