Search - Bill Trio Evans :: Live in Paris 1974

Excellent Evans -- and Gomez and Morell are also superb!

Ron M. | Rutherford, NJ USA | 10/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording purports to be a live date in Paris, France, mid-August 1974. On the Gambit Records label. Okay, we'll take that on faith. The tune lineup: Up With the Lark; 34 Skidoo; Quiet Now; Twelve Tone Tune; Midnight Mood; Sugar Plum; One for Helen (this is mislabeled "If You Could See Me Now" on the CD jacket, and in the liner notes); The Two Lonely People; Waltz for Debby; Goodbye. The overall sound is a bit bootleg-ish, but the playing here is really excellent. In fact, for my money, it's better than any comparable Evans recordings of the time. All three musicians are really exceptional here, and we're talking about exceptional players to begin with -- but here they go above and beyond. Gomez does an interesting walking bit to open his solo on "Waltz for Debby." And even Marty Morell, who had grown bombastic and heavy-handed during his tenure with Evans, is really terrific here. (I believe this is Morell, although I'll have to give this several more listens because I was surprised at some of the nuances.) One caveat, however -- a number of the songs are incomplete, meaning they begin midstream. Some are only missing the first few bars, some are missing more. There are perhaps three tunes that are fully complete. But the playing is so good, that one can even forgive this. I just hope the Evans estate is deriving royalties from all of these European imports, including the videos. It would be a crime if they're not."