The Secret Sessions [Box set, Live]

Bill Evans | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 1996)
• Original Release Date: November 15, 1996
• Number of Discs: 8
• Format: Box set, Live
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Milestone
• ASIN: B000000XRN
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,539 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Boxset for Any Bill Evans Fan, August 17, 2000

By 

x (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Sessions (Audio CD)

Bill Evans was a master musician and a wonderful performer, but he had his fair share of personal issues to deal with and, unfortunately, he left the world much too soon. His performances on "The Secret Sessions" are unequivocally my favorite that ever have been released under his name. Ironically, he did not know that someone in the audience was taping him for these sessions. But, amazingly, that provided the perfect context for recording this rather gentle, beautiful spirit, because his "official" albums always sounded too self-conscious. Having these performances taped without his knowledge gives the listener the exact feeling of what it must have been like to hear him play on any given night. And the results are sublime--Bill Evans is such a passionate, soulful, sagacious player and improviser that you will be continually amazed at the decisions he makes on the piano.

Don't worry about the sound quality--it is actually excellent on all of the discs. Buy this to hear and enjoy the REAL Bill Evans.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars put aside any pre-conceptions, January 20, 2003

By 

Brian Whistler (Forestville, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret Sessions (Audio CD)

Bill Evans was often pigeonholed as a neo-romantic pianist who favored ballads. He was criticized for sounding like a "cocktail pianist" and generally not thought of as a high energy player. These live recordings show another side to this master of harmony and time displacement. There is a rhythmic drive not present in much of his studio work. It is improvised music of the highest caliber, displaying the usual Evans discipline, yet at the same time wildly visceral and spontaneous, filled with the joyful abandon of a master artist at the full peak of his powers.

The recordings being bootlegs, the quality is lacking. The piano is too far back and has a certain brittleness that sometimes detracts from the Evans tone, usually so gorgeous and bell-like. The drums are up front which can be overpowering at times, but we're not talking about an audiophile recording here. It's what's being played that's so amazing. Forget the imperfections: this is essential listening for anyone with a passion for Evans' singular musical vision.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars for hardcore evans fans only, June 18, 2002

By 

Truthseeker (New London, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Sessions (Audio CD)

Make no mistake about it, these are bootleg recordings and they are of fairly raw sound quality. The piano is often boomy and distorted, the drums scratchy and the bass inaudible. There's also a lot of crowd noise (on the first disc there's a guy with a particularly "productive" cough). If you can tolerate all this, and you're going to need to be an Evans fanatic to do so, these are interesting recordings, but their interest is more archival than musical, I think.