BILL EVANS: THE BILL EVANS ALBUM

Performer: Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, Marty Morrell
Composer: Bill Evans
Number of discs: 1
Barcode: 4260019715074
Label: Speakers Corner
Format: LP
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2016
Reference: SC-CS30855
Available from: 2016-02-01

The powerful Columbia record label recorded and released only two albums with the great pianist Bill Evans, a remarkably limited output considering the countless concerts Evans’ new trio performed around the world between 1969 and 1974. Together with the phenomenal double bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morrell, Evans formed a stable trio that was even better than its predecessor.

During this period, Evans began to explore the considerable technical and expressive possibilities of the Fender Rhodes electric piano, which he used for the first time on The Bill Evans Album. One of the most interesting aspects of this album is that the entire programme consists of compositions written by Evans, three of which had already been recorded previously and four of which were newly composed.

Among them, particular mention should be made of the melancholic “Two Lonely People”, in which Evans set a poem by Carol Hall to music, as well as “Sugar Plum” and “T.T.T.”, both of which remained part of Evans’ repertoire until the final years of his career. Another unusual but highly recommended track is “Waltz for Debby”, which begins with an improvised introduction on electric piano to Bill Evans’ most famous composition, the celebrated “Waltz for Debby”.

The excellent technical equipment available at Columbia’s recording studio was put to the best possible use by Evans, even though the ensemble consisted of only three musicians. This also explains why the seven tracks on this album offer sound quality that is considerably better than that of most other live recordings made by the Bill Evans Trio. And, as Evans himself stated on more than one occasion, it was with this trio that he was able to fulfil all of his musical ambitions.

Recorded in May and June 1971 at CBS’s 30th Street Studio in New York by Pete Weiss, with Helen Keane as producer.

Tracklist

Funkallero
The Two Lonely People
Sugar Plum
Waltz For Debby
T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune)
Re: Person I Knew
Comrade Conrad