Customer Reviews

Live at Town Hall

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'd consider this the high point of Bill Evans' years as a Verve recording artist in the mid-1960s. The only official release of his trio with drummer Arnold Wise, they sound unusually upbeat, and Bill is in top form here in this NYC 1966 concert. The best reason to buy the CD however, may just be the extended solo performance, dedicated to his father who had just passed away (he plays his own compositions, "Story Line" --a reworked "Re: Person I Knew", "Turn Out the Stars" --, and the impressionistic and haunting "Prologue" and "Epilog".)
His versions of "Who Can I Turn To" and "Spring is Here", just to name two, are among the best -known jazz treatments of these standards. Bill Evans virtually defined jazz piano in the sixties and beyond, and this is one of the very best examples from the middle period in his career. As opposed to a number of his other Verve releases, the sound is superb, and you can hear all the interplay, the fun, and the fierce concentration of these guys beautifully recorded. Get on over to the checkout page, you can't go wrong with this one.

This album is Bill's last album with bassist Chuck Israel's. It is a live date recorded in Febuary of 1966 with Arnie Wise at the drums. This concert was supposed to have a second dics of tunes with the Evans trio and a big band but all involed felt the big band material was under parr for release. Never the less this record is superb. The first cut I Should Care, which originally appeared on How my Heart Sings has blossemed from that first recording into a tour de force due to six years of playing gigs around the globe. The ending is my favorite part very tight. We also get the solo piano piece song for my father which is actually three evans originals in a suite form,one of these originals being Turn Out the Stars which this album marks its first recorded apperance. The solo piano suite is very beautiful with strong ties to bill's classical piano roots,especially the begining. The album has a very good live recorded sound. This is verve's best representation of the "Bill Evans Sound" There are extended workouts from bassist and drummer. Overall this record is one worth the price of a disc so get it now!

Bill Evans showed several different aspects of his talent and music sense through his career. This album, the Town Hall Concert, certainly contains one of those aspects. Although this album was recorded in front of many audiences in the concert at Town Hall, he didn't show concert play that can be heard in other live recordings such as "At Montreux Jazz Festival" or "Jazzhus Montmartre". (This may have been related to the death of his father.) Then, you might think it is like other solo albums of his such as "Alone" or "Easy to Love". However, this album is not like those, either, because Bill Evans certainly talks to the audience's hearts. After 36 years since this recording, this is still true. Listen to "Solo (In Memory Of His Father)". If you really love this pianist, he will touch your heart each time you listen to this album.

Back in 1972 when I lived in Lewistown.Pa. I found this album in a five and ten cents store(remember those stores?}
for a pityful sum of two dollars! It was in the old high
fidelty mode (monophonic) but I didn't care. The piece that affected me was "Solo". It reached down inside and brought up some old memories of family. My mom died in 1979 and the work, "Solo" came to mind. Buy this album.

What strikes me most intensely about this album is that the recording of Spring is Here is heartbreaking. Its feigned indifference is unusually powerful. My Foolish Heart is remarkable as well, sultry yet emotional. By comparison, I Should Care, Who Can I Turn To, and Make Someone Happy are so-so. For me, the other two pieces, written by Evans, were unimportant. The Solo piece takes up over 13 minutes.

If you have never heard this record, GET IT NOW! This record moved me tremendously upon the first listenings. The playing is so beautiful and so effortless sounding. Bill's soloing is amazing. It took me 3 or 4 months to begin to cop all the intricate rythymical movement, the unique approach to comp, the tight chord voicings, the collective improv of the group... this record made me listen to music in a new way. One of my very favorite jazz records.