Reviews (page 2 of 12)
Very cool. Very mellow. Cool cool jazz.
This recording is simply amazing. I wouldn't call it understated, but it definitely focuses on the melody. The piano is other worldly with Evans playing amazing piano melodies for the trio to flex over. LaFaro uses the bass like a lead instrument and his solos are superb, to say the least. He shifts seamlessly between rhythm and lead parts while holding down the melody. I can see why this is widely hailed as one of the greatest live recordings of jazz.
If you get only one thing out of this album, it's that Scott LaFaro invented an entirely new conception of the bass. But why stop at one? Evans's lyricism, Motian's subtle swing, a handful of gorgeous compositions, the quiet appreciation of the audience. I've been in that basement room a bunch of times and was fortunate enough to see Paul Motian there. It is intimate and magical. If you find yourself in Manhattan on an evening, go down the steps to nirvana.
LETS FUCKING GO. needed some jazz. the drummer in my band loves bill evans, so i’m pretty excited. pretty sure this is the first album i’ve gotten with a bass solo. i liked this a lot. i’ll have to revisit this pretty often. it’s a nice world to get lost in.
One of my favorites of all time!
It hit me as a fresh discovery: warm, spontaneous, and so locked‑in that it instantly earned a spot in my jazz rotation
Fantastic, beautiful jazz
Love some good workin jazz
I've never been a massive fan of jazz. I think this is the best jazz album ive ever listened to.
One of my all time faves! A pleasure to listen to it again as the sun sets.
april 15 '26 mn perfect album for walking at the park with or without someone by your side
this was perfect.
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sounds weird for me, weirdly love it
A true giant of jazz.
Awesome.
Lovely
i wouldnt know cuz i have no experience, but i would guess that the piano trio has gotta be one of the potentially scariest contexts in which to play jazz. jazz piano is already kinda magic to me...its near-equally important for it to serve as rhythm section, harmonic center, And melodic lead...putting it in a more minimal context, with no other big loud jazz instruments to share the spotlight, rly strikes me as something for only the bravest. bill evans ofc makes it sound effortless...tho he ofc doesnt face it alone, lafaro and motian keep locked in perfectly here...honestly kind of an understatement with lafaro, who is a one in a million creative and mesmerizing bassist (who, sadly, wouldn't live more than ten days after this performance was recorded). but everyone here just sparkles....like the best cool jazz, always rewarding ur attention while never demanding it. was a very comforting listen during a difficult day, and prob the best thing ive heard from a bill evans band period
This is the essence of Jazz
This is a great jazz album. It is the first one that I've listened to that doesn't have brass instruments playing. I do love the interplay between the piano and the bass and the drums. It is a lovely piece of music
Superb album. Mellow, tight with great teamwork Great bass by Scott LaFaro who was tragically killed in. Car accident soon after the gig.
Best jazz album I've listened to in a hot minute
What the jazz trio should sound like
This is an incredible recording. A masterpiece from one of my favorite jazz artist.
My first real exposure to jazz was in high school: I was in band from seventh grade on so maybe that should count but I personally always think of driver’s ed. My instructor always played jazz, specifically smooth jazz. All smooth jazz, all the time. Right around the same time, the movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus, came out and I watched it over and over again- it had some focus on jazz. But this album is more improv jazz, with just piano, bass, and drums. This has the feeling of being right in a jazz bar, made even more so by the occasional clinking of glasses and light murmur of voices on the album. It’s great jazz, perhaps some of the best I’ve heard, which is why I’m rating it five stars. That being said, at this season of my life, I can’t see myself going to a jazz concert where all I was doing was listening to jazz (unless, perhaps, it was free but maybe even not then). However, I think I’d be fine doing something where jazz is the backdrop for another activity. Album 22, March 20, 2026
Zo ontspannend
nice
8.9
Großartig!
One of the best of all time, elegant and beautiful
THIS is what jazz means to me; absolute banger even though I realized every song was repeated essentially twice in the listen through I had. It was seriously that good
Hh
All one song
Great. Just 👌
I don’t like jazz, I love Bill Evans though. His playing is always extremely evocative and narrative. Something you can really connect and get lost in. In this recording he is actually not the standout performer. Scott LaFarro’s bass playing is incredible. He’s great when supporting Evans and when going back and forth, but is simply bonkers when he takes the lead. One of the greatest bass performances I’ve ever heard. Must listen five stars.
Wow. Just wow. I still wouldn't say i fully get jazz music but this gives me no choice to love at least this pocket of that world. What a great batch of songs. What a live recording. What musicianship. Its all top notch. Everything. Absolutely everything. Im partial to bass and this guy kills it all over this. And it helps that alot of the times he feels like the voice of the peice, the melody. And the others too. Quick shout out to the drummer. The guy is maybe the most subtle but his backing holds the other 2 in check. Its amazing that I dont notice him often. He just rolls through it all. And the man who this is attributed to on piano had a ton of great sections. Just brings such a melodic quality with some of the chord choices. He is the name on the tin but he doesnt always outshine everyone else. They all just work perfectly in tandem. Its masterful. And the live recording itself is great too. The little murmur of the crowd between songs and clinking of glasses. It adds so much texture. But when the songs are going its like a studio recording. What an amazing record. I thought it would end up a 4 but after some thinking on it. Its rhe best jazz music ive ever heard. Bar none.
Just musicians in sync, great trio work. Pretty much as good as possible.
