Joel Zelnik Trio to present Bill Evans tribute at library
West Milford. The Joel Zelnik Trio will perform a tribute to legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans during a free concert May 3 at the West Milford Public Library.
| 29 Apr 2026 | 10:23
The Joel Zelnik Trio will present “My Bill Evans: A Personal Conversation” on Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the West Milford Public Library in West Milford.
The performance will take place in the library’s second-floor gallery and is open to the public.
Pianist Joel Zelnik will share stories and music inspired by his experiences with legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans. Zelnik met Evans in the mid-1960s when the two alternated sets at Greenwich Village’s Village Gate.
“I have never forgotten sharing the stage with the great Bill Evans,” Zelnik said. “He had such an impact on me as a young man, and his approach to jazz was so influential.”
The program features selections of Evans’ signature works, along with commentary and insights drawn from conversations between the two musicians. Evans, a seven-time Grammy Award winner born in Plainfield, is widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time.
Registration is encouraged for those wishing to attend.