5 Things to Know About Bill Evans’s Waltz for Debby

Bill Evans composed the jazz standard “Waltz for Debby” with lyrics by Gene Lees. The tune is named after Evans’s niece, Debby.

Evans first recorded it as a studio track in 1962. That version appears on his album Moon Beams.

The song became legendary through a live recording at the Village Vanguard. Evans’s trio—with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums—performed it there in 1961.

The Vanguard recording was released posthumously in 1962. LaFaro died in a car accident just ten days after the performance, making the album a poignant document.

“Waltz for Debby” remains a jazz standard covered by many artists. Its lyrical melody and complex harmonies make it a favorite for both instrumental and vocal interpretations.