The history behind this effort is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The Bill Evans Trio is a project you'd expect to age like wine. Every track is a dialogue between the bandmates, things can only get better when you're constantly communicating like that. This idea is perfected with Bill's musical philosophy. There's importance in the personality of each band mate, personalities aren't as easily replicated and hashed out as academic structuring. It's because of this that when I read the bassist, Scott LaFaro, died in a car acident just 11 days after this recording, that I feel Bill's pain. I can understand the depression that hit the genius for months, unnable or unwilling to stroke a piano key. I can also understand the wish to make that final effort a type of homage where the first and final tracks are written by LaFaro, and every song inbetween features some form of exquisite solo by the bassist. It's clear to me that the love he felt for his team is the reason the album is consistently featured as the best live jazz recording. It was put together to honor the last time he played with his finest lineup, and to demonstrate to the world what an exquisite bass player they featured. Paul Motian is amazing on the drums, don't let a sad story take away from the beautiful hard-hitting delicate strokes that this guy has in store for us. I loved it so much I went on to listen to the 2005 rerelease, "The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961" just to get a feel for the entire set. They're not necessarily in order, there's a track missing and another featuring a skip caused by a power-outage. If you're the type of person to appreciate the audience banter on the Sunday at the Village Vanguard, I highly recommend the 2 hour and 32 minute extended project. This 2005 rerelease is the one deemed by the Library of Congress as culturually, historically, or aesthetically significant, and I couldn't agree more. But the original Sunday at the Village Vanguard is the more concise piece of material to help you understand the genre and the talents involved, and is definitely the effort that should be on this albums generator. Evans' fingers are constantly pushing the talents you could expect out of a piano. The percussive elements are subtle, but display dominance of the instrument. And the bass, well the talents on the bass are awesome themselves, but elevated by Evans' curatorial ear. 4.7/5
So cool...I've noted before that I don't know how to describe jazz, but this is interesting, surprising, mellow, and virtuoso, all at once.
The greatest small jazz ensemble record
Pure bliss. An album to hear with some good headphones.
I've listened to a lot of Bill Evans. This was a lovely Monday morning treat.
fire
listened to this a while ago. lovely
Amo este disco, me encanta el ruido de las copas de fondo y la sutileza de Bill Evans al piano. Tirarte en el sofá a oscuras y ponerte este disco es de las mejores terapias antiestrés que conozco.
Office friendly de martes que parece lunes 👌🏻 El primero que me gusta todo y dura poquitísimo 🥲
Excellent 6 songs
This is so good. Absolutely brilliant musicians working in sync with each other. The bass playing on this album is incredible. And the touches with the soft background noise and applause make it feel like you’re actually in the room. Listening to this while I’m warm inside on a cold, rainy, foggy day was a treat.
excellent listen
Lovely album, very relaxing.
absolutely great and phenominal jazz album, this is what true jazz sounds like
Listened many times before. Will listen to it many times again. Great reading music, great cooking music, great work music, jazz is the score to a perfect life.
Very good jazz album. It’s hard for me to differentiate between different jazz albums, but I really did enjoy it.
One of the best jazz albums of all time. 3 instruments in perfect unison, dancing around each other. Also one of the best sounding records of all time, it gives such a fantastic mood.
6/5
i didnt know i liked jazz that much. it was SO good. loved it
Very good
Представляю как я вкусно готовлю это или покупаю книжки 3 и последний треки <333
first listen bumped up a half star, this is just one of the best records man
Sublime. Incredible interplay between the trio. Scott LaFaro's bass is ridiculous, just soaring, light as a feather. Feel amazed that I'd never heard this before - an absolute treat.
Great album to relax.
Ah Bill Evans my love. This is an incredible recording and performance. I actually like some of his other albums better on a personal level (Portrait in Jazz, Everybody Loves, Interplay). I feel they show his melodicism better. But this is still amazing
Beautiful jazz album
HELL YEAH SOME SWINGING JAZZY TUNES! When it was over, I wanted there to be more. This was a delight, and the whole album was added to my Flow State playlist. Perfect working/background music that stimulates the mind. 9/10
daaaang dat shi good
This is the kind of music that would play in the background in a perfect world as you went about your day. It seems slightly removed from reality but not enough to pinpoint - a bit like a first kiss. Where is my perfect world?
The kind of album that demands the respected of being listened to on speakers instead of headphones. 10/10 no notes
Haven't heard much from the 60s. It's Sunday and the album has the name Sunday in it. Starts off with piano instrumental, exactly how a Sunday morning should sound like. Every song flows into the next one, only the clapping indicates that a song has ended. It's fine to listen to in the background, nothing exciting, nothing offensive. But I also don't usually listen to anything jazzy, so my perception is an outsiders. How do I give a rating to an album like this?
This is the kind of jazz that I like to have on when I'm cleaning my house. It's just complex enough to keep my attention but not so crazy that I have to stop and listen. Just perfect from this era.
10/10 jazz is amazing, library/coffee shop music for sure, really allowed me to have background music while I also focused on things happening in real life, perfect complimentary music when you don’t want to get too distracted by what’s going on in your headphones but still want music
Having a tech issue. This initially came up as the album Gorillaz, which I love and have listened to a zillion times. Here is my comment on Gorillaz: A friend in college put Man Research (Clapper) into a student film I took part in and I loved it. The film was lousy. I played a clueless, affable roommate. The friend is now a wedding videographer. Anyway, I listened to that song at least once a month for the last 20-odd years, sometimes much more. I didn’t really even realize it had lyrics until a few years ago. Something about me is that I never hear the lyrics in a song. It’s a problem. I’ll fall in love with a riff or a tone but I have no idea what many of my favorite songs are actually about.
3 not my thing
ou shityeah. huere smooth huuuere schö. de bill weiss so viel gueti voicings. und s bassolo uf glorias step isch craaazy. huere geil my mans gone now crazy geili sache bill. isch er mehrstimmig aso so füfstimmig am soliere hoooly shit. meega schön wooow. ääää das isch jo alls uhuere schön. ah und uf solar chaner auno richtig swinge okaaay. bill evans snell? da gitz?
