Waltz for Debby-Bill Evans Trio

Great thread! Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but in the last twelve
months the Complete Bill Evans Trio Live at Village Vanguard Sessions were
released in a 3 disc set - newly remastered. This encomapsses Live at the Village
Vanguaged and Waltz for Debby.....and a few other un-released tracks as well I
think. What is nice about this set is you can listen from beginning to end as the
performaces unfolded across these magical days.

Also, I second the recommendation for the Tord Gustavson Trio -- I believe they
only have two albums. I like their first.

Hoopster,

My favorite Bill Evans discs are Waltz for Debbie, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Symbiosis (which is nothing like the other two - its a large scale orchestral thing.) Serious jazz fans may end up with 15-20 evans discs - there are just so many to choose from. Others have mentioned the Metheny/Charlie Haden disc - Under the Missouri sky - which really is brilliant and took me a while to appreciate. Haden and Metheny would both say they are largely influenced by Evans - at least I've heard metheny say this.

I listen to lots of jazz pianists - Keith Jarett is very much in the Evans vein - his trio is excellent and they have dozens of great live albums. And there are new guys I like such as Brad Melhdau, Tord Gustavson, Alan Pasqua, the Peter Erskine Trio (forget the name of his pianist). Not that strictly piano jazz is the right answer to your question...

I agree with most of the previous posts - some of the suggestions are outright classics. Here are a couple of laid back and mellow recordings for late night that no one has mentioned yet:

Ahmad Jamal - Cross country Tour (recorded live in night clubs)
Modern Jazz Quartet - Live at the Lighthouse
Miles Davis - In A Silent Way (Studio)
Lee Konitz - Inside Hi-Fi (Studio)
Norris Turney - Big, Sweet & Blue (Studio)
Getz/Gilberto - featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim (Studio)

Hoopster, if you liked Haden, here is one of his best : http://www.thenaimlabel.co.uk/artists/anderson_cd022.htm

Hope you can get it.

Newbee,

No need to apologize about Shirley, these two recordings are very good. I'm sure Shiley will grow on me. She just doesn't grab me yet. Certainly, some of your other suggestions were dynamite! I will check out Rene Marie.

To all,
Tower records has a sale running until July 10 I believe on some of the Jazz labels, Verve and Concord included. You guys may want to check it out. I placed my order on a Friday with their free shipping option and received the CDs on Monday. Excellent service from Tower! I had not shopped them much but I will be back. I will get around to some of the other suggestions soon. Thanks again all!

Hoopster, Sorry 'bout that Horn recommendation not working out for you. But don't give them away just yet. :-) You like Mary Stallings and I agree. Now, if you would like to try (assuming you haven't already) a newer voice in jazz who will never put you to sleep look up Rene Marie - try Live at Jazz Standard on MaxJazz. This is not late nite stuff though. I recommend her highly.

Try this one..

Carmen McCrae "The Great American Songbook"

Fantastic live recording from Dante's jazz club in the early 70's.

One of my very favs.

I wanted to let you guys know I have recently aquired some of the selections you guys shared with me and give you my impressions. First, B. Evans-Sunday at VV; certainly outstanding and now in heavy rotation. Second, two Charlie Haden's-Beyond the Missouri Sky and Night and the City; awesome stuff, I am now solidly a Haden fan. Honorable mention goes to Eric Dolphy-Out There, Cannonball-Know What I Mean? (actually HM plus), Ben Webster-At the Renaissance. I also got a couple of Shirly Horn-May the Music Never End and I Thought About You. I am not sold on Shirley yet, I still prefer Krall. But Shirley did entice me to dig out my old Mary Stallings-Fine and Mellow LP which I enjoy and whose style favors Horn. I also picked Brubeck Jazz at Oberlin which I think is outstanding as well. All the selections I picked up are great additions to my music library. Jarret is next on the list as I have nothing by him now and some more Bill Evans and Charlie Haden. Thanks gain to all.

