Piano Player [Original recording remastered]

Bill Evans | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 1, 1998)
• Original Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000ADGB
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,406 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. All About Rosie [3rd Section][#][*]

2. My Funny Valentine [Live]

3. Vierd Blues

4. Besame Mucho

5. Mornin' Glory [#][*]

6. Django [#][*]

7. Waltz for Debby [#][*]

8. T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune) [#][*]

9. Comrade Conrad [#][*]

10. Gone with the Wind [#][*]

11. Fun Ride [#][*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This compilation showcases Bill Evans in a variety of settings, including a 1957 session with the George Russell Orchestra and a live recording of the pianist accompanying Miles Davis on "My Funny Valentine." Not surprisingly, both performances display the young Evans as a consummate sideman. While this collection has two forgettable tracks from a session with vibraphonist Dave Pike, it is redeemed by the previously unreleased selections featuring Evans with his long-time bassist, Eddie Gomez. These six duets were recorded in 1970 and show the duo in fine form and total musical empathy. The disc closes with a moving performance by The Bill Evans Trio with Gomez and drummer Marty Morell. This disc can serve as a fine introduction to this vastly influential pianist. --Mitch Myers

Product Description

2008 Japanese Blu-Spec CD pressing of this classic album. The Blue Spec format takes Blu-ray disc technology to create CD's which are compatible with normal CD players but provides ultra high quality sound. Sony. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unique, but mainly for Evans completists, July 3, 2004

By 

JayMusic "jaymusic" (NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano Player (Audio CD)

This is one of SONY/Columbia Legacy releases that combines material on that label from a few sources: selections recorded under Bill's name in his short association with Columbia, tracks from a Dave Pike (vibes) album, one from Miles Davis' "Live at The Plaza" and an alternate "All About Rosie" from an early George Russell Orchestra setting.

There is much material here that's very strong, but Evans scholars may debate, as they have before, regarding the inclusion of some of the works-in-progress duo tracks with Eddie Gomez. According to the bassist's touching essay in the liner notes, these tracks were "recorded rehearsals" from November 1970 and were done five months before the trio of that time, with drummer Marty Morrell, would record all Evans-penned compositions for what became "The Bill Evans Album" in 1971 on Columbia (a previously unreleased "Fun Ride" from those dates is included here).

We hear John Lewis' standard"Django" in an extended outing with Evans and Gomez not yet quite settled in, as they work through various tempos, but Bill's lightning -fast chops are evident throughout. Gomez' on electric bass on "Morning Glory", by his own admission, was probably a weak experiment, especially considering his amazing prowess on the acoustic. The other tunes, including "Comrade Conrad", "Waltz for Debby" and "T.T.T" -- all of which would appear on the upcoming Columbia release -- show Bill and Eddie in lively interplay, with Evans on the Rhodes electric piano here and there, and though just working through arrangements, they're nonetheless fair, yet incomplete and experimental representations of this period in their careers.

That being said, tthere is still interesting playing here to satisfy even non-hardcore Evans fans. A highlight is the Miles Davis "My Funny Valentine" (with just Miles and the rhythm section, sans Coltrane and Cannonball), taken from the "Jazz at the Plaza" performance in 1958, and hithertofore unreleased. Although a less than satisfactory recording quality gets in the way -- almost a "fake" sounding stereo spread is evident -- we get to hear 'live' Bill Evans with Miles in a intriguing intro to this well-worn standard; a staple in the Davis repertoire for years to come.

Also quite exciting is this alternate "All About Rosie" solo from George Russell's compositional suite done at a Brandeis University concert in the late 50s, which is no less stunning than the one Evans fans are quite familiar with.

Most of these other tracks are worthwhile --and for Evans completists, and perhaps jazz historians, all the more interesting.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Career sampler with previously unreleased material, January 2, 2010

By 

James A. Vedda (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano Player (Audio CD)

The music collected here spans 14 years of Bill Evans' career, including a couple of occasions as a sideman. It's not a "best of" album, since eight of the 11 tracks were unreleased prior to this 1998 compilation. The only theme that can be ascribed to the album - reinforced by the liner notes of producer Orrin Keepnews - is "here's a bunch of great Bill Evans recordings we found."

That's not to say this CD isn't well worth having, especially at the low price listed as of this writing. Evans fans will get six tracks of duets with bassist Eddie Gomez, recorded in 1970, and a trio version of "Fun Ride" that includes Gomez, from 1971. (Gomez contributed a heartfelt essay about his time with Evans to the informative booklet insert.) There are also two tunes with Evans backing up vibraphonist Dave Pike in 1962, a live performance of "My Funny Valentine" with Miles Davis in 1958, and even an innovative piece by the George Russell jazz orchestra featuring a dynamic Evans solo.

Evans fans undoubtedly will enjoy this collection. The write-up on the back of the CD case says that this album is "also a first-rate introduction" to the work of Bill Evans. Whether that's true or not will depend on the listener. A good alternative introduction is Ultimate Bill Evans.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Still worth a collection, June 11, 2002

By 

Rizki Sewaka (Jakarta, DKI Indonesia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano Player (Audio CD)

If you love 'The Bill Evans Album' then this is worth a complement collection of that. You will never hear the real''Fun ride'' (unreleased song in 'The Bill Evans album''), but only on this album.