The BILL EVANS thread

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

  1. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    Peace peace brother.
    Nothing but beautiful music awaits you. It's my romance in music. My foolish heart loves his sound.
    You have time to get into Bill. What are you doing for the rest of your life?

    In a Sentimental mood I'll say goodbye, I know we'll be together again brother.
     
  2. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    Stumbled on this last week:

    [​IMG]
    It happened to be in good shape, and it's the oldest Bill E. record I have.

    Enjoyed it right away, and while Shelly's a favorite of mine, I'd never heard Monty Budwig before.

    I've been in a Bill mood for a while anyway, and it's always great to hear something new. I didn't know Empathy existed until I saw it and picked it up.
     
  3. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    nice to find a mono version!
     
  4. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    That's the Discogs pic, but mine is the same, although it has a hole punch in the left corner.
     
  5. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    Nice thread - I'm going to have to spend some time in it. Like perhaps many it started with Kind of Blue - Blue in Green - I obsessed on that song - hey honey come listen to this etc. Just played it all the time. Looking into it I find Bill Evans - which was cool as I had one of his albums already and I really liked it:

    We will meet again
    [​IMG]

    I didn't realize it was his last studio album - I just really liked it.

    I then picked up a used vinyl copy of Trio 64 - at a local (rip off) record shop for 25.00 - found out I picked up a really nice version of it.

    [​IMG]

    So I listened to these albums for a while - then decided - hey I should read the liner notes (too often I simply place the album on and listen) - and read the centerfold on Trio 64 - wow what a read - and then read more and more finding out how sad my first album really was. Listening to it in this context really changed things.

    I then watched the Evan's documentary and immediately bought:

    The live village vanguard boxset on vinyl:

    [​IMG]

    I'm still enjoying it - just a couple more albums to go.

    Tonight I just placed an order for:

    [​IMG]

    So that is where I'm at.

    Thanks for reading.
     
  6. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    We have all seen this image, famous on the Bill Evans & Jim Hall album

    But did you know that it was taken in 1947, when Evans was just out of high school?


    Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida, 1947. Photo by Toni Frissell.

    [​IMG]

    Weeki Wachee was a tourist park, where you paid a fee to see mermaids. It is still operating

    Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

    That particular "mermaid", if she is still swimming, is in her mid to late 90's


    web info



    “Weeki Wachee” was named by the Seminole Indians. It means “little spring” or “winding river.” The spring is so deep that the bottom has never been found. Each day, more than 117 million gallons of clear, fresh 74-degree water bubbles up out of subterranean caverns. Deep in the spring, the surge of the current is so strong that it can knock a scuba diver’s mask off. The basin of the spring is 100 feet wide with limestone sides and there, where the mermaids swim, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a strong five miles an hour. It’s quite a feat for a mermaid to stay in one place in such a current. Flowing from the spring, the Weeki Wachee River winds its way 12 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.

    NEWTON PERRY
    In 1946, Newton Perry, a former U.S. Navy man who trained Navy Frogmen to swim underwater in World War II, scouted out Weeki Wachee as a good site for a new business. At the time, U.S. 19 was a small two-lane road. All the other roads were dirt; there were no gas stations, no groceries, and no movie theaters. More alligators and black bears lived in the area than humans.

    Sadly, the spring was full of old rusted refrigerators and abandoned cars. The junk was cleared and Newt experimented with underwater breathing hoses and invented a method of breathing underwater from a free-flowing air hose supplying oxygen from an air compressor, rather than from a tank strapped to the back. With the air hose, humans could give the appearance of thriving twenty feet underwater with no breathing apparatus.

    Submerged six feet below the water’s surface, an 18-seat theater was built into the limestone so viewers could look right into the natural beauty of the ancient spring.

    Newt scouted out pretty girls and trained them to swim with air hoses and smile at the same time. He taught them to drink Grapette, a non-carbonated beverage, eat bananas underwater and do aquatic ballets. He then put a sign out on U.S. 19 that read: WEEKI WACHEE. And on October 13, 1947, the first show at the Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened. It was the same day that Kukla, Fran and Ollie first aired on that newfangled invention called television, and one day before Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. On that day, the mermaids performed synchronized ballet moves underwater while breathing through the air hoses hidden in the scenery.

    However, in those days, cars were few along U.S. 19. When the girls heard a car coming, they ran to the road in their bathing suits to beckon drivers into the parking lot, just like sirens of ancient lore lured sailors to their sides. Then they jumped into the spring to perform.

