Paris Blues is an album of duets by pianist Gil Evans and saxophonist Steve Lacy recorded in Paris in 1987 and released on the French Owl label.[1][2] The album was Evans' final studio recording before his death in 1988.[3] The album was released in the US on Sunnyside Records in 2003.[4]

Paris Blues
Studio album by
Released1988
RecordedNovember 30 & December 1, 1987
StudioFamily Sound Studio, Paris
GenreJazz
Length59:30
LabelOwl (OWL 049 CD)
ProducerFrançois Lemaire & Jean-Jacques Pussiau
Gil Evans chronology
Bud and Bird
(1987)
Paris Blues
(1988)
Rhythm A Ning
(1988)
Steve Lacy chronology
The Window
(1988)
Paris Blues
(1988)
The Door
(1989)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz    [6]

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 1½ stars stating "In truth, Evans's playing here is generally little more than melody statements and comping behind Lacy and, although the soprano is in top form, little of significance occurs... of greater interest from a historical standpoint than musical".[5] The Penguin Guide to Jazz observed "it's scarcely a momentous occasion, musically speaking, for either man... Interesting to hear Lacy at work on his music, but in the end the results are merely light and agreeable".[6]

Track listing

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  1. "Reincarnation of a Lovebird" (Charles Mingus) – 7:05
  2. "Paris Blues" (Duke Ellington) – 5:17
  3. "Esteem" (Steve Lacy) – 9:07
  4. "Orange Was the Color of Her Dress Then Blue Silk" (Mingus) – 14:42
  5. "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Mingus) – 8:42
  6. "Jelly Roll" (Gil Evans) – 5:43 (bonus track on CD)
  7. "Esteem" (Lacy) – 8:54 (bonus track on CD)

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ Gil Evans discography accessed June 13, 2014.
  2. ^ Kenz, W. & Roussel, P., Steve Lacy discography, accessed June 13, 2014
  3. ^ Crease, S. S., Gil Evans: Out of the Cool: His Life and Music, p.323
  4. ^ Sunnyside Records: album details, accessed December 18, 2019
  5. ^ a b Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed June 13, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (8th ed.). London: Penguin. pp. 425. ISBN 0141023279.