Bill Evans - The East End

180-gram gatefold double LP

The Cologne Stadtgarten venue was crammed that mid-February eve in 2011. A very special concert was scheduled for the night — the American saxophonist Bill Evans was in town to perform with the WDR Big Band.

The crowd's anticipation of a sublime live concert made the air crackle with excitement. The temperature was rising quickly and the vibe was getting better and better. Evans has always loved that sort of setting. The atmosphere created by the audience combined with the musicians being incredibly focused on what is about to unfold, it creates the perfect atmosphere that enables him to deliver a top performance on stage, performing on both tenor and soprano saxophone.

Especially for the WDR Big Band concert with Bill Evans two "Groove-Masters" were invited; the German drummer Wolfgang Haffner and the Cameroon-born and France-based bassist Etienne Mbappé. Haffner and Mbappé, are gifted with the ability to roll out a densely woven groove-carpet while simultaneously electrifying the rhythmical roots of a piece of music. As a result of this, the stylistically diverse music of Evans and the WDR Big Bans is well and truly animated - and starts to sound like a living musical organism.

Musicians:
Bill Evans, saxophone
Etienne Mbappé, electric bass
Wolfgang Haffner drums
WDR Big Band