    In the 1950s, Weeki Wachee was one of the nation’s most popular tourist stops. The attraction received worldwide acclaim. Movies were filmed at the spring, like Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. Sights at the park included the mermaid shows, orchid gardens, jungle cruises, and Indian encampment and a new beach. The mermaids took etiquette and ballet lessons.
     
  7. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Portugal
    After playing some of these recent releases by Bill Evans going back to an album like explorations is just...

    Love most of his albums, but there are some that connect directly to my heart and mind. Explorations is surely one of those.

    1961 such an extraordinary year of recordings - February Explorations, some months later the Village Vanguard shows.

    These two talked to each other thru musical notes.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    Note the inclusion of "Your Story"

    [​IMG]
     
  9. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    I’m really digging Undercurrent recently, but I don’t own the album on CD. I’m streaming it from Tidal. Reading through a few threads here, it seems there is not consensus on the best digital version for this album. I’m not even sure I understand which releases got remixed.
    I hope this is the right place to ask this question.
     
  10. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    I would just get one with the extra takes and not worry about it.
     
    albertop likes this.
  11. Bill007

    Bill007 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boynton Beach, Fla
    I am not a sophisticated jazz fan but I know what I like. I have several Bill Evan’s Cds and they are all beautiful and an important part of the varied genres of my record collection.
     
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  12. yasujiro

    yasujiro Senior Member

    Location:
    tokyo
    Basically there are 3 versions.
    The 1986 mastering. Only available on the Toshiba BT.
    The 1988 mastering by Malcolm Addey.
    The 2002 mastering by Ron McMaster.
     
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  13. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Thanks but I’m already able to stream the album on Tidal without worrying too much. Now I wish to own the best sounding digital version :)

    I’ve read that some prefer the old masterings while others are fine with the 2002 release. Any major differences? Thanks!
     
  14. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    That is just a good demonstration that you should not rely on reviews but only on your own ears.
     
  15. yasujiro

    yasujiro Senior Member

    Location:
    tokyo
    If you have a system that reproduces low frequency down below 100Hz, the 1986 mastering is the only one to get.
    It would be another world.
     
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  16. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Thanks, which one do you prefer? Is it much better than the others?
     
  17. yasujiro

    yasujiro Senior Member

    Location:
    tokyo
    The 1986 does not cut the tremendous low frequency info of the master, while the others do.
     
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  18. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    To rely on my ears I would need to purchase three CDs, mmmhh no thanks :)

    Thanks. Sounds good and I’ll look for this release!
     
    Mugrug12 likes this.
  19. lazydawg58

    lazydawg58 Know enough to know how much I don't know

    Location:
    Lillington NC
    I'm out of my wheelhouse when it comes to jazz, but as I've gotten older I've become more and more drawn to it. I recently watched the 2015 documentary and was was fascinated with Evans story. I enjoy crate digging and while there doesn't seem to be an abundance of jazz out in the wild I have picked up a few that included him as a sideman. I'll definitely scoop up anything in decent condition that crosses my path with his name on it.
     
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  20. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    The only copy of the 1986 CD that I see in acceptable condition is $80. Missing the outtakes.
     
  21. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Well, that could be a problem. I’ll look into it, but am definitely looking for something cheaper.
     
  22. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    The 2002 USA CD has four extra tracks. Two are alternate takes and two are compositions not issued on the original LP (or on the 1986 Japan CD). To me, that makes it a must even if you have the 1986 Japan CD.

    My original comment was based on the many times I have purchased a disc based on statements that it was a sound upgrade, only to find, to my ears, it was either a virtual tie or even worse. I usually do synchronized A/B comparisons.

    You may luck out someday and find the 1986 Japan CD for $40 or so, but that may take some time. You still should have those extra tracks, especially the new compositions (Stairway to the Stars, I'm Getting Sentimental)
     
  23. KeninDC

    KeninDC Hazy Cosmic Jive

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    Cool article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about Bill Evans. Basic point was how he could both lead and accompany, bringing out the best in others. Interplay.
     
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  24. frightwigwam

    frightwigwam Talented Amateur

    Location:
    Oregon
    The 2002 has a 13 DR, so it’s not brickwalled, if you’re concerned about that.
     
  25. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    I guess that the 2002 CD is what I’m currently streaming from Tidal, it has the extra tracks as you mentioned and they are a nice addition.
     
    Mugrug12 likes this.

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