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Bill Evans Trio: Explorations
by David Rickert
An article in a men’s magazine once suggested an exercise regimen that consisted of a walk to the local record store to buy one Bill Evans CD every day. That way you would not only be in better shape, but you would also have a great collection of piano jazz as well. It’s an established fact that Evans revolutionized the sound of the piano trio; you can bet that every pianist who ever worked the hotel lounge circuit has worn ...
Continue ReadingCannonball Adderley: Know What I Mean?
by David Rickert
It must have seemed like a winning combination at the time; Evans and Addereley, two contributors to the Kind Of Blue album, paired with the bassist and drummer from the Modern Jazz Quartet. Unfortunately the results are less than stellar, resulting in a merely good album instead of a classic one. In actuality Evans and Adderley, removed from the guiding force of Miles, have little in common with one another; Evans was certainly the most important ingredient in the modal ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans/Don Elliott: Tenderly
by David Rickert
It is commonplace today for a reissued CD to feature a handful of alternate takes culled from the master tapes of the original session. Frequently filled with false starts, clumsy solos, and interjections from the control room, these tracks provide insight into the recording process and valuable knowledge about the musician's craft. Tenderly is, for all intents and purposes, an entire album of unpolished takes that offer a glimpse into the processes of a soon-to-be a jazz legend ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans & Don Elliott: Tenderly
by Derek Taylor
Subtitled ‘An Informal Session’ this mid-1950s meeting between Evans and Elliott transpired in the latter’s home studio. Never intended for release, listeners expecting a tightly cropped and polished studio date are likely to be disappointed. Fortunately Fantasy producer Eric Miller opted to leave those extraneous noises that did not directly compromise the music in the mix. The result is voyeuristic snapshot of two musicians playing purely for their own enjoyment, working out tunes on the spot and tinkering expressively with ...
Continue ReadingEddie Costa: Guys and Dolls Love Jazz
by Craig Jolley
In retrospect it's hard to see how or why this record was made in the days before CD's as calling cards. Eddie Costa had little name recognition, and what fame he enjoyed was on piano, his primary instrument. The material--cute boy-meets-girl tunes written in subservience to 1950's-clever lyrics--does not lend itself to jazz interpretation. [A couple of the songs have since become standards after being overhauled by Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson.] Costa as a sometime studio musician probably had ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans Trio: The Last Waltz (The Final Recordings Live at Keystone Korner September 1980)
by Glenn Astarita
Fans of the late great pianist Bill Evans should be overjoyed with the issuance of this nicely packaged eight CD boxed set that represents sixty-five previously unreleased tracks recorded live at San Francisco’s “Keystone Korner”, September, 1980. This attractive compilation is additionally enhanced by Derk Richardson’s wonderfully written and informative liner notes, as the author elaborates on Evans’ previous accomplishments and the sad events leading to the artist’s death which occurred shortly afterwards.The Last Waltz features Evans along ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans Trio: The Last Waltz
by Mark Corroto
Bill Evans died, at the age of 51, on Sept 15, 1980. In what has been described by friends and family as “slow suicide," he finally succumbed to the effects of the years of substance abuse. Like Charlie Parker before him the world was alternatively too beautiful and too ugly to endure. For fans of Bill Evans, like those of Bird, the Grateful Dead and today's Phish, his live performances have been extensively bootlegged, traded and revered. The Last Waltz ...
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