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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Bill Evans (1929-1980)

Composer of the Week: Bill Evans (1929-1980): Episode 4: Bill Evans and Helen Keane

Bill Evans (1929-1980)

Episode 4

Episode 4: Bill Evans and Helen Keane

Bill Evans and Helen Keane

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Bill Evans (1929-1980), Bill Evans and Helen Keane

Donald Macleod focuses on the impact on Bill Evans of his manager, Helen Keane.

Bill Evans gets a new manager

He was called the Poet of the Piano, and the Chopin of Jazz, this week Donald Macleod delves into the life and music of Bill Evans. Although Evans started off in the world of classical music, it wasn't long before he got the Jazz bug. His classical training wasn't wasted though, for it went on to influence the way he performed for the rest of his life. His touch at the piano became legendary, and his preferred ensemble for performing his own compositions, and those by others, was the Jazz trio combining piano, bass and drums. Evans came to prominence when invited to work alongside Miles Davis and, in time, Evans would go on to perform with the likes of Tony Bennett, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Stan Getz and Monica Zetterlund.

Helen Keane had come into Bill Evans's life as his manager and, later on, also producer. Evans went on to dedicate two works to Keane, including One for Helen, and also Song for Helen. Evan's trio, what with touring and other pressures, was frequently changing in personnel. Soon, the bassist Eddie Gomez had joined the trio and he recorded a number of works with the Evans, including G Waltz, and Comrade Conrad. Evans kept up his collaborations with other musicians during the late nineteen-sixties, including the guitarist Jim Hall, recording a duo performance of Turn Out the Stars. Evans also sometimes invited musicians to expand his trio line-up to a quartet, including flautist Jeremy Steig who performed in Evans's composition, Time Out for Chris. This period was exceptionally busy, with frequent tours abroad and many studio recordings. One album won Evans two Grammy awards which featured his number, Sugar Plum.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Bill Evans, dubbed the 'poet of the piano'

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Bill Evans, the 'poet of the piano' and the 'Chopin of jazz'. He came to prominence working with Miles Davis and played with Tony Bennett and Stan Getz

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Composer of the Week

Bill Evans (1929-1980)

Episode 4: Bill Evans and Helen Keane

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