By Way Of Contrast
Like (I suspect) most people, my first exposure to Bill Evans was on Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue. He quit the band soon after that recording, crumbling under the pressure from the rest of the band who didn’t take well to Davis introducing a white piano player. History has passed judgement on that. This recording dates from a couple of years later, a day’s recording at the Village Vanguard. Aside from being Evans’ best known, the two albums* cut from that session were the last recordings of Scott LaFaro (also of Ornette Coleman’s quartet) who died in a car crash shortly afterwards. LaFaro’s bass solos across the session are brilliant but it’s Bill Evans’ light, chiming touch that keeps me coming back to it.
Bill Evans Trio - Gloria’s Step (take 2)
*Sunday At The Village Vanguard and Waltz For Debby but if you’re likely to buy them both, don’t piss about - just get the three disc set of The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings 1961
September 8th, 2006 at 12:27 am
Went to the Vanguard the last time I was in New York. It’s teeny tiny and pretty seedy. I saw Paul Motian’s band and though he was great and blatantly the best thing in the group, it was a bit ruined by the presence of two guitarists. A lil bit of jazz guitar goes a long way, and have duelling geetars onstage was a lot further than a long way…