Chick on the First Time He Saw Bill Evans

Chick takes us on a trip down memory lane to Boston’s jazz nightclub Storyville in 1959. In this short clip, Chick recalls the first time he saw Bill Evans playing with the Miles Davis First Great Sextet (John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers & Jimmy Cobb) at the start of his rise to fame.

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Follow Chick Corea:

[eyelidman]

RIP Chick Corea. Another great has left us. “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.” Chick Corea 2021.

[aidanschram]

Kind of an abrupt ending lol. I thought chick would talk about how he was blown away by bill evans' playing or something.

[codyzsherman]

Summary:
“First time I saw bill evans I was bummed it wasn’t wynton kelly... and I didn’t hear him at all” 😂😂😂

[Piratebreadstick]

That's hilarious, the first time Chick Corea hears Bill Evans, he notices only his glasses and ignores the piano playing, haha...

[davenatale]

It's amazing that Bill Evans gets so little attention. He was my father's favorite. It took me many years, but I figured it all out eventually. He also liked Hampton Hawes, another underappreciated pianist.

[JamesWood]

I think people are a bit confused here about whether Chick liked or respected Bill, or not. In Chick´s very well known video of jazz piano history, made about 30Y ago and on youtube, in the Bill Evans segment he says "probably the most influential pianist of the 60s" and is deeply complimentary about him.

[vegetatheth]

Both my piano heroes bill evans and chick Corea your music never dies

[williamgregory]

I’ve got a couple kids and they aren't into jazz. But I played Evans for them, and they say, 'Jesus, that's pretty good.' So I think it's interesting that people are just rediscovering Bill Evans, and I want people to rediscover Bill Evans. I think he's a great American artist, and I think more people should listen to him and respect the beauty that he was able to create.

[TheFreightOfficial]

My father graduated from Chelsea High in ‘59! He says he remembers you!!

[mayakronfeld]

You mean the first time he didn’t see Bill Evans :) . Love this. Rest In Peace Chick ❤️

[ritamarie]

Saw Chick 7 times. Couldn't get enough. The last time, he walked in the small crowd, he shook our hands. I loved his playing because of Evans. No, they didn't play alike, but both were sublime. I do miss the excitement of going to see such a gifted individual play. The first time I saw him was 76.

[warrendoris]

Love this.guy! Game recognize game. My.heroes were Wynton Bud Powell Bill and of course Mr Corea. Forever !😎

[rembeadgc]

Excellent story of how our brain is affected by our prejudices. Reminds me of how awful I though Bill Bruford (different genre) was because he had a ringing in his snare drum sound. My music teacher taught us to tune or muffle the ringing out of the snare (proper, so I thought). Years later Bruford became my favorite drummer and I couldn't get enough of his ringy snare drum sound! We live, learn and hopefully grow.

[MrKikoboy]

I have a very vivid memory of not only not noticing but actually never attending a performance by John Coltrane...

[thinkingoutloud]

We will miss you... and of course remember forever!

[arnieus]

Now there are countless stories about the first time someone saw the great Chick Corea.
RIP.

[johnvalentine]

I think Chick was about to go on and speak of the NEXT time he heard Evans. I mean let's face it, if you're sitting in front of Coltrane and Miles and Cannonball in 1959 (super-humans, as described by Evans years later), piano solos, on what was probably an underwhelming, undermic-ed piano, might seem like an afterthought, especially if it was someone who played as different sounding (at the time) as Evans did. This video is incomplete, and in no way do I think Chick was dissing Bill Evans, someone he clearly revered. Please post the rest of what he had to say!

[tA_aT]

Chick, i shook hands with you, after the concert man, ill never forget that amazing moment...this was quite awhile ago 5 piece band tour. However the electric bands, man i love concert vid where you're in a 90s microsoft like shirt and pattitucci is in purple scrubs! There music is out of this world! Thanks for all these current vids sharing your ingenious wisdom.

[JonFrumTheFirst]

Chick played in St Rose drum and bugle corps from Chelsea MA. I've never heard what he played.

[golds]

Hopefully one day a recording of that gig will turn up. The plaza one is great but anything from that band would be great.