The Gil Evans Orchestra "Hidden Treasures" Volume One

Review by Willard Manus The late Gil ("Sketches of Spain") Evans had an all-star band back in 1983 that played on Monday nights at Sweet Basil, a NYC night club, and made jazz history. Now Evans's sons Miles and Noah have paid tribute to that special time by releasing a new album, HIDDEN TREASURES, which features tunes played by their father's band at Sweet Basil. Vol. One, which is to be followed by two more releases, reflects Evans's mastery of big-band fusion. Recorded at the Avatar Studio in New York, the CD revisits three of his compositions ("LL Funk," "Moonstruck" and "Eleven") in bold and fiery fashion. The other four tunes were written by Peter Levin, Delmar Brown, Masabumi Kikuchi and John Clark (who also plays French horn on his moving "Groove From the Louvre"). The musicianship is impeccable on HIDDEN TREASURES, ditto the arrangements, which would have made the master himself proud. All told, some two dozen jazzmen took part in this recording. No lover of big-band jazz--and especially the work of Gil Evans--should be without this album. (Available for purchase on Pledge Music)