Thibaudet: Conversations with Bill Evans.

Why would classical pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet record an album of songs composed and/or performed by the late jazz great Bill Evans? It seems perplexing at first. But a closer look reveals a similarity between these two artists that makes the pairing sensible.

Evans (1929-1980), a pianist perhaps best known for his work with Miles Davis, played and wrote music that effectively gave rise to the contemporary school of lyric jazz piano. In arriving at his own musical style, however, Evans called upon more than just jazz. He also utilized the techniques of French classical composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

Thibaudet is famed as an interpreter of Ravel; he has extensively recorded and performed the composer's work. Thus, when a music executive happened to listen to an Evans record and a Thibaudet record back-to-back, he heard the similarities and had a brainstorm. What if Thibaudet were to record a collection from Evans's repertoire?

The result is a fine CD. A noted jazz aficionado himself, Thibaudet renders Evans with poetic feeling and an impressive grasp of the genre's distinctive rhythms. The album's best pieces include Duke Ellington's "Reflections in D," Alex North's "Spartacus Love Theme," and Evans's signature tune, "Peace Piece," a work that seems to come from a world beyond time.