On this second volume investigating the works of
Bill Evans, Italian pianist extraordinaire
Stefano Battaglia pulls some of
Evan's best-known work out of the closet (it's amazing that some of this was left off the first volume) and concentrates on the area that most pianists leave out in interpreting him: his tenderness.
Battaglia's approach is a light one, not musically, but emotionally. He understands, on a cellular level it seems, that the emotion
Evans put into his compositions wasn't there for effect, it was part of the tunes themselves. The readings here of "Turn Out the Stars," "Peace Piece," and "Story Line" reveal the softness in
Evans' approach to his own tunes without being corny or stilted. There is a true generosity in
Battaglia's playing that is underscored by the rhythm section of drummer
Aldo Romano and bassist Paolino Della Porta, who obviously take their cues from the last
Evans trio. What
Battaglia "adds" to the work of
Bill Evans would be arguable except for the following: his nuance and his unwillingness to sacrifice
Evans' particular melodic genius for the sake of a sideways, more intellectually "challenging" interpretation. He understands the material deeply enough to know it doesn't need to be muddied up with either extra notes or unwanted tempo shifts -- a good listen to the up-tempo "Displacement" reveals this. As with its predecessor, this volume is essential for
Battaglia fans to be sure, but arguably it is also necessary for fans and students of
Evans' canon as well. ~ Thom Jurek