Search - Bill Evans :: Plays The Theme From V.I.P.'s and Others

Mostly good news for Bill Evans fans.

Peter Bay | Austin, TX USA | 03/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When Verve issued "The Complete Bill Evans on Verve" in 1997 they elected not to include this album even though all the other Evans MGM releases had been. Peter Pettinger's excellent bio of the pianist reveals Evans had mixed feelings about the romantic, commercial sound of the album, so perhaps Verve initially wanted to keep these mostly non-jazz tracks off the 18-CD set. But now here they are as part of Verve's "Originals" series, with a reproduction of the front and back of the LP as part of the packaging. The master tapes have suffered some deterioration over the years, but it is good to have this missing link in the Evans/Verve discography back in circulation.



That's the good news. Now for the bad. Even though it has been documented elsewhere, nowhere in the release is Claus Ogerman's name mentioned except as co-author (with Evans) of the track "Hollywood." The legendary arranger-conductor fulfilled those roles on this album but is uncreditited (as he was on the LP). But the worst news for Evans completists is that the one track recorded at these sessions but not included on the orginal LP but released on a 45 rpm single and on 33 rpm as part of the soundtrack "Twilight of Honor" (MGM SE 4195) is not part of this new CD. "55 Days in Peking" by Dimitri Tiomkin lasts only 2:36 and could have easily fit.



If you enjoy movie themes with a light-Latin flavored accompaniment as was typical of the easy listening Bossa Nova-infused '60s, then this CD is for you."

Commercial Pablum

Al Rodriguez | 04/15/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"If you are expecting another masterpiece along the lines of the Bill Evans Trio: With Symphony Orchestra or Symbiosis, this, unfortunately, is not it. Rather, this is Bill's foray into commercial pablum. Disappointing!"