It’s about time we had more Jazz on this list.
quiet, contemplative, perfect for a rainy sunday
such great atmosphere, I feel like these guys are probably better in a live environment, as their style seems to revolve around a lot of improvised stuff (as well as most/all other jazz musicians probably. I think he's probably my favourite jazz pianist if not any pianist of all time, as he can make such emotive parts and also really interesting creative stuff, with seemingly total control and understanding of what he's playing musically. the drums and bass are great as well, and the upright bass solos are always really cool. yeah its just a really chilled out but also extremely varied (in terms of mood) album. Favourite songs: all. Overall around 9/10
Every Bill Evans album on this list will get a 5 from me, and I hope this is the first of many of his albums. This isn’t background music, folks. This is the main event.
I love the jazz in this Piano heavy with strong percussion and strings Long songs that meld together well, good overlap Long tracks work here better than electric ladyland imo Wish percussion was more prevalent Love the faint whispers in the background Live aspects sell it for me, it's the small things Saved and will listen too in the future for studying and reading
Som extremamente bem captado.
Absolutely fire. Easily one of the most relaxing albums I've listened to in a long time.
Bill Evans played (and heard) music like nobody else before or since. This is a sublime recording, made all the more powerful by the fact that it was a live performance.
Great jazz album, well recorded
One of the first albums I listened to when getting into jazz. Amazing brassless jazz album. Just a piano, drums and bass and it sounds great. The playing is top notch. You can listen closely and be floored by this trio, or you can put it on as background music for a laid back vibe. That is not an easy accomplishment. I keep this in regular rotation for killer laid back jazz. 5⭐️
Exceptional jazz
So good, and Love the subtle crowd noise in the background.
This is the kind of jazz I can listen to all day.
Definitely a 5 star album, fit my workflow and mood perfectly today. I really like the casual dinner sounds in the background too, glasses clinking, etc. Really soothing and relaxing.
Perfect live jazz album. This trio is on fire. Scott LaFaro plays the hell out of that bass. Paul Motian has amazing feel. Bill Evans is genius. 5 stars.
Great upbeat jazz esque instrumental
Very nice sound. Good for a critical listen and in the background
I have often considered Miles Davis's Kind of Blue one of my all time favourite (jazz) albums. It's definitely the album that got me in to jazz music and the standard I hold other jazz albums too. It's also how I learned about some of the other masters of jazz: Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley who played on Kind of Blue. While I knew Bill Evans' name as one of the other core contributors to that album I have never actually listed to more of his music. It's clear form Sunday at the Village that Evans contribution to Kind of Blue was super substantial. This album is soo smooth, refined and subtly perfect, I wish I had discovered it sooner. There is everything you need in a jazz album and absolutely nothing more. It will definitely find a place in my smooth jazz catalogue and I look forward to checking out more of Bill Evans music.
The atmosphere on this album is incredible and all three of them are next level musicians! While Bill Evans is obviously masterful on the piano, his smooth jazz style of piano playing doesn't really excite me all that much. It's very pleasant and there's nothing I truly dislike about it, it just doesn't really stand out to me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it leaves a lot of space for me to appreciate the other musicians in the trio. The drumming by Paul Motian on the other hand stands out by being perfectly present and in sync with the music, but never quite taking over. He's always there keeping time, but seems to fade in and out of the tracks with ease to suit the direction of the music; he gets louder when he's needed to be louder and quieter when he's needed to be quieter. Not to mention, he's just a great drummer and I absolutely love jazz drumming. The real stand out on the album is the bass playing by Scott LaFaro. Some of the best bass playing I've heard on a jazz album and I was surprised how much focus the album had on him. That is until I read the Wikipedia afterwards and learned about his tragic death 11 days after these sessions. The tracks were reportedly selected to best feature LaFaro's playing and it absolutely shows.
Amazing jazz album, worth listening too again
Great modal album, maybe one of the best after Kind of Blue, however it requires a very specific mood, one alike to the Nighthawks painting, but absolutely insufferable on an upbeat mood
Classic.
I really enjoyed this classic album. It was really relaxing to listen as I drove to work. 5/5
I'm not nearly smart enough to know why, but this was blissful
Smarter and more articulate people than me have spoken at length about what makes jazz good or not good. I've got nothing to add I think its great.
I lament the fact that I am listening to this at work. My headphones are noise-cancelling and spotify has lossless audio quality but this is the sort of album I should really be listening to at home on vinyl or live. The album is without flaw, I often fail to find words to describe why I enjoy or dislike Jazz albums. For this one all I can say is that it is truly tragic that Scott LaFaro passed away only days after this was recorded. The bass on My Man's Gone Now was a real highlight of this album. Not that it has any weighing upon the final score but it is always a pleasure to listen to an album whose artist's Wikipedia page is a wild ride.
Bike to school
Such a great Jazz album. I love that it's live, I love that there are multiple takes. I love hearing the dishes clink and people clap. It really transports you to a different place and time. I only wish I could have experienced it live. This is just the most perfect relaxing dinner Jazz album and I love it.
I'm a big fan of this album. Ideal listening while cooking for Thanksgiving. The musical choices all feel very tasteful and clean, while also being expressive and creative. Bill Evans on the piano is lovely, and the bass and drums also shine throughout the set. I love this style of jazz - it feels comforting to me. 9/10.
This is the perfect soundtrack to complete your annual self review to. You’ll realize you have learned a lot and you are proud of yourself and it’s okay that you wish you didn’t have this job… now you can see the multi-faceted ways you’ve grown as a person because you have both this obligation and your dreams hanging in the balance, which actually creates a weird symbiosis And it’s okay to want fish and a jazz date with Coco. A fishy jazz date with Coco. Five stars!
