Hilde Hefte - Bill Evans

CD
 
Hilde Hefte
Playsong - The music of Bill Evans
 
Musicians:
Hilde Hefte - voc
Egil Kapstad - piano
Jan Allan - trumpet
Nisse Sandström - sax
Cikada String Quartet: Henrik Hannisdal, Morten Hannisdal, Odd Hannisdal, Marek Konstantynowicz
Bjørn Alterhaug - bass
Eyvind Olsen Wahlen - drums
 
Rainbow Studio
 
Released 2001
 
Music arrangements by Hilde Hefte & Egil Kapstad
All String Quartet arrangements by Egil Kapstad
 
Children guided and conducted by Randi Berge Wandrup and recorded in Kristiansand, Norway by John Reidar Bøe.
Producer: Jon Larsen / Sound engineering: Jan Erik Kongshaug
 
Recorded February 26th to 28th 2001 and mixed April 17th and 18th 2001 in Rainbow Studio
Cover art: Simen Hefte Endresen / All photos: Frøydis Geithus / Cover design: Aina Griffin
 
Awarded in the jazz magazine Jazz Nytt - Best jazz album 2002.
 
Tracks: 
1. Children's Playsong
2. Interplay
3. My Bells
4. Five
5. Remembering The Rain/Blue In Green* 
6. - 7. MEMORY SUITE: 
l Prologue / Storyline
ll Time Remembered / Turn Out The Stars/Epilogue
8. Only Child
9. Peri's Scope*
10. Waltz for Debby
11. The Two Lonely People
 
All compositions by Bill Evans 
 
Lyrics: Tracks 3, 7, 10 by Gene Lees. Track 4 by Janice Borla. Track 8 by Roger Schore. Track 11 by Carol Hall
 
* A special thanks to Tom Harrell and John Coltrane for "lending" me their solos.
Reviews:
The track "Waltz for Debby" is licensed by Celeste in Japan for a jazz CD. 
The track "Playsong" licensed for an album in Japan

Bill Jacobs at Sonic Wheel (USA): 5 stars  Among the most beautiful and touching jazz ever recorded. 
On Playsong you will find some of the most beautiful and touching jazz ever recorded. Hilde's unique ability to touch hearts and souls with her voice can only be attributed to her intelligence, integrity, empathy, and humility, together with a lot of talent and hard work... all qualities rare in the music industry. Add several of the best jazz musicians in the world today, and you have another very special Hilde Hefte album.

Nordishe Musik (Germany): 5 stars

The music magazine Orkesterjournalen (Sweden): 
The first thing that strikes you is how beautiful Hilde Hefte and her musicians are taking care of this historical music. She is a vocalist who is listening. Playsong is not an ego-project, this album is not made for showing everybody her musical talent. It feels like Hilde Hefte is a part of this group. Really wonderful. 
 
The music magazine Jazz Stage (Sweden): 
Hilde Hefte has managed holding an non-artistical atitude, and the result is an interpretation that I would call heartfelt. It is Hilde Hefte who is touching my heart.
  
The music magazine Jazz Spesial (Denmark): 
Hilde Hefte interprets Evans with warmth and it's crystal clear....  the best album ever since Bill Evans own recordings together with Tony Bennett. 
 
The music magazine Jazzpodium (Germany): 
Playsong is lyrical, elegant and sophisticated. Wonderful that Hilde Hefte starting this album not using lyrics, but  only sings pianissimo and soft. As a composer Bill Evans is a genious and so is the jazz vocalist Hilde Hefte.
  
Awarded through the jazz magazine Jazz Nytt (in Norway): Best jazz album 2002.
 
24 hours jazzradiostation San Francisco (USA): 
It's breathtaking. 

Newspapers in Norway: 
Øvre Smaalene: 6 on the dice. One can still experince our ears being seduced. Hilde Hefte's latest record is without a doubt one of those. The final result is tender, beautiful and delicat. 
Fvn:  6 on the dice. One hour with music so beautiful that one just have to sit very quiet with ones ears open and eyes closed. She masteres her voice-instrument with unusual technical skils. She's comunicates her music to her listeners that you'll very rarely find. Very rarely one can hear so delicious formed jazz.
Telemarksavisa: 5 on the dice. Can anyone sing subdued? Hilde Hefte can - all the way to the last note. This is vocal-art on the highest level. 
 
 
Hamar Dagblad: 5 on the dice. Hilde Hefte has a special pleasant voice and lifting this record through her improvisations.
 
Østlendingen: 5 on the dice. Everything is so technical perfectly done that it's hard not being impressed.