New Jazz Conceptions


New Jazz Conceptions is the debut album as leader by jazz musician Bill Evans, released in 1957 on Riverside Records.

History

Producer Orrin Keepnews of Riverside Records first determined to record Evans after hearing a tape of his playing. Eleven songs were recorded in the first session, including Evans' own "Waltz for Debby", which would prove to be his most recognized and recorded composition.
New Jazz Conceptions was reissued in 2006 with a bonus track.

Reception

Although a critical success that gained positive reviews in Down Beat and Metronome magazines, New Jazz Conceptions was initially a financial failure, selling only 800 copies the first year.
Writing for Allmusic, music critic Scott Yanow said about the album: "Bill Evans' debut as a leader found the 27-year-old pianist already sounding much different than the usual Bud Powell-influenced keyboardists of the time... A strong start to a rather significant career." David Rickert of All About Jazz noted the influence of Bud Powell and wrote "Even at this stage he had the chops to make this a good piano jazz album, but in the end it's not a very good Bill Evans album... There are glimpses of the later trademarks of Evans' style..."

Track listing

  1. "I Love You" – 3:55
  2. "Five" – 4:03
  3. "I Got It Bad " – 1:39
  4. "Conception" – 4:47
  5. "Easy Living" – 3:53
  6. "Displacement" – 2:36
  7. "Speak Low" – 5:10
  8. "Waltz for Debby" – 1:20
  9. "Our Delight" – 4:47
  10. "My Romance" – 2:01
  11. "No Cover, No Minimum" – 8:14 Not part of original LP
  12. "No Cover, No Minimum" – 7:31

    Personnel