Bill
by Odin Roark

His mother called him Bill
School followed suit
Fingered musical genius
Immortalized the name

Bill Evens was one of a kind
Known as the piano player’s piano man
Miles knew his genius
Brother
Girlfriend
Knew it
Took it to their grave
As did Bill

How fortunate
The few living the jazz age circa ’55-‘80
Hearing his impressionistic harmonies
Block chords and rhythmic origins
Spawned
Imitated
Enshrined

So went the life of jazz legend
Bill Evens

Missed
Even today
As I have my own
“Conversations with Myself.”
Especially
“Round Midnight”