Customer Reviews

Artist's Choice: Highlights From Turn Out Stars

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Listening to Evans' playing during the final year of his life--from "The Paris Concert" to "Last Waltz"--borders on the obsessive. I keep waiting for some tell-tale signs of flagging inspiration, failing technique, physical fatigue and submission to "auto-pilot" or settling for something less than all-out creativity night after night. But it doesn't happen. Each of the albums that I've heard during this period argues for inclusion among the urgent and indispensable statements that comprise his stirring valedictory. Perhaps at a more leisurely moment I'll line up all of the career-end recordings of "Turn Out the Stars" or "Laurie" or ""I Do It for Your Love" and feel competent to make definitive choices among them. But the man's playing is at such a high and consistent level that such choices must necessarily amount to splitting hairs. The only reason not to consider purchase of this album is that it includes only the introductory unaccompanied piano portion of "Nardis," ending the album on a note that is anticlimactic if not disquieting. In fact, I would have gladly sacrificed the somewhat frenzied treatment of "Like Someone in Love" for a complete version of "Nardis."

The tracks collected on this CD represent Evans' handpicked selections for a double LP origianally scheduled to be released in the latter part of 1908. Evans died on September 15 of the same year (3 months after this music was recorded). His choices, as reflected in the notes of Malcom Addey, who did the original mixing and editing for the planned project, were revealed during the research phase leading up to the 6 CD box, Turn Out the Stars. The tracks are take from that set.

If you can't afford the boxed set, here is a flavor of one of jazz's great pianist. Thanks for the your gift of music, Bill, wherever you are?

Beautiful. I am addicted to Bill Evans.
The energy of the group is superb! We are so lucky to
hear this from the best of the best!!!

Perhaps My Favorite favorite Bill Evans' CD of all time, even my favotire piano trio album of all time.
If you only have enough money to buy one CD of Bill Evans, go for this!