Which jazz pianist composed “Waltz for Debby”?

Bill Evans composed “Waltz for Debby.”

Evans wrote the piece for his niece Debby, and it became one of his best-known compositions. Its graceful triple-meter melody and sophisticated harmony helped make it a modern jazz standard rather than merely a vehicle for improvisation.

The tune appeared in several Evans settings, including a recording by the Bill Evans Trio on the 1961 album Waltz for Debby. That performance featured Evans with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, whose interactive approach became highly influential.

The composition is sometimes confused with “My Foolish Heart,” another tune strongly associated with Evans’s trio. “Waltz for Debby” is an original Evans composition, while “My Foolish Heart” was written by Victor Young with lyrics by Ned Washington for a 1949 film.