The BILL EVANS thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Yesternow, Dec 15, 2017.

  1. Six String

    Six String Senior Member

    I'll respectively disagree that Undercurrent is not a sideman gig for Bill. On the inside of the gf it lists his name first and in larger letters and Bill made at least one more album on UA so this might be under his contract. I like the album but the sound on the original lp is not very good. I bought my copy from an old friend and he wrote the date he purchased it on the inside of the gf which was August 1962. It is disappointing for a first press. There's an interesting story on the London Jazz Collector website about his quest for a good sounding pressing and discovered that Toshiba-EMI is the one to get. Story is here.

    Bill Evans Jim Hall: Undercurrent (1962) Toshiba-EMI

    I've never heard that pressing but would snap it up if the price wasn't scary.
     
  2. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    And what about this one ?

    [​IMG]

    They're 2 of my favorite jazz players, but I rarely grab this one.

    Evans seems to agree:
    "Both Stan and I had a mutual desire to do a record together but when it was over, we both felt that we had not got to the level we wanted. Stan had a clause in his contract that would prevent the release of anything that he did not approve and so the record was not issued. However, later, Verve released it without approval. I am not so unhappy about it now but this is the sort of thing that record companies do without reference to the artists involved.”
     
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  3. Roger Thornhill

    Roger Thornhill Senior Member

    Location:
    Ilford, Essex, UK
    As I'm more of a George Russell fan than of Bill himself, and as it hasn't yet had a mention, I'll go for this.

    [​IMG]

    Includes the wonderful Concerto For Billy The Kid which Russell wrote for BE. And wow! Never seen this before!

     
  4. Jimbino

    Jimbino Goad Kicker, Music Lover

    Location:
    Northern CA, USA
    I would think Bill's albums with Getz, Jim Hall and Tony Bennett would not be classified as Sidemen gigs, but more of Co-Leader or Duets.
     
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  5. bluesbro

    bluesbro Forum Hall of Shame

    Location:
    DC
  6. Six String

    Six String Senior Member

    I owned that for a very short time. The music wasn't very inspiring and the sound was merely ok. For completists only. There was a live one released much later with the two of them in Europe that is very good so there isn't much reason to own the one posted here if you merely want to hear what these two jazz giants sounded like together.

    On the album posted here they were both Verve artists at the time so I don't know who was actually the leader since it wasn't supposed to be released, meaning there wasn't much released about it until the cd came out. I would still consider both as co-leaders. I think of duos as being a recording by two artists who are equally billed. Once other musicians are added changes it to being co-led. Whether I'm right or not, I don't know but that is my definition.
     
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  7. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I have the Evans/Getz session as part of this twofer. I've barely listened to the Evans session but the Corea (Sweet Rain) is a good record.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
  9. Brian Lux

    Brian Lux One in the Crowd

    Location:
    Placerville, CA
    Listening to Bill Evan with my wife the night of our wedding in the lounge at Benbow Inn- perfect!
     
  10. mdent

    mdent Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
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  11. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I just listened to some of this session. Not too hard to hear why they didn't approve it (Evans and Elvin Jones was a weird combination) but it's worth hearing for a more aggressive bop style from Evans than you usually hear on his trio recordings.
     
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  12. Bobby Buckshot

    Bobby Buckshot Heavy on the grease please

    Location:
    Southeastern US
    I like this record. Even if it wasn't up to their standards, it's still pretty darn good - to my ears anyway. Although I definitely wouldn't classify it as Evans = sideman.
     
  13. konajinx

    konajinx Forum Resident

    Love that album cover. It's currently the wallpaper on one of my laptops.

    Anyway, I love Bill's work. Have a Spotify list of his stuff I created that I like to listen to at night when hitting the hay. I will also offer my vote for his work on Kind of Blue as a sideman.
     
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  14. SOONERFAN

    SOONERFAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norman, Oklahoma
    I hope this is not considered a thread crap but didn't want to start a brand new thread and the thread I wanted to post in is closed. Anyway, I am looking for the best digital (CD, SACD, download, In print, OOP, whatever) of the following titles:

    Everybody Digs Bill Evans: ?

    Portrait In Jazz: I assume the forum favorite would be the DCC gold disc. Yes, no?

    Explorations: ?

    Sunday At The Village Vanguard: I understand the JVC XRCD JVCXR-0051-3 (mastered by Alan Yoshida at A&M in Hollywood) is the preferred version.

