Bill Evans Live at Art D'lugoff's Top Of The Gate

The Bill Evans Trio's 1973 concert in Tokyo was his first recording for Fantasy and it produced yet another Grammy-nomination for the presentation. With bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morell, this LP mixes offbeat songs with overlooked gems, familiar standards, and surprisingly, only one Evans composition, the demanding "T.T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune Two)." Bobbie Gentry's "Mornin' Glory" was an unusual choice to open the performance and seems a bit conservative for Evans. The adrenaline picks up considerably with his midtempo waltzing take of Jerome Kern's "Up with the Lark" and a driving "My Romance." Evans also revisits the twisting Scott LaFaro tune "Gloria's Step," which showcases both Gomez and Morell. The closer, "On Green Dolphin Street," is given a slight bossa nova flavor and isn't nearly as aggressive as most of the pianist's live recordings of this popular standard…

Bill Evans - Live In Paris, 1972 Vol. 3 (1989) {Esoldun France FCD 125}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 472 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 179 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1972, 1989 Esoldun / France's Concert | FCD 125
Jazz / Cool / Modal Music / Piano

This radio broadcast was recorded from a December 1972 return to Paris (following Evans' appearance with Phil Woods on the same stage, which apparently wasn't recorded). It has the most adventuresome playing of the three Paris CDs issued by France's Concert, though there are no surprises among the songs played during this 70-plus-minute concert. All three members of the group are at the top of their form, with the simmering dramatic journey through a lengthy "Nardis" and the spirited encore of "Waltz for Debby" standing out as highlights. Probably one of the better examples of live dates by this edition of the Bill Evans Trio, this volume, like the previous two, is well worth acquiring.

The first of two CDs recorded for broadcast from a February, 1972 Paris Concert, this 45-minute set captures the Bill Evans Trio in excellent form, although the mood of this portion of the concert seems rather reserved overall. Evans opens with one of his favorite originals, "Re: Person I Knew," which is much slower than typical but absolutely captivating. Also notable are the dramatic "Turn Out the Stars" and top-notch versions of Scott LaFaro's "Gloria's Step" and Michel Legrand's timeless "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" The overall melancholy mood of this performance adds a new dimension to several of the pieces within it.

Bill Evans - Live '64-'75 (2006) + Rome Concert 1979 (2006) [2xDVD5]
2xDVD5 -> 7.31 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | English (LinearPCM, 2 ch / Dolby AC3, 2 ch)
~ 142 min | ISO Images | 5% repair rar
© 2006 Realin' / TDK / Impro-Jazz | DVWW-JIDG / JJ 515
Jazz/ Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Piano

Bill Evans features five separate performances by one of the most revered pianists in music history. This collection covers an 11-year span, highlighting Evans’ ever-deepening artistry as he performs with four different all-star rhythm sections, including the stunning duo of bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson. This DVD includes for the first time on home video Evans’ renditions of the rarely performed “Sareen Jurer,” “Blue Serge” and “Twelve Tone Tune Two.” Among the many surprises in this collection is a live performance of “My Melancholy Baby” with saxophonist Lee Konitz.

Bill Evans - Live In Paris, 1972 Vol. 1 (1988) {Esoldun France FCD 107}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 326 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 115 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 17 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1972, 1988 Esoldun / France's Concert | FCD 107
Jazz / Cool / Modal Music / Piano

The first of two CDs recorded for broadcast from a February, 1972 Paris Concert, this 45-minute set captures the Bill Evans Trio in excellent form, although the mood of this portion of the concert seems rather reserved overall. Evans opens with one of his favorite originals, "Re: Person I Knew," which is much slower than typical but absolutely captivating. Also notable are the dramatic "Turn Out the Stars" and top-notch versions of Scott LaFaro's "Gloria's Step" and Michel Legrand's timeless "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" The overall melancholy mood of this performance adds a new dimension to several of the pieces within it.

These sessions live at Art D'Lugoff's Village Gate night club in Greenwich Village on May 31, 1963 were at one point previously unreleased, eventually issued by the short-lived Metro subsidiary of MGM on vinyl sometime after being recorded. The session is barely over 30 minutes, the sound is a bit thin (but not to its detriment), but Smith's playing is peerless as always, and his band with guitarist Quentin Warren and young drummer Billy Hart may be a curiosity for some. Warren is not the best or most adept plectrist Smith had employed, but gets the job done in a quiet, unassuming manner. Well before hitting his stride as a premier progressive jazz performer, Hart's style is set apart from soul-jazz drummers like Donald Bailey, Billy James, or Bernard Purdie, using looser rhythmic associations instead of hard-edged funky beats…