Acting

Gil Evans

Born — Died

1912-05-13 — 1988-03-20

Place of birth

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Known for

Acting

Credits

5 titles

Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role in the development of cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz, and jazz fusion. He is best known for his acclaimed collaborations with Miles Davis. Evans became interested in music at an early age, listening to Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Fletcher Henderson on the radio and on records. He studied the piano and began learning how to arrange music, and started picking up jobs with local musicians. While in college, he founded his first band, which performed …

Known for

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool poster
7.1

An immersive look at the eventful life and brilliant artistic career of visionary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991).

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

2019

Heartbeat poster
7.0

A surrealistic journey into the experiences and reflections of a documentary filmmaker as he evaluates the people and places that have made up his life. Alternatively, a 65 minute feature made up of songs from Don Johnson's record of the same name.

Heartbeat

1987

Gil Evans Orchestra @ Berliner Jazztage 1976 poster
NR

An exceptional historical document: Gil Evans in concert at the 1976 Berlin Jazz Festival, one of Europe's most prominent musical events. Alongside other prestigious artists, the legendary arranger offers a varied repertoire, rich in innovation, fusion, and modern jazz. This confidential recording beautifully captures the creative energy of the era.

Gil Evans Orchestra @ Berliner Jazztage 1976

1976

Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit poster
NR

In this 1987 film from Italy's Perugia Jazz Festival, Sting joins jazz keyboardist Gil Evans for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. The concert blends both artists' distinctive styles into a fusion that brings new shades to each song. Tracks include "Up from the Skies," "There Comes a Time," "Strange Fruit," "Walking on the Moon," "Synchronicity," "Message in a Bottle," "Consider Me Gone," "Roxanne" and "Murder by Numbers."

Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit

1987

The Sound of Miles Davis poster
10.0

Miles playing with sextet and Evans orchestra. A TV program hosted by Robert Herridge, The Robert Herridge Theater from Studio 61, and recorded in New York in 1959. With the legendary Miles Davis Quintet featuring John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb and enhanced by the Gil Evans Orchestra.

The Sound of Miles Davis

1959

Film credits

Behind the camera