I love drinking coffee and listening to jazz and thinking about the way the light hits the trees and feeling content in just experiencing that moment
One of my favourite jazz albums of all time. Iconic opener.
Incredible jazz album
Easy 5 for me. I love the performances, the live recording and the mix. Musical scientists doing their work. Classic and necessary listening.
so good. Loved it.
So simple but also fantastic. I can see why this could be considered the peak of the genre.
This album helps you realize and appreciate just how much beauty you can make with just 3 instruments. No brass, no woodwinds, just piano, bass and drums. And it provides every bit of an intricate and emotional experience.
Wish every Sunday morning went like this music sounds. The bass of Scott LaFaro is a revelation, his propulsive lines undergirding the more placid chordal surfaces Evans offers up here. Give me a Bill Evan’s Trio afterworld.
I will not include the bonus takes in this review. Bill Evans was a legendary jazz pianist who influenced the harmonic language of his instrument. He studied classical music before moving to New York City to work with the likes of bandleader George Russell and Miles Davis. In fact, Evans was part of Davis's sextet when the latter recorded Kind of Blue, an album I thoroughly enjoyed a couple of months ago on my album journey. Shortly after those sessions, Evans left Davis's group to begin his career as a leader, forming a jazz trio with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. The three of them would work across both traditional jazz standards and original compositions, with an added emphasis on interplay among themselves. This musical kinship spanned over two studio albums and two live albums recorded at the Village Vanguard jazz club in New York City, only to be cut short by LaFaro's tragic death in a car accident. For as much as Sunday at the Village Vanguard is billed as a performance of Bill Evans and his trio, the track selections for this record were deliberately made by Evans as a tribute to LaFaro. Not only is this record bookended with two of Lafaro's striking original compositions, "Gloria's Step" (Take 2) and "Jade Visions" (Take 2), but the rest of the chosen covers were the best showcase of the young prodigy's eclectic soloing and countermelodic basslines. That's not to say Evans took a backseat; rather, the three of them played well off each other in such synchronicity. Evans made the most out of his block chords and modal inflections, and Paul Motian effectively utilized drum brushes on the quieter moments while modulating towards thunderous bombast on cuts like Miles Davis's "Solar" and the sprawling take on Sammy Fain's theme for the Alice in Wonderland film. Would it have been nice to have had the entire Village Vanguard performance packaged in one album? Sure, it would have. But as a curated experience of what was considered the brightest and best of Bill Evans's short-lived trio, I'd say this record hits it out of the park.
My favorite yet.
Love this type of jazz. Great. Can listen to it for hours.
Surprisingly relaxing. Enjoyed every minute of this.
Loved this album. The bassist is phenomenal and the drummer brings personality to drive the songs with interesting fills and beats. Great pianist with some upbeat / chill tunes. Enjoyed this with a warm apple tea at work during one of the first days of the fall season while it rained outside in NYC. Absolutely beautiful album.
ahhhh-this was a great one to have on in the background. loved the piano. just wish it was about 15-20 minutes shorter. still, great listen.
Never really a jazz fan, but all that has changed with this album
Unbelievably great album!!
A classic! The only sad thing is that the bassist died soon after, and we can only wonder what else they may have produced.
This is awesome. Could listen for 100 hours straight. Really interesting back story with the bassist. Makes me want to go to a jazz club.
jade visions is the stand out track, overall everything is very solid though.
Phenominal live jazz album with some incredible bass playing throughout. Bill Evans sets a really good vibe on his records. Liked this one a lot and see myself not only playing it again in the future, but securing a copy on vinyl so I can hear how it is really meant to be played. 9/10
I’m not a jazz fan, but this is good stuff if you are
Sounds like autumn. Not ready for this album on a sunny day in August
obligatory 10/10 for jazz
Jazz albums always remind me of the UNO! soundtrack. 9/10
This was a fantastic album!
Jazz is always good.
Some albums I know will be a 1 for me by the time I get to the 2nd song, this album I knew would be a 5.
Nice to throw on for either active or passive listening. The ambience is great, and the mastering really sells it.
Absolutely loved it, best so far.
The best jazz I've ever heard. Minimal yet tight, full of interesting ideas. Should listen to it more.
Easy 5
Great old barroom jazz!
Jazz for DAYS
A Fairytale of an Album Atmospheric in both the figural and the literal senses, this album transports the listener to 1961 NYC, whispering like the handsomest gentleman you’ve ever seen, “Allow me.” This is nothing short of elf-song: piano keys that sparkle and a bass line full of frolic. Sweet and cool chord progressions with just enough dissonance to delight. Yummy. Melodies that never demand: they turn and ask, “May I?” When the variations come back around, you’ll be settled in, no worries, not a care. The background chatter makes you smile at times, adds to the cool, the easiness of it all. A most enchanting gentleman: you’ll let this one take you out again and again. My Man’s Gone Now (Live) Dark and enticing. Hinting. Surprising. The bass speaks the truth, and the piano nods. All of You (Take 2) (Live) Bright and exhilarating and just in time. (The songs are placed brilliantly on this album.) Each instrument shows off its individuality in this casual and quirky setting. Delightful. The drums’ll make you tingle. Alice in Wonderland (Take 1) (Live) A landscape painting of a song. Fantastic and frenetic without any frenzy. Too smooth to lose its cool. If it hadn’t already, the trio just won your trust. Absolutely in control. Enjoy the view. Jade Visions (Take 1) (Live) Restfulness defined. Be at peace with delicate cymbals, lullaby bass, trickling treble keys. The prettiest place you’ve ever been? Step aboard. We’re going there. What a way to end an album. More than 5 stars. Too good to be rated. Highly recommend.
Wow. I never thought outer space would feel so cozy.
Legendary
Awesome. Love it. Harmonies seem a little bit sparser than in his other work - leaving a bit more open to the listeners feeling. It's a very good trio
Beautiful, fun, punchy jazz - this is a great album, highly recommend!
