In Paris – 1965
Lee Konitz and Bill Evans
Konitz, with and without Evans, is featured along with Niels Pedersen and Alan Dawson
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Lee Konitz was a masterful and very original altoist, a cool-toned player with a relaxed but never predictable style.
Konitz was one of the very few young altoists of the mid-to-late 1940s who did not sound like Charlie Parker and instead developed his own very personal sound.
This timeless film features Konitz in 1965 during a visit to Paris performing extended versions of “What’s New” and “All the Things You Are” in a trio with bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson.
As if that were not enough, pianist Bill Evans is showcased with the trio on a heartfelt version of “Detour Ahead” and then Konitz and Evans join together on “Melancholy Baby.”
During the latter, Evans plays a solo with just his right hand that sounds a bit like Konitz, probably purposely.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald