Waltz for Debby (song)

"Waltz for Debby" is a jazz standard composed by Bill Evans. A piano trio jazz waltz, it was first recorded on Evans's 1956 album New Jazz Conceptions and, perhaps more famously, on his 1961 live album Waltz for Debby. It has been recorded by many artists, both as an instrumental and as a vocal piece. The song's lyrics were written by Gene Lees.^[1]

"Debby" in the song title refers to Evans' niece, Debby Evans.

The song is also known in Swedish by the name "Monicas vals", with lyrics by Beppe Wolgers.^[2]

Awards

• Don Sebesky: Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement (from I Remember Bill: The Tribute to Bill Evans, 1999)^[3]
• Gary Burton and Chick Corea: Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (from The New Crystal Silence, 2008)^[4]

Personnel

On New Jazz Conceptions (1956):

• Bill Evans – piano
• Teddy Kotick – bass
• Paul Motian – drums

On Waltz for Debby (1961):

• Bill Evans – piano
• Scott LaFaro – bass
• Paul Motian – drums

Renditions

By Evans

• New Jazz Conceptions (1956)
• Waltz for Debby (1961) (The track also appears on The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961, along with an alternate take)
• Know What I Mean? (1961 Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans)
• Waltz for Debby (1964, with Monica Zetterlund)
• You're Gonna Hear From Me (recorded 1969 released 1988)
• The Bill Evans Album (1972)
• The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975, with Tony Bennett)

By others

• Oscar Peterson – Affinity (1962), Nigerian Marketplace (1981), Freedom Song (1982), The Lamp is Low (1994)
• Johnny Hartman – The Voice That Is! (1964)
• Earl Klugh – Earl Klugh (1976)
• David Matthews – Waltz for Debby (1987)
• Ralph Towner – Open Letter (1991)
• John McLaughlin – Time Remembered: John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans (1993)
• The Real Group – Live in Stockholm (1996)
• Ilse Huizinga – Voices Within (1999)
• Don Sebesky – I Remember Bill: The Tribute to Bill Evans (1999)
• Al Jarreau – Accentuate the Positive (2004)
• Niño Josele – Paz (2006)
• Realtime - Ain't That A Kick (2006)
• Gary Burton and Chick Corea – The New Crystal Silence (2008)
• David Benoit - Standards^[5] (2006) and Heroes (2008)^[6][7]

Notes

1. ^ The Rough Guide to Jazz: The Essential Companion To Artists and Albums. Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, Brian Priestley and Charles Alexander. Rough Guides, 2004. ISBN 1843532565. p.249
2. ^ Sakta vi gå genom stan – Det bästa at Allmusic - retrieved on 26 May 2009
3. ^ Don Sebesky awards at Allmusic - retrieved on 26 May 2009
4. ^ 51st Grammy Awards winners at grammy.com - retrieved on 26 May 2009
5. ^ "Standards overview". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r840559. 
6. ^ "Heroes overview". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1384320. 
7. ^ "Heroes : David Benoit : Concord Music Group". Concord Music Group. http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/Heroes/. 

External links

• "Waltz for Debby" at jazzstandards.com