A vinyl upgrade of an iconic jazz trio performance.
Bill Evans Trio – Sunday At The Village Vanguard – Riverside Records (1961)/Craft Recordings CR00609 180-gram stereo vinyl, 42:03 *****:
(Bill Evans – piano; Scott LaFaro – double bass; Paul Motions – drums)
Live jazz recordings represent the instinctive creativity of musicians. There has been a plethora of live albums that are entrenched in jazz lore. Among them are The Thelonious Monk Quartet At Carnegie Hall, Keith Jarrett – The Kôln Concert, Errol Garner – Concert By The Sea, Coltrane Live At Birdland and Ellington At Newport. Among these landmarks is Bill Evans Trio – Sunday At The Village Vanguard (Riverside Recordings) This was a quintessential performance of Evans’ most notable trio with drummer Paul Motion and double bassist Scott LaFaro. Tragically, LaFaro died in a car accident eleven days after this recording. There were two subsequent albums released which maintained the enduring legacy of this ensemble.
Craft Recordings has released a re-mastered180-gram vinyl of Sunday At The Village Vanguard. Recorded on June 25, 1961, there are six tracks that showcase the vibrant interplay among Evans, LaFaro and Motian. Side 1 opens with “Gloria’s Step” (one of two LaFaro originals). The trio engages in a near-waltz swing, as Evans’ shimmering chords and notation permeate the arrangement. Motian’s steady rhythm anchors the jam, then LaFaro solos with energetic, lithe runs. Evans re-engages with trademark lilting, atmospheric intonation. All of the musical complexity and pathos of Gershwin is captured on “My Man’s Gone Now”. Evans distills the haunting sentiment of the melody with expressive notation and chording that reflects the solitude. LaFaro’s solo is melancholic with precision and finesse. Motian’s delicate brush work is illuminating. Evans’ tender articulation and hushed elegance is breathtaking. He pays tribute to former band leader and mentor Miles Davis on “Solar”. This medium-swing bop/cool jazz is delivered with intricate timing, phrasing and cohesive play. Evans’ soloing is complex with rhythmic flourishes and glowing accents. Again, LaFaro matches the intensity and creativity. After a syncopated piano interlude, Motion contributes a couple of scintillating drum fills before the ending fade.
Ever since Miles Davis recorded a jazz reworking of “Someday My Prince Will Come”, Disney songs have become a part of jazz history. Here “Alice In Wonderland” becomes an Evans melodic exploration in 3/4 time with transition from meditative statement to jaunty interpretation. It is transformed into a jazz standard. Evans and LaFaro exchange mid-song with subtlety and fluency. Evans’ intermingles crisp notation and tenderness with acuity. Another popular composer, Cole Porter gets the revamped treatment on “All Of You”. This song was written for the Broadway show Silk Stockings and was originally performed by Don Ameche (and later Fred Astaire in the film adaptation). Here, it becomes a classic jazz piece with a ballad-like introduction that inexorably shifts into swing. Evans’ play is forceful and resonates with emphatic potency. Both LaFaro and Motion are showcased on solos and the coherence of this ensemble is palpable. The second LaFaro number (“Jade Visions”) exudes a gentle, “impressionistic” style before a tempo uptick at 1:38. Evans’ introspective approach and low-keyed, committed interaction with his band mates is compelling.
This re-mastered vinyl is top-notch (Kevin Gray/Cohearant Audio) The stereo separation (piano-right channel, double bass and drums-left channel) is excellent. The crowd noise is minimally audible and the mix remains focused on the instrumental tonality. The pressing (RTI) is pristine with little surface noise and no hisses or pops. This is a worthwhile addition to any jazz collection.
—Robbie Gerson
Bill Evans Trio – Sunday At The Village Vanguard
TrackList:
Side 1:
Gloria’s Step;
My Man’s Gone Now;
Solar
Side 2:
Alice In Wonderland;
All Of You;
Jade Visions
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