![]() ![]() What …Spring does best is showcase Evans’ exceptional talent for interpreting and reimagining jazz standards. They combine best here on Johnny Mandel’s “Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)”, with Elliot Zigmund completing the line-up on drums. The album was a huge success and won two Grammy Awards.Ī posthumous release, this was Bill Evans’ last recording with Puerto Rican double bassist Eddie Gómez, ending a productive eleven-year working relationship between the pair. Previous Evans favourites “Five” and “Peri’s Scope” are also resurrected here with new arrangements. “For All We Know (We May Never Meet Again” packs an emotional punch, especially posthumously, while nobody would have known at the time that the closing title track would be Evans’ ultimate farewell. “Laurie”, named after his final girlfriend, is lush and lyrical, while “Only Child” invokes nostalgia and introspection. Evans and his quintet take the listener on a magical one-hour journey with songs that feel instantly familiar and warm (“Bill’s Hit Tune”), and nostalgic (the opener “Comrade Conrad”). Evans’ last (and ultimately final) quintet welcomed back bassist Marc Johnson and Larry Schneider from the Affinity sessions, adding in Tom Harrell on trumpet and Joe LaBarbera on drums. Also, check out the haunting and memorable “A Sleeping Bee”.īill Evans’ final studio record was recorded shortly after his older brother Harry tragically took his life at the age of 52. Yes, even “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, which ends Side One. Recorded at New York City’s Webster Hall a week before Christmas, the album showcases Evans’ natural ability to turn any track into a jazz standard. Whilst LaFaro’s tight basslines could not be matched, Motian’s drumming helps to make up for it with impeccable timing behind Gary Peacock’s compact basslines. The album also signalled the final time Evans would team up with longtime drummer Paul Motian. At the time, Evans was still reeling from the death of Scott LaFaro. Despite being recorded in the middle of what some view as a difficult ‘mid-career’ period, the album lies comfortably with the best of his Trio records. Often overlooked, Trio 64 is a very underrated inclusion in Bill Evans’ discography. ![]() Today, we revisit the 10 albums that put Bill Evans on the jazz map forever. His mature style, nuanced touch and widely imitated sound have left an indelible mark on the jazz landscape. Evans had depth in a way no other jazz musician did. What stands out most about listening to his records today is the emotional breadth his piano reaches. Bill Evans’ greatest talent was his unparalleled ability to convey emotion through his music. ![]()
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