Treasures - Solo, Trio & Orchestral Records from Denmark (1965-69)

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While the ’60s and ’70s were a time of rupture in jazz, with the rise of free improv and fusion, Evans mostly worked within relatively narrow parameters—acoustic post-bop played with trios, some solos, a few duos, an occasional date with a larger band.

LondonJazz is a not-for profit venture, but may occasionally take on work as a paid publicist and/or sell advertising packages. Treasures is a feast for the ears and can serve as either a reminder of or an introduction to Evans’s musical depth and vision. Riel sounds a tad less driving than Dawson and this performance feels a little more dreamy and introspective than the first – but no less interesting for that, as attested by (for example) Riel’s subtle brushwork on the first of the versions of Time Remembered.Six trio performances with Gomez and Riel from 1996 (including "Stella by Starlight" and "Nardis") and four from 1969, this time with Morrell on drums (highlighting "Autumn Leaves" and "Emily") close out this stellar, once in a lifetime collection. Neither heard nor seen the light of day since their debut on Danish radio, the set kicks off on Halloween 1965 in Copenhagen's Tivoli Concert Hall as Evans, with an increasingly vibrant flair for swing, articulates "Come Rain or Come Shine" in new ways even he may not have been aware of until that night in Denmark. Pitchfork may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. For me, there’s something slightly vexing about hearing a jazz pianist backed by an orchestra of this size, if only because I struggle to hear the loose interplay to which I’m accustomed.

And given that some jazz reissues are cobbled-together bootlegs with a scratchy, muffled sound quality to match, the big question is whether these recordings are (to use that most damning of clichés) ‘for completists only’. Evans seems not to distinguish between notes and chords; they are all a means of expression and reflections of each other. These recordings capture the trios at the height of Evans’s foray into leading a trio that listened and responded to each other rather than the supportive musicians leaning back and accompanying the piano.As a compilation of his finest recordings, it immerses listeners in the magic of Evans' piano playing and provides a privileged insight into his creative world. Eddie Gomez was the longest serving bassist of any Bill Evans Trio (1966–77), and Marty Morell a longstanding member too (1968–75), so it’s interesting to hear them performing with Evans relatively early on. Highlights of the collection include trio performances from 1965 featuring legendary Danish jazz bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen; the only solo piano version of 'My Funny Valentine' by Evans known to exist; a 1966 orchestral suite performed with the Evans trio accompanied by the Danish Radio Big Bandconducted by trumpeter/arranger Palle Mikkelborg; and much more!