BILL EVANS: CALIFORNIA HERE I COME

Performer: Bill Evans, piano; Eddie Gómez, double bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums
Artist: Bill Evans
Number of discs: 2
Barcode: 0199957337496
Label: Verve Vault
Format: LP
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2026

A much-loved live album by jazz piano icon Bill Evans is set to be reissued. The latest addition to the Verve Vault Series, Verve’s all-analogue reissue programme brings classic titles back to life, mastered from the original tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed on 180-gram vinyl.

The title may be a little misleading, as Evans recorded California, Here I Come not on the West Coast, but in New York. The album brings together recordings from two evenings at the legendary Village Vanguard in 1967, six years after his two highly regarded Riverside releases recorded at the same venue, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. It represents an important chapter in Evans’ history with the Vanguard, one of the most legendary venues in the world of jazz.

Performing in a rare trio lineup with Eddie Gómez on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, Evans brings his accessible yet virtuosic touch to 15 tracks. The selection includes standards such as “'Round Midnight”, “In a Sentimental Mood” and “Stella by Starlight”, as well as the Bacharach/David classic “Alfie”, a new addition to his repertoire at the time. The tracklist opens with “California, Here I Come”, the pop standard by Bud DeSylva, Joseph Meyer and Al Jolson, originally featured in the Broadway production Bombo, starring Jolson, from which the album takes its title.

California, Here I Come was first released in 1982, two years after Evans’ death. The album captures a giant of jazz at the height of his expressive freedom, joining forces with other talented musicians to create an engaging bridge between the familiar and the exploratory. It serves as a reminder of why Evans is considered one of the most popular and influential jazz pianists in history, able to combine a brilliant understanding of music theory with a friendly, conversational approach to the instrument.

LP 1 – Side A

1. California Here I Come
2. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
3. Turn Out the Stars
4. Stella by Starlight

LP 1 – Side B

1. You're Gonna Hear from Me
2. In a Sentimental Mood
3. G Waltz
4. Green Dolphin Street

LP 2 – Side A

1. Gone with the Wind
2. If You Could See Me Now
3. Alfie
4. Very Early

LP 2 – Side B

1. 'Round Midnight
2. Emily
3. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams