Widely considered as the most important jazz pianist of his generation, Bill Evans was a major influence on Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, all of whom he preceded in Miles Davis’s group. Inspired as much by classical composers including Debussy, Ravel and Scriabin as by his jazz heroes, Bud Powell, Lennie Tristano and Horace Silver, Evans brought a romantic quality to his playing that contrasted with the harder-edged bebop and hard bop styles that prevailed in the 1950s.

Gil Goldstein, a friend of Evans, loved the pianist’s music and the two musicians enjoyed a mutual admiration. Evans wrote the foreword to Goldstein’s book, The Jazz Composer’s Companion and Goldstein, a pianist whose work has enhanced the music of guitarist Pat Metheny and groundbreaking composer Gil Evans, continues to reciprocate, honouring his friend’s compositions with orchestrations full of passion, grace and fire.

Another friend of Goldstein’s, the late saxophone legend Michael Brecker inspired the music that will complete this programme and complement Evans’ work. When Brecker became ill with leukemia, he and Goldstein were working on music with its roots in the Eastern European folk-dance traditions. The Bulgarian Project will be realised with joy and the verve Brecker brought to every improvisation.