For most serious jazz fans, Gil Evans was a quintessential force in the music of the last half of the twentieth century.  His compositions and arrangements anchored the ensemble work of Miles Davis through fifties - albums like Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain and Quiet Nights set standards that expanded the horizons of jazz.  Originally an arranger for big band leader Claude Thornhill, Evans' fascination for and finesse with jazz phrasing, harmony, rhythms and orchestration drew him into the circle 'young Turks' that included Davis, saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Lee Konitz.  These visionaries were at the epicentre of a movement was crying out for Evans' talent.  Eventually, he would go on to assemble his own big band which was like none other before or since, featuring powerful music from future stars David Sanborn, Billy Harper, Marvin Peterson, Hiram Bullock and Gil Goldstein.