    Know What I Mean: I assume the forum favorite is the DCC gold disc

    Moonbeams: ?

    How My Heart Sings: ?

    Waltz For Debbie: I understand the Analogue Productions gold CD CAPJ 009 (mastered by Doug Sax) is the forum favorite.

    Interplay: I assume the DCC gold is the forum favorite for this one.

    Empathy: ?

    Thanks!
     
  15. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Hey, I will answer for the ones that I know about:

    Everybody Digs Bill Evans - XRCD

    Portrait In Jazz - The OJC is damn good. I saved my money and went with that one.

    Explorations - XRCD

    Sunday At The Village Vanguard - XRCD

    Know What I Mean - DCC

    Moonbeams - XRCD

    Waltz For Debbie - AP gold CD CAPJ 009

    Interplay - DCC
     
  16. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    But if you bought the Complete Riverside edition that was issued on CD in Japan, you would have excellent and better sound than the American box, and everything NOW to enjoy while you decided whether to search out more editions as time goes by. There is no time to waste while exploring the Riverside Recordings of Bill Evans.
     
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  17. SOONERFAN

    SOONERFAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norman, Oklahoma
    Link?
     
  18. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    You have to confirm with a dealer that it is the Japanese issue. Case is red (not Blue as in USA), catalog is VICJ-61291~302. Issued in 2005.
     
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  19. Zeki

    Zeki Forum Resident

    Just was listening to Bill Evans today and then spotted this thread. I'll have to put it on "watch".
     
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  20. SOONERFAN

    SOONERFAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norman, Oklahoma
    What are the thoughts on the Japan SHM-SACD Bill Evans releases from several years ago?
     
  21. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    Great one.

    Some excellent Bill Evans on the following 2 recordings, which I'd wager many haven't heard but they are worthy of investigation, little gems (and on these Evans is truly in a sideman role but gets plenty of exposure):

    [​IMG]
    McKusick is sorely under-appreciated for both his alto sax work and his arranging, and this one, maybe his finest album overall, also features Art Farmer on some tracks.

    And:
    [​IMG]
    Nice piano/vibes quartet. Evans digs in pretty hard on this one, matching Pike's fiery vibes work.
     
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  22. SOONERFAN

    SOONERFAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norman, Oklahoma
    Anyone. How do they compare to the XRCD and DCC releases? Close or no contest with one being much better then the other (better tapes, mastering, etc.)?
     
  23. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    This is the "trio of the moment" (due to recent releases)
    [​IMG]
    This one probably the most famous:
    [​IMG]
    An important duo:
    [​IMG]
    ... He had great working units throughout his career.

    Tell us which one do you think was the best. And if possible why.
     
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  24. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    See if this helps,

    Bill Evans Trio members:
    Teddy Kotick (bass, 1956, 1966),
    Paul Motian(drums, 1956, 1959-62, 1963),
    Sam Jones (bass, 1958),
    Philly Joe Jones (drums, 1958-59, 1967, 1978),
    Paul Chambers(bass, 1959),
    Scott LaFaro (bass, 1959-61),
    Chuck Israels(bass, 1961-66),
    Gary Peacock (bass, 1963),
    Larry Bunker(drums, 1963-65),
    Eddie Gómez (bass, 1966-77),
    Arnold Wise(drums, 1966, 1968),
    Shelly Manne (drums, 1966),
    Alex Riel(drums, 1966),
    Joe Hunt (drums, 1967),
    Jack DeJohnette(drums, 1968),
    John Dentz (drums, 1968),
    Marty Morell(drums, 1968-74, 1975),
    Tony Oxley (drums, 1972),
    Eliot Zigmund (drums, 1975-77),
    Michael Moore (bass, 1978),
    Marc Johnson (bass, 1979-80),
    Joe La Barbera (drums, 1979-80)

    As for working units I favor his trios by far. And although there are albums I like in all his trios (probably even more than with the following trio), I'll pick this one:
    The last trio with Marc Johnson and Joe Labarbera.
    [​IMG]
    It all came together with those two. It fells that Bill let him self go. He was playing with his heart open, and that was only possible because he felt truly comfortable with those two.
     
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  25. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    Thank you for posting that, I never heard it, wonderful just wonderful.
    What album is it from?
     

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