Sublime
Love it, tranquil when I need tranquil. Deserving of repeat listens immediately.
Bill at the peak of his powers.
A mí juego me llamaron.
Brilliant jazz album love it.
The Jazz Piano Goat
An absolute powerhouse of geniuses playing some of the most influential, complex, technical AND heartwarming music ever played on a stage…what more could you want? This album lures you in with deceptively simple song structures but keeps you invested with its technical intimacy.
Evans's democratic vision of trio cooperation reaches its sublime peak here, with his understated leadership guiding three voices into one through a legendary session of musical telepathy.
oh to have been at the Village Vanguard
A great jazz album. I did not like the mix in headphones, having a bass guitar next to my left ear felt unpleasant. Once I changed to mono it was a great easy listening album.
Just lovely.
bill evans en su prime
no se si bill evans puede hacer algo mal
First time listening to this album. Will definitely liston to again and put it on the Want list!
Bill Evans is my favorite jazz pianist/musician/everything. I adore Bill Evans. I own the complete works of Bill Evans master collection. I am heavily biased here. Bill has such a way of melodically pulling in listeners to absurd chord changes in a way where you forget you’re listening to a virtuosic pianist who may be the best musician to ever live. My best comparison to rock music is Rush, another trio of the best players of all of their instruments making music that is technically innovative but simultaneously accesible and easy listening. Also Scott LaFaro (bass) is just an insane talent who tragically died at 25; can’t imagine the beauty they would have continued to create had he not. I beg with the list that Waltz for Debby is on here, or at least Undercurrent.
Very good album One of his best …
Nice jazz
Immediate impression: I fucking love this. I could get lost in this style of music all day, it really tickles a part of my brain that I thoroughly enjoy. The only criticism I have is that it's hard to attribute a feeling to this. It's nice to have in the background, but I have to be under very specific circumstances to be able to lean into this. All that being said, I really really love this. Such a nice respite from the world.
++: Gloria's Step, My Man's Gone Now, Solar, Alice in Wonderland, All of You, Jade Visions 9,9/10
Drikke whiskey sour med Jarle.
Jazz always sounds better at The Vanguard.
Just really really good. Some of the best musicians playing their best. 5/5
SUBLIME 5 5 5 5 just beautiful
I love jazz
I am not sophisticated enough to understand why this is amaZing but I do enjoy it and like a pleb it makes me think of snoopy
Otro hermoso álbum de Bill Evans. Leí que fue lo último que grabó con el contrabajista Scott LaFaro antes de su fallecimiento, y que las grabaciones fueron elegidas por Bill Evans para mostrar los mejores momentos de LaFaro, destacando que todos los temas tienen solos interpretados por él, siendo esta una manera de honrar su recuerdo.
Bill Evans is just one of those people that feels like he should have some sort of "sold his soul to the devil" type mythos about him. it'd add some fun irreverence to what is a generally sad and bleak story to hear about. his friend said that his death in 1980 was the "longest suicide in history" -- i am praying to God my life doesn't bring me down such a dark path that my friends refer to my death as such. my god, what an album though. i'm a tad basic, so cool jazz already somewhat appeals to me as something i can approach and appreciate (especially as i listen to more jazz to compare it to) and something about Evans and the band he has assembled here makes the whole experience feel like magic. i swear, there's a "Daisy" quote here, a song that i find to be corny and dripping with gay 90s foppishness, and it somehow works. of course, i don't think anything tops the last track here, the solemnity of it contrasting all the bright and sweet feelings of the five tracks fire. if you're a musician, you can make magic anywhere, and a lot of magic was made at the Village Vanguard that night.
Production on this is great
Love this album. Great listen. Beautiful music. Well recorded.
True jazz
Masterpiece
Excellent
5 and more . I would love to rate it as 10 out of 10 if I could
So very peaceful, didn’t notice it repeat
Nice
Dypt behagelig og engasjerende å høre på. Alle tre musikerne spiller så respektfullt med hverandre. Jeg digger ideen til Evans om den demokratiske trioen. Evans styrer skipet behendig og selvsikkert med hans endeløst vakre pianospilling. Bassisten var selvfølgelig kjempeflink, og det er enormt trist at han døde i en så ung alder rett etter dette var spilt inn. Flere av soloene hans sprudlet virkelig i ørene mine. Samtidig så ble det kanskje liiiitt for mye av det gode i blant. Det samme kan ikke sies om trommisen, som limer alt i hop med presisjon og eleganse. Desidert et nydelig, grasiøst og sjarmerende album altså. Ikke noe å si på det.
Intimate recording of virtuosic prowess from all three. Love the block chords of the piano dancing over the endlessly searching double bass underpinned by the restless drums.
Wow. I LOVE this album. I wish I'd known about it earlier. Perfect classy and chill music. I will definitely have this on hand more often.
Minimal, clean, creative, and brilliant live jazz. Requires a little focused listening, but very rewarding. Evans might be my favorite pianist ever. Best song: Alice in Wonderland
Top tier jazz album.
Beautiful, elegant, timeless. All the individual performers’ work stands out so distinctly.
Un si sanno cazzi di jazze perciò noi gli si dà ccinque deh
Otro día de novedades: Bill Evans únicamente me es familiar por su nombre y tal vez por alguna que otra composición que he escuchado propiamente de él y no recuerdo (no cuento a Kind of Blue para hablar específicamente de su obra). Los vivos del jazz tiene una magia única, por el lujo que se permiten los músicos para improvisar y experimentar. Éste caso no es la excepción, sobre todo por los momentos en que luce el dúo contrabajo-batería (My Man's Gone Now y Solar son ejemplos clarísimos). Disco bestial, ideal como música de fondo que inevitablemente hace que uno se cuelgue en sus ritmos. Hasta mañana.