I love Waltz for Debbie but am mildly distracted by the sound stage on the SACD and CD with the piano on the right and the bass and drums on the left with nothing in the center. I assume that was the way it was recorded. Does this bother anyone else.
John Dean

moonbeams by evans was a great suggestion. it's one of my top 10 jazz lps of all time.

if you have a turntable, the classic records 45 rpm of Louis doing "st james Infirmary" is a mind-blower.

The Ground by Tord Gustavsen is an excellent piano, bass, and percussion CD. This is a Norwegian group. All origional pieces. I second the John Coltrane Ballads recommendation. Great songs, great melodies.
John Dean

Try these two on for size, both are exquisite.

Keith Jarrett - The Melody at Night With You
Gene Ammons - Gentle Jug

Late night classics.

I second the "Paul Desmond Quartet Live," also Paul Desmond's "Easy Living" (and most of his other early sixties recordings) and Jim Hall's "Concierto," featuring both Paul Desmond and Chet Baker (and Sir Roland Hanna on piano, Steve Gadd(!) on drums and Ron Carter on bass).

Thanks, folks. I picked up a few new ideas for gifties--to me! I second the Acoustic Sounds "Greatest 100 Jazz Titles" 45rpm series--I wish I had the money to buy them all. Also, the Miles Davis Prestige Years Box Set is fantastic--got that one as a gift. Two others I can think of are Sonny Stitt "Plays the Blues" which was a Classic Records Verve reissue and Charlie Rouse "Yeah" which is also, I believe, from Classic Records--this one formerly an Epic release. Enjoy!

Well if Shirly was ugly then maybe it wouldn't really be cheatin :-)....

Hoopster, Not to worry, Shirly died very recently so Diane will have no reason to be jealous. Besides Horn was not just a tad on the ugly side. Interestingly Krall sort of syled herself after Horn who was one of her heros. Superficially Krall sounds more up tempo and on initial listening is very enjoyable, where Horn is quiet and slow - but listen to what Horn does with the words and the music...she was one of jazz's greats. You owe it to yourself, to hell with Diana, just let her stew. You can make it up by buying her next album. :-)

Awesome thread. Thanks all. All my excess gear is now for sale. I need cash to buy new spinning discs to make joyful noise unto mine ears. Don't stop here push me on over the edge. Spinning "Something Else" as I type on viynl blue note as I type wondering if there could be more out there, keep em coming! I have been down to Kraft Mac and cheese broke before. Resistance is futile...
Newbee,I still don't feel right cheating on Diana. I think she might suspect something!!!

Bill Evans never recovered from Scott LaFaro's death...some feel this was a part of this album being a bit of a high point for Evans.

Totally different, but you may find exactly the same, is the John Coltrane-Johnny Hartman CD/SACD/Album. Many believe this is the greatest "make-out" music ever...not sure about that..but it is one of the greatest Jazz vocal albums ever.

Tvad,
Yeah, you're pushing that fine line between reality and entertainment.

Can't believe I forgot to mention Roland Kirk - The Inflated Tear. What a performance! Cheers,
Spencer

" I find the chit chat and bottle clanking from the bar area to be extremely distracting, and it's one reason I prefer non-remastered versions of the CD. Too much resolution on the disc forces my attention away from the
music and on to the surrounding conversations."

Tvad, good point. I just so happen to have the non-remastered version myself. Something to think about before I consider purchasing the re-mastered version.

Cheers

Hoopster, 3rd shot at the apple ......

Ikarus' post reminded me - I not only totally agree with him, but I would add three other Charlie Haden recordings.

Beyond the Missouri Sky
Land of the Sun
and a duet with Hank Jones 'Steal Away'.

All great late-nite music.

Boy is your plate full now! :-)

Ditto, I've also been listening to 'Waltz for Debbie' alot lately and it's a standout. Other jazz standouts, IMO, getting playtime in my system recently include: Coleman Hawkins 'The Hawk Relaxes' and 'At ease with Coleman Hawkins', Dexter Gorden 'Ballads', and Wes Montgomery 'Boss Guitar'.

