(Bill Evans, piano; Scott LaFaro, bass; Paul Motian, drums)
Remastered in 24-bit sound by Joe Tarantino, the Keepnews edition of Bill Evans’ Trio’s Portrait in Jazz, originally recorded on Dec. 28 1959, is a welcome addition to the Keepnews series. It was the first of two studio albums by Evans’ arguably best bassist and drummer. Its release preceded the better known live sessions recorded later at the Village Vanguard in New York. Keepnews includes two previously unreleased (except perhaps in Japan) takes of Come Rain or Come Shine, and Blue in Green.
The sound on this edition, though not quite as pristine as the SACD issue on Fantasy, is still impressive. The Evans-LaFaro-Motian group were noted for their interplay. Instead of merely backing Evans in a comping fashion and then taking their solos, Scott and Paul play off Evans in a true ensemble fashion, which was relatively rare at that time. LaFaro’s untimely death in his 20s ended a potentially iconic career, which could have rivaled that of bassists of the stature of Pettiford, Brown, and Hinton. It was a major blow to the jazz world.
Comprised of standards such as Autumn Leaves, What is This Thing Called Love, and Someday My Prince Will Come, Evans’ Portrait in Jazz belongs in every jazz piano collection.
– Jeff Krow