I wish I knew jazz enough to give a well written assessment of this work, but I am at a loss for anything that would do it justice. All I know is if it has Bill Evans, it’s going to be amazing. I’m blown away that this is a live album.
It's starting to feel like I have a jazz bias. While I do really enjoy jazz, I wouldn't consider myself a jazz connoisseur. Yet every jazz album I'm given on here is either very strong or an absolute masterpiece. This Bill Evans album, despite being a live performance (which, to me, disqualifies works as "albums" in the artistic sense) is such a work of art, I can hardly believe it. I've listened to it three times now, and it just gets better and better. The bassist, who passed away shortly after recording this, is a virtuoso. Bill's piano playing is just gorgeous. Being a massive Disney fan, I knew of him really only from his "Alice in Wonderland" cover, which appears on the Complete Sunday at Village Vanguard Sessions, and I absolutely adore it. But I really was not prepared for how good this record would be. It's an instant add to my replay collection, and I'm already looking for it on vinyl because to me there's nothing better than jazz on vinyl.
Epic
Could listen to this everyday
Bill Evans is probably my most listened-to artist for three or four years now, no matter what the algorithm says. He’s the ultimate relaxing music to me. I put him on at home on vinyl, I put him on when I’m off-desk at work (sometimes when I’m on-desk and patrons aren’t around); he’s just my immediate go-to “background music.” He instantly calms me down, and his music helped a lot when I was dealing with untreated anxiety. This dude’s music literally helped me with health issues I was having! You know I love him!
Really amazing music. Would be great as background music.
Classic
Incredible smooth jazz with a lovely recording. Puts you right at the club listening.
Very intimate and serene plus a few extra spiffing rumblytastic solo bass spots as well. It’s elegance and grace. A smile on my face. Tonight when we chase the dragon the water may change to cherry wine and the silver will turn to gold. Alice in wonderland!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ unfortunately i'm just not a big appreciator of jazz so i can't find the vocabulary to critique this as well as other albums on the list. all i can say is it's lovely
An analysis of Bill Evan's music by a musicologist might reveal all sorts of esoterica, but when you just sit back and listen, it's all just as sublime as a summer breeze through a window caressing two lovers.
A band that is in tune with each other in an unbelievable way and a masterpiece in immersive recording.
Awesome jazz piano trio
pecka
great sound, like most of his work
Ахуевший джаз, всё понравилось, добавил себе
Chill
An incredible classic. Solidified his sound which has been explored relentlessly. Bill’s playing and aesthetic sensibilities inspires projects beyond just music.
As I listen to this album I picture an older chain-smoking Charlie Brown walking or slowly skating through the park by himself, just pleasantly reminiscing about the old gang and that dog whatshisname. Yeah this is my favourite kind of jazz and it's perfect here. No horns and ffs no vocals - just piano/drums/bass (Scott LaFaro who was *killing* it here, and sadly died not 2 weeks later). Killer. 9/10 5 stars.
Great album with perfect piano and bass
Ahh, Bill Evans. The Whitest Jazz Player ever? But whatever his music might have lacked in Bop, it certainly made up for in spacious melancholy. This is perfect music for late night, brooding whisky and cigarette sessions, propping yourself up at a seedy bar and remembering all of the dames who’ve broken your heart over the years. Most of Bill Evans’ stuff is perfect for that, but if I may make a specific recommendation, he did an album with Tony Bennett which is just perfection. On a side note, I listened to the extended edition of Sunday At The Village Vanguard and each time Alice In Wonderland came on, I initially thought it was I’m In The Mood For Love
Holy fuck.
the art of the piano trio doesn't get much higher than this, y'all. this one was formed by Bill Evans shortly after his brief, yet legendary stint with Miles Davis' band which produced perhaps the most popular album in the history of jazz. Scott LaFaro is on bass and Paul Motian is on drums and cymbals. I'm certainly not the first person to gripe about the fact that Bill Evans is often an unsung hero of this music! as far as I'm aware, it was Evans who introduced Davis to George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, a theoretical text from which a whole host of jazz musicians developed new means of melodic and harmonic expression, leading to the advent of modal jazz as the fifties became the sixties. despite Evans' indisputable importance to the acoustic jazz universe around this time—he worked in bands organized by Russell as early demonstrations of Russell's theories— there's hardly a word to be said about him in Ken Burns' Jazz, or many other jazz documentaries for that matter. thankfully, his legacy is very much intact among jazz cognoscenti, and he's worked his way into plenty of people's record collections in the same fashion that Johnny Cash or Beethoven find their way into mine. country music and Classical-period classical music (bad sentence) don't usually do much for me, but sometimes an artist cuts through all of your preconceived notions about genre or style and manages to hit you in a deep place all the same. Evans' interest in unique ways of structuring music, evidenced by his interest in the Lydian Chromatic Concept, is the keystone of his body of work. with the LaFaro-Motian trio, the emphasis is less on the chord-scale relationship (as it was on Kind of Blue) and more on using bebop as a vehicle for counterpoint. LaFaro is, by all accounts, the star of the show in this trio. you're unlikely to hear the double bass played this adventurously in a jazz context outside of the small number of recording dates this trio made. in most straight-ahead jazz settings, the bass grounds both the harmonic progression and rhythmic pulse; LaFaro often excels in both departments, but the most interesting moments here are when, during Evans' piano solos, he uses his instrument less as the band's anchor and more as an independent melodic voice, one which is truly in conversation with Evans and Motian rather than simply acting as their guide. it's incredibly rare to hear him "walk the dog", which I usually love to hear whenever I'm listening to jazz, and especially when I'm playing it, but I honestly think it would kill the vibe of this band if LaFaro laid down too many consecutive quarter notes! all three members of this trio operated with such extreme finesse and precision as a unit, and it's evident on every second of these performances. Evans has a delicate touch on the keyboard that's become sort of a trademark for him over the years, and his improvisational faculties are heightened here by LaFaro's presence. you can really hear them motivating each other! Motian's introspective, sensitive drumming is the glue holding everything together; he mostly plays with brushes here, and he manages to drive the bus and keep the energy of the band up while not overpowering the group dynamic. unfortunately, the Village Vanguard date that produced this album was the last time Evans and LaFaro would ever perform together. LaFaro died (at the tragically young age of 25) in a car accident just ten days later, sending Evans down a dark path which would define the rest of his performance career and parts of his personal life. what was to be a single "Live at the Vanguard" album became two, with the first-—Sunday at the Village Vanguard—being rushed to market just about three months after LaFaro's death by Riverside. although the circumstances surrounding this release, which specifically highlights tracks featuring LaFaro's soloing and appends his name to the front cover, are certainly somewhat dodgy in retrospect, it's still nice to have this as a historical document. Waltz for Debby, the second of the two, might have a slightly more well-rounded choice of tracks, but it's hard to turn down the set of performances on offer here either! although, if I really want that experience of feeling like I'm at the Vanguard in 1961, I'll usually just throw on one of the sets from the full compilation of recordings that these two albums were selected from, which came out in 2003 and is now widely available on streaming platforms. you can't go wrong with anything this trio put to tape. decent 9/10.
