As an arranger, Gil Evans has few peers in jazz history. His style is instantly recognizable, often using unusual brass colorations for jazz, such as combinations of tuba and French horn. Famous for his collaborations with Miles Davis, Gil brought orchestral colors and textures to jazz – and was a pioneer of the “cool” sound. Beyond Miles, he arranged and composed the music of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock and dozens of others. “Gil’s arrangements were like a symphony,” Wayne Shorter once said, “He opened doors for us.” 

As part of the Peabody Award-winning documentary series “Jazz Profiles,” this presentation about Gil Evans was produced in 2000 by Larry Hicock – and narrated by the show host Nancy Wilson. 

The “Jazz Profiles” shows – nearly 200 of them – are part of the Tim Owens Jazz & Broadcast Collection at the University of North Texas Music Library. In a partnership with Tim and UNTML, we’ve picked a handful of noteworthy shows to share with you. You can find more “Jazz Profiles” shows at the UNT Music Library’s Jazz Syndicate (www.library.unt.edu/jazzsyndicate), and learn more about 32 Bar Blues' clothing collection and commitment to the arts at 32barblues.com