Give The Red Garland Trio a listen too. I would recommend the ones where he has a guest artist appear with him though before you go for the full trio sound. Manteca by them with Ray Barreto is one of my faves.

Night and the City - Kenny Barron & Charlie Haden

Try "The Paul Desmond Quartet Live"...great live late night stuff.

the great jazz trio (hank jones, tony williams,,,,,) live at the village vanguard....all the bill evans trio stuff

Hoopster,

Also check out "California Here I Come". It was the first Bill Evans cd I purchased. Great music and recording. It's on the Verve label. It was recorded live at the Village Vanguard back in '67.

I just got "WaltzFor Debby", wonderful. Like you I get a kick out of all the background noise. It's almost like people didn't realise they were taping the show.

Here's a few more for ya:

Ornette Coleman-The Shape of Jazz to Come

Miles Davis-Kind of Blue

Eric Dolphy-Out There

Chick Corea-Now He Sings, Now He Sobs

Herbie Hancok-Maiden Voyage

Jazz at the Pawnshop is great for that "live in the jazz club" experience.

IMO nothing beats Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue" for "smooth late night jazz offerings."

Alas , I digressed, please continue in your suggestions of smooth late night jazz offerings in the vien of "Debby". Don't kick out relatively new offerings if they are out there, I just don't know of any, but you might.

Just to add a couple more to great list so far..... Ben Webster "Live at the Renaissance", and the new Coltrane, Monk "Live at Carnegie Hall" are both really good. Also, if you have a turn table the Analogue Production 45 reissues of a lot of the classic jazz albums are really good.

Newbee,

I love female jazz vocalists but I definitely enjoy the music behind the vocalists, Barber and Krall especially. If Shirly Horn can leave ole Diana in the dust as you suggest (at least that's what I think you are suggesting) she will certainly move to the top of the list for audition. Of course Diana is singing directly to me you understand,:).

To all,

Debby is the only Bill Evans I have. I will check out the others suggested. I do have most of the aforementioned Miles Davis (LP&CD), Rollins(LP), and Brubeck recordings (CD&LP). I also have several Coltrane recordings. Something Else and Way out West I also have on LP just have not grabbed me as well even though they are very nice. Time Out and Kind of Blue are in heavy rotation. On an aside, I am looking for a nice LP copy of Jazz Goes to College-bought one off ebay that was advertised VG to NM but was actually NT (near trash). I want ot thank all of you for your insights. Thought begats more thought (what can I say it is a slow day at work), I am going to start another thread. The 5 jazz recordings you would take with you stranded on a desert island. I hope you will all chime in.

If you haven't heard it, check out Bill Evans "Moonbeams."

"Debby" is one of my favorite jazz albums of all time. All the trio albums of his from the 60s are good, but most agree that the ones w/Scott LaFaro & Paul Motian are the best.

You've got to get Cannonball Adderley w/Bill Evans "Know What I Mean".
Miles Davis - Any quintet albums from the 50s especially(e.g. Kind of Blue, Steamin', Relaxin', Bags Groove)
Sonny Rollins - Way out West, Tenor Madness
John Coltrane - Ballads
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

Good luck,
Spencer

Hoopster, I forgot to mention that if you can take a little jazz vocal with the music, an absolute must have, are the recordings of Shirly Horn most of which are live in concert. Try "I thought about you", live at Vine St. Warning, once you hear Horn you'll never listen to Krall in the same way again. :-)

You've got Bill Evans Trio "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" right?

Thanks Newbee,

No, I have not heard the Evans' recordings you refer to but I will check them out as well as your other suggestions. I'm not necessarily looking for "live" really, just that type sound.

I assume you are familar with Evan's other recordings made at the Village Vanguard about the same time. If you like late night, laid back, jazz by a sax based trio it's hard to beat Houston Person's most recent recordings on Blue Note, a studio recording. You might also check out Andre Previns recordings with Telarc which were recorded live. No tinkling glasses, but great dinner jazz.