Sunday at the Village Vanguard (20 Bit Mastering) [Live, Original recording remastered]

Bill Evans | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 27, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1961
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Original recording remastered
• Label: Riverside
• ASIN: B00005QY2Q
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,071 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving music, monumental musicians: marvelous, July 16, 2003

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sunday at the Village Vanguard (20 Bit Mastering) (Audio CD)

If bassist Scott LaFaro had not been killed in an auto accident ten days after this long recording session in 1961, one wonders what tunes Bill Evans would have put on this record, and whether that resulting album would have attained the fame of this one. Evans selected the tunes that LaFaro was prominently involved in for this release, which came a few months after the tragedy. Songs on which Evans himself dominated were left for the companion LP, "Waltz for Debbie." If you even think you like "piano jazz" you should own both CD's. Evans is of course, a magical pianist. LaFaro was taken before he could step out and be a leader, but who knows...had he lived, he might be as famous as Charles Mingus. The remaining member of the trio, Paul Motian, on drums, doesn't get the solo spotlight much, but his presence is essential to the overall success of these performances. The tunes on this disc are not instantly recognized standards, but the sounds coming through the speakers, (or better yet, headphones) are wonderful. There were many good pianists, and good trios or quartets, during the 1946-'66 heyday of classic jazz, but Evans, Monk and Brubeck are the cream. Very distinct artists, with widely divergent styles, but all three need to be in one's collection. And for Bill Evans', this CD and "Waltz for Debbie" are where you should begin.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scott Lafaro was the greatest, April 19, 2003

By 

William Scott "mybad" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sunday at the Village Vanguard (20 Bit Mastering) (Audio CD)

Scott Lafaro's Playing on this record is perhaps his best ever, it is neither clunky nor hysterical. It is some of the most agile and artistic music ever played, tragically he died 10 days later. This trio was one of Bill Evan's favorites, if not the favorite (from biography) he struggled to release recording as quickly as possible, as a tribute to Lafaro, so everyone could hear the height of this musical achievment. This record is about Lafaro, to fast forward through his solos would be a crime. What some people don't understand is that the piano need not be the only focal point in a trio, it doesn't need to be solo piano with bass and drums. The concept here is where everyone in the trio is improvising in a more abstract way, playing off and around each other. The interplay is truly sublime, Paul Motian sounds great, Scott Lafaro sounds great, not only virtuostic, but also meaningful and with a well thought out timbre. I haven't ever heard a trio with this depth of musical thought. Keith Jarrett gets close, but this is where he is coming from. Too bad Lafaro didn't have a long carreer, or maybe this would be the concept people think of first. This is my favorite recording.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oh My Goodness!, January 7, 2005

By 

Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sunday at the Village Vanguard (20 Bit Mastering) (Audio CD)

Recorded on 6/25/61, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian were one of the defining jazz trios of all time, and this is a fantastic album.

Right away you're seeing 4 stars and wondering why... especially if you've heard this one before. For me it comes down to one thing: the bass solos. I'm just not a huge fan of them here. LaFaro was an incredible bass player! I just think his best moments occur when everyone else is also playing. The way he and Bill counter each other is a thing of indescribable beauty. It's not even that the bass solos are "bad", it's just that when the entire trio is playing together I don't want it to stop. Everything moves and flows and undulates so wonderfully (as a trio) that it is a let-down when in every tune there comes 2 or 2.5 minutes of bass soloing which isn't nearly as interesting as when the whole trio was playing together.

That is the whole thing for me. The quality of this recording is so good... Bill's playing is gorgeous... Motian is right there for all of it... LaFaro's basslines are so interactive, just weaving life in and around everything the other two are playing... I just don't want that to stop. So when it does, it's a lull for a couple minutes, then they all get back down to business.

Don't even begin to consider skipping over this disc, though! This was an incredible band and every tune here is a winner. The performances are even better than the tunes! This is an essential purchase.