“Waltz for Debby” | Stories of Standards

Tune in to First Take with Lando and Chavis – weekdays from 6-9 am MT – for Stories of Standards to hear our favorite versions of this song all week long!

 

“Waltz for Debby” (1964) by Bill Evans was first recorded as a short jazz piano instrumental on his 1956 album “New Jazz Conceptions”, then on his 1961 live album “Waltz for Debby”. It was named for Debby Evans, Bill’s niece. At least 389 releases have been issued since then, known as “Monica Vals” in Swedish with lyrics by Beppe Wolgers (1963), and as “Ankin Valssi” in Finnish, with lyrics by Jukka Kuoppamäki in 1967.

 

Bill Evans (1929-1980) began playing piano when three years old, and received his degree in music in 1950. After serving in the Army he focused on music, becoming acquainted with the Lydian Chromatic Concept while playing with George Russell’s group. “New Jazz Conceptions” was his first album and joined Miles Davis the following year, when he introduced Davis to contemporary classical composers.

By 1961 he had formed a trio with drummer Paul Motian and bassist Scott LeFaro. The trio, as John Goldsby said, “…changed the sound of jazz. For the first time, three musicians were improvising contemporaneously to create a conversational sound.” The tragic death of Scott LeFaro, just 11 days after recording the “Waltz for Debby” album, was devastating for Evans. Despite ill health he recorded two editions of the “Paris Concert” on November 26, 1979, just ten months before his death.

 

Gene Lees (1928-present) is known as a journalist, lyricist, singer and producer, in addition to his activity in musical education. In 1981 he published “The Modern Rhyming Dictionary” and began his journal “Jazzletter”. He has translated a number of bossa nova songs from Portuguese to English for Antonio Carlos Jobim and continues to be very active.