Excellent
Loved it
Fantastic record. I had never listened to this one all the way through, but I'm so happy this was on this list. Just a really great jazz trio. I know Bill Evans is supposed to be the focal point here but Scott LaFaro on bass is just tearing it up throughout the entire album. Fantastic playing, and super sad that he died just a few days after this was recorded. Kind of Blue is probably the best jazz record of all time but this has to be right up there in the top 5. I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for this at the record shop. 5/5
Finally some good fucking food
Very cool
Probably the single most important jazz piano recording from the pre-eminent creator of modern jazz piano. Incalculably vital.
Wonderful
Loved this album. Saved it in my favorites to listen again.
Fantastic. It’s easy to write an album like this off as “boring” but man, there’s some really fantastic musicianship here.
Loved it
Sunday At The Village Vanguard is a live album from the Bill Evans Trio, which at the time included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. This was the last time Evans played with LaFaro, who died tragically shortly after the album was recorded. Evans played in a few groupings in his career, and considered this to be the strongest group - and this album may be this trio's best work. This is often regarded as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. Evans was an elegant, expressive pianist, and these songs show his skills with subtle expressions. LaFaro and Motain are also incredible musicians, and the trio had clearly established chemistry.
This is exactly the kind of jazz I like. Super chill yet upbeat. Can get your foot tapping or calm you down. The instruments are well balanced and the improvisation is dynamic but not overwhelming.
holy shit a new jazz favorite!!! i rewound the last minute of "solar" multiple times just to hear the drum fills. impossibly cozy. "all of you" has a Disgusting upright bass solo. now THAT'S a fucking jazz album dude
Really solid smooth jazz. And a live album at that. You can almost smell the cigar smoke and whiskey from the seedy jazz bar this album could have been taped at. And it is a brassless jazz album, which I love. Sometimes trumpets and saxes get fucking annoying (like in every fucking Miles Davis album). Sometimes ya just want to sit back and enjoy the beautiful sounds attainable by a bass, piano, and drums. So relaxing. Dudes bassist is a fuckin machine!! Favourite songs: All Of You, Gloria's Step Least favourite songs: My Man's Gone Now 5/5
Like most Miles Davis albums, this album gave me a very Autumn in New York Vibe!
Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Nothing else to say. I love this. I want more of this. More jazz. There isn’t enough jazz on the list. Give me more jazz. This was great. Technically, musically, feel-wise, just excellent. Yes. Five stars. Standout Tracks: all of them
nice background / focus music
9/10. Great music. Makes you feel like you’re there listening.
Great background music
Sublime performances, a total joy to listen to
Superb in every way.
I bought my first couch ever today, very soft. Had a shower and wore the robe du chambre for the first time ever. Put this album which I never heard before and laid on the couch while reading the last pages of the book Jules Verne by Leonid Borisov. Sometimes, life is great.
The bass is a real standout on this album. I immediately looked up what else he recorded on and saw he died 11 days after this album was recorded. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
Damn good
Classic Insane soundstage, and amazing sound quality
👌👍
Oh hell not my style!
Very chill, loved it throughout.
bill evans is the coolest
Man I love jazz so much
How refreshing! A break from the Britpop and angry heavy metal and repetitive electronica. This is a fine example of a jazz trio in perfect harmony supporting each other perfectly. The ambiance is a nice touch; hearing the ba ground noise of the Village Vanguard takes me back to my visit there and other similar clubs to hear live music.
will listen to anything from Bill Evans. piano, bass, drums - pure classic. Favorite track: all of you other picks: my man's gone now, solar, jade visions
Nice to have some actual music again.
This was such an unbelievable recording. At times, the trio sounded sparse and at others like a lot more than three were playing. Knowing a bit about the bass, I was shocked that I had never heard Scott LaFaro's playing before. On many tracks he soloed with only the drums accompanying him. This is very rare. LaFaro's bass playing is so melodic and innovative for the time. It's so sad we couldn't hear much more of him. Liked Songs Added: - Gloria's Step - Take 2 - Solar - Jade Visions - Take 1
Very nice
Love me some jazz! I imagine sitting in a corner booth of a darken jazz club in NYC with a glass of wine, closed eyes, allowing the tunes wash over me. 🎶🎶🎶
Day236- sit back with a drink and enjoy this little nugget. jazz doesn’t go out of style and bill evans trio is going into my jazz favorites
One of the greatest jazz albums of all time. Beautiful modal chords and piano work by the incredible Evans. The soft chattering of the punters between songs only adds to its charm
Just the opposite of my last album. Thisnwas awesome. I couldn't turn it off. I love smoth jazz
An incredible showcase of Scott LeFaro above all else. An essential live recording.
