Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez - Montreux III (1975)

Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez - Montreux III (1975)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 180MB

OJC

Allmusic:
For this duet set from the 1975 Montreux Jazz Festival (a Fantasy date that has been reissued on CD under the OJC imprint), Bill Evans alternates between acoustic and electric pianos while Eddie Gómez offers alert support and some near-miraculous bass solos. The audience is attentive and appreciative -- as they should be, for the communication between the two masterful players (on such songs as "Milano," "Django," "I Love You," and their encore, "The Summer Knows") is quite special.

Tracks
-1. "Elsa" (Earl Zindars) - 7:28
-2. "Milano" (John Lewis) - 4:40
-3. "Venutian Rhythm Dance" (Clive Stevens) - 4:27
-4. "Django" (Lewis) - 6:18
-5. "Minha (All Mine)" (Francis Hime) - 4:11
-6. "Driftin'" (Dan Haerle) - 5:12
-7. "I Love You" (Cole Porter) - 6:38
-8. "The Summer Knows" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand) - 3:24
Recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland on July 20, 1975.

Personnel
* Bill Evans - piano, electric piano
* Eddie Gomez - bass

sample & buy: Montreux 3

Bill Evans - At The Montreux Jazz Festival (1968)

Bill Evans - At The Montreux Jazz Festival (1968)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB

Verve 827 844-2

Allmusic:
Bill Evans, with bassist Eddie Gomez and his drummer of the period Jack DeJohnette (just prior to him joining Miles Davis), is in excellent form on this well-rounded CD reissue. Evans performs two of his originals (including "One for Helen" which was dedicated to his longtime manager Helen Keane), Denny Zeitlin's "Quiet Now," Earl Zindars' "Mother of Earl" and a few of his favorite standards, tunes that are generally ballads and harmonically rich. The interplay between Evans and Gomez was growing month-by-month (the bassist had been with him for almost two years at this point) and is the main reason to acquire this disc although DeJohnette does offer some stimulating support.

Tracks
-01. "One for Helen" (Bill Evans) – 5:22
-02. "A Sleepin' Bee" (Harold Arlen, Truman Capote) – 6:05
-03. "Mother of Earl" (Earl Zindars) – 5:14
-04. "Nardis" (Miles Davis) – 8:23
-05. "I Loves You, Porgy" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) – 6:00
-06. "The Touch of Your Lips" (Ray Noble) – 4:45
-07. "Embraceable You" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 6:45
-08. "Some Day My Prince Will Come" (Frank Churchill, Larry Morey) – 6:08
-09. "Walkin' Up" (Evans) – 3:45
-10. "Quiet Now" (Denny Zeitlin) – 6:26

Personnel
* Bill Evans - piano
* Eddie Gomez - double bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums

sample & buy: At The Montreux Jazz Festival

Bill Evans - Crosscurrents (1977) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans - Crosscurrents (1977)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB

OJC

Allmusic:
This superior set was a logical idea. One of pianist Bill Evans' earlier influences was Lennie Tristano so on the date Evans' trio (with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund) was teamed with Tristano's two top "students": altoist Lee Konitz and tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh. The quintet performs four standards (all of which fit easily into Evans' repertoire) plus "Pensativa" and Steve Swallow's "Eiderdown." Konitz and Marsh always worked very well together and their cool-toned improvising makes this outing by Bill Evans something special. The CD reissue adds three alternate takes to the original program. Recommended.

Tracks
-1. "Eiderdown" (Steve Swallow) – 8:17
-2. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" (Cole Porter) – 3:28
-3. "Pensativa" (Clare Fischer) – 5:35
-4. "Speak Low" (Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill) – 6:30
-5. "When I Fall in Love" (Edward Heyman, Victor Young) – 4:16
-6. "Night and Day" (Porter) – 6:05
Reissue bonus tracks:
-7. "Eiderdown" (Swallow) – 7:02
-8. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" (Porter) – 3:26
-9. "Night and Day" (Porter) – 7:02

Personnel
*Bill Evans – piano
*Eddie Gomez – bass
*Eliot Zigmund – drums
*Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
*Warne Marsh – tenor saxophone

sample & buy: Crosscurrents

Bill Evans feat. Stan Getz - But Beautiful (1974) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans feat. Stan Getz - But Beautiful (1974)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

