Days before Bill Evans's death on September 15, 1980, the pianist handed his bassist, Marc Johnson, a cassette tape. On the tape was a previously unperformed original by Evans called Here Is Something for You. In 2007, Eliane Elias and her partner, Marc Johnson, performed the song on video, which is up at YouTube. As you'll see, they clearly share a deep love for Evans. Marc, of course, was the last Bill Evans Trio bassist. Eliane has always had a connection to Evans's music. While growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, she transcribed Evans's solos off her parents' albums and played them. [Photo above of Bill Evans and Marc Johnson]
Moved by the melody, Eliane wrote a lyric for the song...
Here is something for you
Where or when it finds you
Here is my heart, haunted, foolish
Let me find you
Find the one who brought me this love
Find the one who taught me romance
Showed the sunrise
Brought the moonlight
Touch of those hands
They led me to this way of living
Hear the sunrise, singing songs now
Telling stories, which is yours now
On a life reflected, time remembered
When the autumn leaves may fall
Here's the sound that we recall
From the pages of my heart to you
Here's Eliane and Marc playing Bill Evans's Here Is Something for You (photo above of Eliane and Marc). It was recorded once by Bill Evans as a private recording in 1970, which was included on Eliane's 2007 release with Marc and drummer Joey Baron: Something for You: Eliane Elias Plays and Sings Bill Evans. Eliane plays and sings the song on the album as well. A special thanks to Dave Thompson...
Programming note: Tomorrow, Thursday, at 12:30 p.m. (ET), I will be interviewed by Lou Pomales, host of Fifty Shades of Jazz, on WRTW-FM in Hartford, Ct. We will be talking about my exposure to boogaloo and Latin music growing up in Manhattan's Washington Heights in the 1960s. Listen live here.
