"The Gary McFarland Orchestra" is an album associated with jazz artist Bill Evans. It's worth noting that this album is also frequently referred to as "Special Guest Soloist: Bill Evans" featuring The Gary McFarland Orchestra. This album, released in 1963, showcases the unique collaboration between Evans and McFarland, known for his skills as a composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and conductor.
This album introduces listeners to Evans's virtuosity on the piano, paired perfectly with McFarland's innovative orchestrations. This collaboration was a creative opportunity for Evans to express his abilities in a different setting, outside of his usual jazz trio format. The album contains a mix of original compositions and arrangements of contemporary popular songs.
Regarding the background, Gary McFarland, whose orchestra is featured in this album, was a prominent figure in the cool jazz movement of the 1960s. Bill Evans, on the other hand, was an accomplished jazz pianist known for his impressionistic harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block chords, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines. This unique collaboration happened during a fertile period in both their careers, adding another layer of intrigue to this album.
