Recorded on November 29, 1979
Bill Evans died less than a year after making these recordings in Paris -- but there's no diminishment in his playing. Quite the opposite: He seems energized and expressive. Clearly, Evans was inspired by bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe LaBarbera.
Over time, this trio has come to be seen as one of Evans' great trios, on par with the legendary group with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. Although the trio existed for a relatively brief period of time, they made some terrific music together. From this listener's perspective, none of their work surpasses these recordings from Paris.
More Bill Evans
Selected favorites from the 1970s:
- Since We Met (Fantasy, 1974)
- Intuition (Fantasy, 1974)
- Blue in Green: The Concert in Canada (Milestone, 1974)
- I Will Say Goodbye (Fantasy, 1977)
- You Must Believe in Spring (Warner Brothers, 1977)
- New Conversations (Warner Brothers, 1978)
It's hard to find a bad Bill Evans album, especially considering that much of his later work were live recordings of overlapping repertoire. There's something to be said for artists who can play the same tunes throughout a career. Monk is probably the pianist who made the most of playing his own tunes; Bill Evans relied upon some originals and a set of familiar standards.
ReplyDeleteLive sessions often succeed or fail on the basis of recording quality. These Paris recordings are first rate. Not as pristine as the many Jarrett performances, but intimate and engaging. Highly recommended.