Milestone | MCD9249-2

Allmusic:
Stan Getz and Bill Evans initially worked on a recording in 1964 that, much like the Getz collaboration with Gary Burton entitled Nobody Else But Me, was done on the heels of the saxophonist's commercial success in the bossa nova arena. Both efforts were scrapped and laid on the shelf to gather dust, and were eventually issued for the first time some decades later. The Getz/Burton quartet was a touring unit, whereas in 1974 Evans and Getz performed live concerts in Europe, the source material for these dates, recorded by Radio One in Antwerp, Belgium, and NOS in Laren, The Netherlands. Even after a rehearsal, the pairing of Getz with the longstanding trio of Evans featuring drummer Marty Morell and bassist Eddie Gomez for both concerts had their rough moments, tense occurrences, and in one instance, Evans laying out entirely or playing without the tenor saxophonist. It is also assumable that there was additional material not included that might have been more of a train wreck. Of course, it would be difficult for these absolute masters of jazz to play anything less than very good music, but the flaws here are evident. A version of "Funkallero" has Getz rushing through and playing barely a half chorus on the melody before stepping aside. The most evident problem is during "Stan's Blues," where Evans barely plays at all, and at the end of the program the trio seems liberated without Getz, waltzing through blue fields in playful, childlike fashion à la Dave Brubeck or Vince Guaraldi on "See Saw" and the mostly improvised take of "Lover Man." A version of the Jimmy Rowles evergreen "The Peacocks" is a piano/sax duet that ranges from pensive to brooding. The band does get it together -- albeit in spurts -- starting with the chamber inspiration of Evans on "Grandfather's Waltz" evoking the lilting tenor of Getz, and continuing with the absolutely gorgeous "But Beautiful" with a sighing sound from Getz and the always lovely "Emily" and "Lover Man," a bit stock and phoned in, but still breathtaking. The highs and lows of jazz are all too telling on this recording, where one has to wonder what the audiences were feeling and thinking as this battle of the wills went on for all to witness. Nonetheless the sound quality is good, and this will be one completists will want to add to their Evans and Getz collections.

Tracks
-01. "Grandfather's Waltz" (Farnlof, Lees) – 7:45
-02. "Stan's Blues" (Getz, Gryce) – 5:32
-03. "But Beautiful" (Burke, VanHeusen) – 5:26
-04. "Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 5:26
-05. "Lover Man" (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman) – 7:50
-06. "Funkallero" (Bill Evans) – 6:18
-07. "The Peacocks" (Rowles) – 6:47
-08. "You and the Night and the Music" (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) – 7:24
-09. "See-Saw" (Coleman) – 6:22
-10. "The Two Lonely People" (Evans, Hall) – 7:58

Personnel
* Bill Evans – Piano
* Stan Getz – Sax (Tenor)
* Eddie Gomez – Bass
* Helen Keane – Producer
* Marty Morell – Drums

sample & buy: But Beautiful

Bill Evans - Everybody Digs (XRCD) (1958) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans - Everybody Digs (1958)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB

JVC XRCD 20bK2

Allmusic:
Everybody Digs Bill Evans was a landmark recording for the young pianist and sported a unique album cover, featuring written-out endorsements from Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal, and Cannonball Adderley. At a time approximate to when Evans was performing with the famous Kind of Blue band of Davis, Adderley, and John Coltrane, and actually departing the band, Evans continued to play the trio music he was ultimately best known for. With the unmatched pair of former Miles Davis drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Sam Jones (no relation), Evans was emerging not only as an ultra-sensitive player, but as an interpreter of standards second to none. The drummer is quite toned down to match the dynamics of the session, while the ever-reliable bassist lays back even more than usual, but at the expense of his soul. Of the covers, the solo "Lucky to Me" and the melancholy "What Is There to Say?" with the trio evoke the cool, smoldering emotionalism Evans was known for. He's even more starkly reserved on his solo version of "Young and Foolish." But Evans also knows how to play vigorous bop, tearing up the complicated "Oleo," and he modestly tackles the Gigi Gryce icon "Minority," though if you listen closely, the takes are slightly imprecise and a bit thin. Evans is hyperactive on a clattery calypso version of "Night and Day," with the melody almost an afterthought, powered by the precise drumming of Philly Joe Jones. Taking "Tenderly" in waltz time, Evans makes this familiar theme inimitably all his own. There are three more solos: two Asian-inspired interludes titled "Epilogue" and the demure and ultimately quiet "Peace Piece," a timeless, meditational, reverent, prayer-inspired composition that, in time, set a standard for chamber/classical European-tailored jazz. In an alternate/second-version bonus track, Evans superimposes this theme under the standard "Some Other Time," and it fits beautifully. Though not his very best effort overall, Evans garnered great attention, and rightfully so, from this important album of 1958.

