Happy Birthday Bill Evans!

Mr Evan's BIG contribution to the music world, was his 'rootless' chord voicing style of playing. This style of playing can be heard by contemporary keyboard players today: from Diana Krall to Nora Jones.

Leaving the root out of the chord (leaving the task to the bass player when playing in a combo) gives the keyboard player the opportunity to use his limited number fingers the opoportunity to play other chord extensions (9,11, 13) or tensions (b9, #9, #11, b13, etc) instead. There is a valid reason WHY jazz keyboard players frequently use rootless voicings (ala Bill Evans, Jazz pianist legend). Without the root included in the voicing, the chord sounds more more open & ambiguous opening the door to interesting harmonic interpretation and exploration, which are a trademark of Bill Evan's songs.

I was pretty amazed when I initially discovered that some arranger keyboards support (chord recognition table) a variation of Bill Evan's famed rootless 'A & B' chord voicings, recognized and played by jazz style pianists worldwide.

I encourage the more advanced kb players here to 'expand' your left hand & or full kb mode arranger keyboard playing technique to include Bill Evan's chord style into your arranger keyboard playing. I guarantee it will take your arraner kb playing level (and resultant professional sound) to new heights:

Left Hand Chord Progressions:

II – V7 – I
Bill Evans A Voicings (arranger keyboard recognized variation):

example in the key of C (all other keys work similarly):
Dm7(9) G13 C69
(F-C-E) - (F-B-E) - (E-A-D)

II – V7 – I
Bill Evans inspired B Voicings (arranger keyboard recognized variation)

example in the key of C (all other keys work similarly):
Dm7 - G13 - Cmaj7
(C-D-F-A) - (B-E-F-A) - (B-C-E-G)

- Scott