Bill evans biography waltz for debby videos

1956 song by Bill Evans

"Waltz for Debby" is a jazz standard composed by pianist Bill Evans, which became "his most famous tune."^[1] He first recorded it as a brief solo piano piece on his debut album, New Jazz Conceptions (1956).

Lyrics were added about six years later by Evans's friend Gene Lees.^[2] "Debby" in the composition's title refers to Evans's then 3-year-old niece, Debby Evans, whom he often took to the beach.^[3]

The "definitive performance" of the piece is usually considered to be the live recording from the third set on 25 June 1961 at the Village Vanguard by the classic Bill Evans Trio featuring bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian.^[4] (It was also recorded as part of the second set, and that less famous version, take 1, has been made available on various releases as a bonus track.)

Evans later accompanied vocal versions of the waltz by both Monica Zetterlund (in Swedish) and Tony Bennett