Tracks
-01. "Minority" (Gigi Gryce) – 5:21
-02. "Young and Foolish" (Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt) – 5:53
-03. "Lucky to Be Me" (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) – 3:39
-04. "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 7:34
-05. "Epilogue" (Bill Evans) – 0:39
-06. "Tenderly" (Walter Gross) – 3:32
-07. "Peace Piece" (Bill Evans) – 6:42
-08. "What Is There to Say?" (Vernon Duke, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) – 4:53
-09. "Oleo" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:07
-10. "Epilogue" (Bill Evans) – 0:41
-11. "Some Other Time" (Bernstein, Comden, Green) – 6:09

Personnel
* Bill Evans - piano
* Philly Joe Jones - drums
* Sam Jones - bass

sample & buy: Everybody Digs Bill Evans (XRCD)

Bill Evans - Affinity (1978) (eac-log.cover)

Bill Evans - Affinity (1978)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 280MB

Warner

Allmusic:
Pianist Bill Evans (who doubles on electric piano on this album for the final time in the recording studio) welcomes guest harmonica player Toots Thielemans and Larry Schneider (on tenor, soprano and alto flute) to an outing with bassist Marc Johnson (making his recording debut with Evans) and drummer Eliot Zigmund. The material contains some surprises (including Paul Simon's "I Do It for Your Love" and Michel Legrand's "The Other Side of Tonight") and only two jazz standards ("Body & Soul" and "Blue and Green") with the latter being the only Evans composition. Excellent if not essential music that Evans generally uplifts.

Tracks:
-1. "I Do It for Your Love" (Paul Simon) – 7:16
-2. "Sno' Peas" (Phil Markowitz) – 5:51
-3. "This Is All I Ask" (Gordon Jenkins) – 4:14
-4. "Days of Wine and Roses" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) – 6:40
-5. "Jesus' Last Ballad" – 5:52
-6. "Tomato Kiss" – 5:17
-7. "The Other Side of Midnight (Noelle's Theme)" (Michel Legrand) – 3:17
-8. "Blue in Green" (Miles Davis, Bill Evans) – 4:09
-9. "Body & Soul" (Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green) – 6:16
All songs by Bill Evans unless otherwise noted.

Personnel:
* Bill Evans – piano, keyboards
* Marc Johnson – bass
* Eliot Zigmund – drums
* Larry Schneider – flute, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone
* Toots Thielemans – harmonica

sample & buy: Affinity

Bill Evans - At Shelly's Manne-Hole (OJC20) (1963)

Bill Evans - At Shelly's Manne-Hole (OJC20)  (1963)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB

OJC | 24-bit remaster

Allmusic:
Although the Scott LaFaro-Paul Motian lineup of the Bill Evans Trio is generally considered to be the strongest, Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker make a strong case of their own on At Shelly's Manne-Hole, a 1964 release that finds the entire band in classic form. This particular trio may lack some of the sheer combustive force of the better-known lineup, but it is, if possible, even more sensitive, melancholic, and nostalgic than the previous band. The leadoff track, "Isn't It Romantic," is one of Evans' finest moments, with the gently swinging theme leading into a strong, if restrained, solo from Israels. Over Bunker's sensitive brush work, Evans comments briefly and beautifully on the theme before returning to the head. The band's readings of such classics as "'Round Midnight," "Stella By Starlight," and "All the Things You Are" are wonderful, but it is the lesser-known tracks, such as "Swedish Pastry" and the aforementioned "Isn't It Romantic," that makes this recording so valuable. Jazz is rarely as sensitive or as melodic as this. Another classic from Bill Evans and company.

Tracks:
-1. "Isn't It Romantic?" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 4:37
-2. "The Boy Next Door" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 5:22
-3. "Wonder Why" (Nicholas Brodszky, Sammy Cahn) – 5:15
-4. "Swedish Pastry" (Barney Kessel) – 5:45
-5. "Our Love Is Here to Stay" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 4:46
-6. "'Round Midnight" (Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams) – 8:54
-7. "Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 4:57
-8. "All the Things You Are" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) – 5:44
-9. "Blues in F" – 8:44

Personnel:
* Bill Evans – piano
* Chuck Israels – bass
* Larry Bunker – drums

sample & buy: At Shelly's Manne-Hole

Bill Evans - A Simple Matter Of Conviction (1966) (mini lp ltd) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans - A Simple Matter Of Conviction (1966) (mini lp)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 210MB

Verve | limited edition mini lp | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
What separated this from the average good Bill Evans date was the inclusion of Shelly Manne on drums, who inventively pushed and took unexpected chances. This was, I believe, Eddie Gomez' (bass) debut release with Evans (piano) and it was quite impressive. There were numerous takes at this session and judging from Chuck Briefer's liners it might be interesting to hear them released.

