Evans/Gomez: You Must Believe in Spring

[Stefan Boeters]

One of my favorite recordings of the Bill Evans Trio is with Eddie Gomez and Eliot Zigmund: "You Must Believe in Spring". My question is about the title piece.

"You Must Believe in Spring" is a nice ballad by Michel Legrand, and the Bill Evans' version of it starts with a rubato exposition of the theme. Then Eddie Gomez plays a solo in double time, which has been transcribed by Lucas Pickford (and I can only agree to Lucas' praise of Eddie's playing). Piano solo follows and passes into a shortened version of the theme for an ending. (I've transcribed Eddie's accompanying line in the piano solo. If someone is interested in that, I could send you a copy by surface mail.)

Now this is my question: Just before the end of the bass solo (in the second or third last measure) there is a -- to my ears: somewhat abrupt -- acceleration of the tempo. (This bothered me when I was transcribing because I had difficulty to identify the exact beginning of the piano chorus.) If you have the CD at hand and if your curiosity has been piqued, I would be interested in your opinion: Is it likely that such a tempo change happens in a recording situation? Or is it a sign of a cut in the track?

Stefan

[Stefan Boeters]

Just in case somebody is still interested in that question -- Lucas Pickford sent me his point of view in an e-mail:

I tend to doubt that there was a "cut" in the tracks so to speak. I know that that trio was recording live and had been playing together for some time by the time they did that record.
I think rather that as a cohesive unit, they qued off each other and it may be that Bill felt to ecelerate the tempo there a bit. I really think it was an "organic" occurance rather than a studio punch.
They go from rubato to swing to double time and back so there's room in there for the tempo to creep up a bit especially when switching between the different feels.
Nontheless, it's a great solo and I would like to see your transcription of Eddie's bass line. My friend Patrick Mottaz and I both transcribed that solo and I combined the two to come up with one with less mistakes (hopefully)and that's why I give him credit as well.

[JAS]

hey, i would love to see both Stefan's transcription and the transcription of the solo. that is a great album. That group would shift tempos and shift feels all the time. Bill was really into classical music, so he got that type of organic quality that lets the music breath from there. I would be very greatful if you would send me a copy of your transcription. thanks.