5 Things to Know About Bill Evans’s Album Undercurrent

Bill Evans hadn’t played piano for months before recording Undercurrent. He was still grieving the death of bassist Scott LaFaro, who died in a car accident in July 1961.

The album was recorded in 1962, less than a year after LaFaro’s death. Evans’s playing on the record reflects that emotional weight.

Undercurrent is a duo album with guitarist Jim Hall. It features no bass or drums, just piano and guitar.

The album’s cover photo is a famous underwater shot by Toni Frissell. It shows a woman floating in a pool, matching the album’s title.

Undercurrent is widely considered one of Evans’s best duo recordings. Its sparse, intimate sound is a direct result of the circumstances behind its creation.