Captured moments of pure magic

Bill Evans is among the most sophisticated and lyrical composers and pianists in jazz history. He enriched the genre with his implementation of impressionist harmony from classical music into jazz, but also with his inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block chords, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines, which still influence musicians around the world. Many of his compositions, such as "Waltz for Debby", have become standards and have been played and recorded by many artists. Evans was honored with 31 Grammy nominations and seven awards, and was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. After working as a sideman for Tony Scott, Chet Baker, Cannonball Adderley, and Miles Davis, Evans formed his first and perhaps greatest trio in late 1959 and released five LPs that were to define the art of the trio. Along with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, Evans perfected his vision of advanced interplay, where all members performed with perfect empathy and telepathy. Among the legendary releases that defined jazz is Evans’ 1961 “Sunday at the Village Vanguard,” a record that has regularly been listed as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. The impeccable communication between LaFaro, Evans, and Motian is something that few groups managed to achieve and master. Playing spontaneous improvisations with a melodic structure and absolutely no mistakes, their performances, including this one, has been described as the ultimate “unfree jazz.” The fact that it is recorded live amazes even more. In a cool and relaxed atmosphere, the trio recorded history, while the quietly appreciative Sunday night dinner guests gave discrete ripples of applause. Without attention seeking yelps and whistles, the Trio remains unquestionably the focus of attention throughout the whole evening. This is a record that sounds simple and traditional on the surface, but reveals wonders after careful listening. It is music that can be interesting even after repeating hearings because of its multilayered beauty.

"Sunday at the Village Vanguard" was recorded on June 25, 1961, at the Village Vanguard in New York City. It is well remembered as the final performance by the Evans trio of the time, which included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. LaFaro was killed in a car accident ten days after the recording. Evans and producer Orrin Keepnews reportedly selected the tracks for the release to best feature LaFaro's masterly performance on bass, beginning and ending with two tracks ("Gloria's Step" and "Jade Visions") written by LaFaro himself, and with all the others featuring solos by him.

“Sunday at the Village Vanguard” is a must-listen for all jazz enthusiasts and a must-have for all record collectors. Enjoy!