Customer Reviews

Since We Met

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This album captures the best Bill Evans Trio (Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums) at the peak of their creative powers in a jaw-dropping performance. This is an absolutely flawless gem, musically. Bill plays like an angel. I have listened to this album well over 1000 times since I first bought it back in the mid-seventies. I wore out 2 vinyl records - fortunately I bought a 3rd, which I still treasure! I also enjoy the CD. This is a live album, recorded at the Village Vanguard. The recording quality is not the best; however, the music itself immediately transcends the limitations of the recording setup, grabs you by your soul and never lets go. Each exceedingly lovely piece is an inexhaustible mine of pure gold. I am constantly delighted. I had the great good fortune of meeting and chatting with Bill Evans at a couple of his concerts. I consider that I met the greatest pianist who has ever lived. His playing, especially as evidenced on this album, places him virtually alone at the summit of jazz-piano artistry. He reaches inside you and touches the deepest recesses of your heart. The opening solo piano work on 'Since We Met' floors me; the depth of feeling on 'Time Remembered' brings tears to my eyes; 'Sareen Jurer' flows like a river of... well, you get the idea. This must be what it sounds like in heaven. Buy this album NOW.

P.S. There is a Japanese-issued digitally remastered version of this album available on Amazon that I have also reviewed:

Since We Met [LIVE] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] [IMPORT]

This is found by typing into the Amazon search engine: Since We Met Bill Evans

Now, there is also an inferior import version available, so don't be confused. The superior one, which is the one I'm talkin 'bout, is the Japanese remaster at a cool $32.99 -- and worth every penny!

THIS is the version to buy as the sound quality is just outstanding!

Much has been made of the first great trio led by pianist Bill Evans, the one with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. Indeed, this trio revolutionized the piano trio format, using bass as an equal melodic and rhythmic contribution. With LaFaro's death, though, the Evans trio backed off a bit from this approach, especially in the days with Chuck Israels in the bass chair. When Eddie Gomez joined in the late 60s, however, the level of interplay between piano and bass was brought back, though to a lesser extent, and in Philly Joe Jones, Evans had a drummer who could be a third contributing voice. This group unfortunately did not last, but Marty Morell, the drummer on the present album, was a very competent and complimentary drummer to Evans' and Gomez's interlocking lyricism.

In many ways, this album is more conservative than those albums from the groups where interplay was stressed. But in the place of amazing interaction is absolutely brilliant work from the leader; it seems like Evans was at his most pianistic when the rest of the band took a back seat. This album is like that, and though it wasn't the most groundbreaking (in fact if anything it was behind the times, recorded during the height of jazz-rock-fusion) it is one of the most beautiful. Evans' choice of tunes for this live set at the Village Vanguard is a stunning mix of gorgeous standards and originals. Most tunes feature rubato piano introductions that showcase how brilliant a pianist Evans was, and his presence is more commanding here than in anything he recorded before, including the classic Vanguard release with Scott LaFaro. Then when the band comes in, we get to hear the three swing with the best of them. Eddie Gomez is perhaps the most lyrical of all bass players; he has fluid technique and something about his tone and use of range pushes his soloing beyond the level of most bass solos. My favorite tune here is definitely Joe Zawinul's "Midnight Mood."

Bill Evans' success as an artist lies in how he was always able to be creative and interesting while remaining totally accessible to anyone. The music here will never be sonically offensive to anyone and is in fact quite beautiful on all levels. His beautiful, dynamic pianism impressed even my Chopin crazed female friend who didn't even like Keith Jarrett's "The Koln Concert." I am therefore convinced that even people fundamentally turned off by jazz will enjoy or at least be able to tolerate this music, and those who like jazz at any level will find this album stunningly beautiful. Plus, if you enjoy this, there is also "The Tokyo Concert" by the same group during roughly the same period, which is equally as good, and the studio album from three years later, "I Will Say Goodbye" is close.

Its funny because I was reading the book Everything Happens to Me a musical biography of pianist Bill Evans and the author seems to think that this album holds nothing exciting for the listener. Well I can't agree. I think the interplay on this live date from Jan 1973 at the Village Vanguard with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums is some of the best that has been captured on disc except for the classic Vanguard dics with the late Scott LaFaro. In comparison, I think Bill's playing had become more forceful. Personally my favorite tune on this record is the Cy Coleman song See-Saw. The arrangment that Bill has given it. The melody played in a light waltz and then solos in a hard presto four time,its neat to really listen to Eddie while he walks through the form,he is burning. The album also features such classic Bill songs such as Time Remembered and Turn Out The Stars. The title track Since We Met is also very good. The recording quality is not the best but I think the sound of the acoustic bass is awesome,by this time Eddie was using a pic up for his bass. The bottom line is that this record might not be the best starting point for someone new to the Bill Evans trio but then again maybe not. Get this record!

I previously reviewed the standard-issue CD, so those who read that review know that I consider this to be the best album of all time. I won't repeat myself here (just go to my other review), except in reference to my comment that (in the case of the standard-issue CD/LP) the "recording quality [was] not the best".

Well, forget all that here, my friends!

Break out the champagne, because Shigeo Miyamoto has digitally remastered the best album of all time using JVC's 20bit A/D converter with K2 interface. All I can say now is DOMO ARIGATO, MR. MIYAMOTO! What was (unfortunately) a fairly compressed and un-dynamic recording is now like a rose in full bloom. It has a solid sonic foundation that was previously M.I.A., so Eddie Gomez can give my subwoofer some real work to do! Talk about heft and punch -- all with Eddie's superlative velvet glove, that is! Add to that the full realization of the delicate, exquisite brush and stick work of Marty Morrel and this album becomes so much more the work of a trio of musical geniuses. Bill's angelic piano playing is still the crème de la crème, of course, and now that the recording has some real depth and weight its emotional impact is all the more intoxicating. I'm simply delirious!

The price may seem a bit steep, but we're talkin' the BILL EVANS TRIO here folks, in an absolute state of grace playing live at the Village Vanguard, in a recording that will transport you into a state of pure ecstasy! Add to this a bonus track not on the standard-issue CD/LP, a very upbeat and beautiful rendition of "Elsa", and this becomes the bargain of a lifetime. It is most worthy of any high-end audio system and true Bill Evans fan.

So open up those purse strings and grab this while it's still available!

Anytime I see a Bill Evans recording for sale that I don't own, I buy it immediately, even if it includes some of his rare live performances in the 70s that were poor recording quality and similar sounding. However, somehow this album slipped through the cracks of my collection, so I bought it. And what a delight this album is. It is the most refined example of this trio (Evans, Gomez, and Morell) that I know. Their playing is more likened to one person with six arms and feet than three separate players. Gomez is the most lyrical I've ever heard on this album, and Evans sounds like orchestrated shattering crystal. This album is great for seasoned fans AND beginner listeners.

Very good reviews have already been written about this record.

Once again Bill Evans proves how great pianist he is. This is truly one of his best records.....together with Waltz for Debbie and The Tokyo Concert. His Piano play is fantastic....

Most everything there is to say about Bill Evans has probably been said many times. There simply never has been nor will be a greater jazz pianist and composer than Bill Evans. This is one of the finet recordings in the repertoire but just one of many.

I'm agree that this album is ablosutely Jaw breaking performance, despite of funny cover. I First buy the cassete just to try this funny cover Jazz clasic, but since I play it on my car,,,, I thought that this is the only Jazz album I want to own ..if I must pick only one Jazz album to keep...., so I search for a CD..and ..fortunately I found it....it will be one of my treasures....You should have it