Tracks:
1. "A Simple Matter Of Conviction" (Bill Evans) – 3:20
2. "My Melancholy Baby" (Ernie Burnett, George Norton, W. E. Watson) – 5:16
3. "Only Child" (Evans) – 4:05
4. "Laura" (Johnny Mercer, David Raskin) – 4:20
5. "Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 4:11
6. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" (George Bassman, Ned Washington) – 4:14
7. "Star Eyes" (Gene de Paul, Don Raye) – 4:58
8. "Unless It's You (Orbit)" (Evans) – 3:44
9. "These Things Called Changes" (Evans) – 3:33

Personnel:
* Bill Evans - piano
* Eddie Gomez - bass
* Shelly Manne - drums

sample & buy

rc

Bill Evans - Turn Out the Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Rec. 6cd (1980) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans - Turn Out The Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings 6cd box set (1980)

jazz | 6cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 2050MB

Warner Bros. |   rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Just three months before his death, pianist BIll Evans was extensively recorded at the Village Vanguard. Originally, one or two LPs were to be released featuring his brilliant new trio (with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe LaBarbera), but after the innovative pianist's death, the project was stalled for over 15 years. Finally, when Warner Bros. got around to it, a definitive six-CD box set was released (although unfortunately in limited-edition form). Evans sounded quite energized during his last year, Johnson was developing quickly as both an accompanist and a soloist, and the interplay by the trio members (with subtle support from LaBarbera) sometimes bordered on the telepathic. The playing throughout these consistently inventive performances ranks up there with the Evans-Scott LaFaro-Paul Motian trio of 20 years earlier.

Tracks:
CD1: Bill's Hit Tune; Nardis; If You Could See Me Now; The Two Lonely People: Laurie; My Romance; Tiffany; Like Someone In Love; Letter To Evan.
CD2: Days Of Wine And Roses; Emily; My Foolish Heart; Nardis; Yet Ne'er Broken; Quiet Now; But Not For Me; Spring Is Here; Autumn Leaves.
CD3: Your Story; Re: Person I Knew; Polka Dots And Moonbeams; Two Lonely People, The; Theme From M*A*S*H; Tiffany; Turn Out The Stars; Laurie; My Romance; Knit For Mary F.; Midnight Mood; Time Remembered.
CD4: Days Of Wine And Roses; Up With The Lark; Nardis; Your Story; Yet Ne'er Broken; If You Could See Me Now; Bill's Hit Tune; Tiffany; In Your Own Sweet Way.
CD5: I Do It For Your Love; Five; Polka Dots And Moonbeams; Bill's Hit Tune; Turn Out The Stars; Days Of Wine And Roses; But Not For Me; Knit For Mary F.; Like Someone In Love; Quiet Now.
CD6: Emily; Nardis; Knit For Mary F.; Like Someone In Love; Letter To Evan; Minha; A Sleepin' Bee; My Romance/Five.

Personnel:
Bill Evans: piano; Marc Johnson: bass; Joe LaBarbera: drums.

sample & buy

rc

Bill Evans Trio - Rome Concert 1979 (2006) [DVD5 NTSC]

Bill Evans Trio - Rome Concert (1979)
DVD5 NTSC | LPCM 2.0 | 44 min | iso-covers | 3,3 GB
Impro Jazz | Genre: jazz | rel. 2006
On August 6 and 9, 1979, Bill Evans went into the studio to record what would be his final album, along with his regular bassist and drummer, and trumpeter Tom Harrell and soprano and tenor saxophonist Larry Schneider. The album was dedicated to his late brother Harry both explicitly and through the evocative title: We Will Meet Again. Consumed by grief and addicted to drugs and alcohol, Evans nevertheless undertook a long international tour for the remaining months of 1979. Even if his studio recordings were scarce by then, some of his live performances of the period were fortunately taped and preserved for posterity. A number of performances were recorded on his European tour that year. The concert presented for the first time ever on this DVD, originally filmed for a live TV broadcast in Rome, Italy December '79, has never been released on any format, neither video nor audio.

1. My Man's Gone Now 6:30 (George & Ira Gershwin)

2. Bill's Hit Tune 7:30 (Bill Evans)

3. Sugar Plum 6:00 (Bill Evans)

4. Laurie 8:00 (Bill Evans)

5. The Two Lonely People 6:20 (Bill Evans)

6. Polka Dots and Moonbeams 2:40 (Burke-Van Heusen)

7. My Romance 7:30 (Rodgers-Hart)

Total Time: 44:30 mins.

COLOR/STEREO

BILL EVANS -Piano

MARC JOHNSON -Bass

JOE LABARBERA -Drums

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