Studio production for a live album from 1960 is exceptional. Even if jazz isn’t your thing, you really can’t deny it’s a great record.
Marvelous. Just fantastic jazz. Loved it. No notes.
Just some really good, heady, crunchy jazz. It gets a little monotonous, but I'm sure live it's an incredible experience. Favorite song(s): Alice in Wonderland, Jade's Visions
Cool jazz piano. Very slick musicianship. The version I heard had a bunch of live takes that were studio quality. This guy is the real deal. I didn’t get much jazz as a kid but I gave this record a second spin.
Besser geht es nicht!
Legendary live session
One of my all time favorite albums. Evans is a maestro of chord painting and Scott LaFaro is a revelation. It's a damn shame that he died so young or his work would have ended up on this list one day. Check out the complete live recordings if you enjoyed this. So excited to have an excuse to listen again.
Swanky
Premium jazz by one mate masters of improvisation. Pure class
Such an understated and beautiful pianist who really shows why less is more
Exceptional. I listened to this on my morning train ride. Headphones on, eyes shut, the sunlight piercing my eyelids causing colours and shapes in my vision. Perfect!
Desert island pick. Unless you're a jazz head, you have probably never heard this record before. I defy you to give it a fair listen and not be moved. Sublime. Bill Evans had this incredibly intimate intensity as a player and the interplay among these three musicians is nearly pornographic, they are so far inside of each other. The audience sounds like the Vanguard is only half full, which in one respect doesn't match the quality of this music but then again with this particular music it does seem more appropriate than if we were hearing it echoing off Carnegie Hall's walls. I think this was this band's final performance, too, as the (25 year old virtuoso) bass player Scott LaFaro tragically died in a car crash a week or two later. What might have been! Finally, word to the wise: any jazz record titled "Live at the Village Vanguard" (and there are many) is pretty much guaranteed to be excellent and should be consumed without delay. Actually, same goes for "Live at the Lighthouse," too.
Great piano-led jazz trio playing beautifully. Wish I could have been there, though I don't think I have the ears or understanding to fully appreciate it.
One of the most important musicians of the twentieth century. Had an opportunity to see Bill Frissell perform his work at The Village Vangatd a few years ago. Absolutely sublime.
Masterpiece
RIP Scott LaFaro, this is a top bill evan s live recording. This Lp gets all the stars. I had to bust out the good headphones for this one.
Bill Evans and his band especially Scott Lafaro his bassist are on fire.
loved it. great music. listened to it while studying. prolly gonna be in my playlist for autumn!
Just really great jazz that’s accessible without being derivative. Also a rare album that is better for having a live audience.
There are two things that I have to keep reminding myself of as I listen to this album. First, this is a trio. Such an expansive, nuanced sound, coming from just three guys, no brass. Scott LaFaro's work on bass is especially noteworthy, but all three are playing at top level. Second, I have to remind myself that these songs were recorded live, which is a little bonkers to comprehend. It's flawless across the board, and without the audience interaction, I would have no idea this was a live album. I enjoyed this immensely. Fave Songs: Alice in Wonderland, All of You, Gloria's Step (take 2), Solar
Now this is a jazz album! This seminal jazz album by the legendary pianist Bill Evans has been praised for the symbiotic interplay between musicians. No wonder why it is often regarded as one of the finest live recordings in the genre.
I saw something that said this might be the best live jazz recording. This could actually be the best live recording. Or best jazz recording. Or just possibly best recording.
Stone cold classic, one of my favourite jazz records of all time, easy 5.
This is absolute genius from one of the best piano trios ever.
A simple masterpiece that has a fluid motion between the Trio. A wonderful introduction to Bill Evans and a jumping off point to your jazz discography.
Ahhhhh, something a bit chilled. I actually prefer a bit of trumpet or sax in my jazz otherwise it becomes a bit muzak-y. There's also always something a bit special about a well-performed live recording. Hats off. Some super spicy bass work as well.
Really really good
I LOVE BILL EVANS
That‘s mine
Bill Evans Trio is always a winner. Great music for a sunny weekend afternoon or when you're trying to work
I last listened to this album a week before it popped up for me here today - it's a regular favourite. If you like this, it's worth checking out the 3CD 'The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961', which includes all of this one, the album 'Waltz For Debby', plus more. I knew this was going to be 5⭐ as soon as I saw it, and it was great to have an excuse to listen to it again so soon.
jazzy
Great live piano jazz. Alice in Wonderland is such a great jazz standard and Bill Evans does magic with it.
Wonderful
The coolest white people ever got.
One of my all time favourite jazz albums. To me, Bill Evans is the template for the jazz pianist. He's accessible and inventive at the same time.
This was really good. Excellent jazz is timeless!
My goodness this album is enjoyable! I’m not educated enough in this genre to give a credible review but 5 stars from me, I loved it.
That was an absolute treat! I put it on while I was reading John lydon's biography anger is an energy and it paired really well much to my surprise. Definitely keeping this for mobile listening and going to put it on as a makeout album with my girlfriend
Incredible chemistry and communication in this trio and they really captured the magic in these recordings. So tragic to think this was the last time Scott La Faro played and he was only 25. Virtuosic playing and his compositions are my favorite in the album. The way him and Bill Evans weave in and out lead and supportive playing and can do both at the same time is so interesting and beautiful.
One of my all time favorite jazz records and all time fav musicians. His playing is so unique and beautiful. Scott lafaro is totally shredding the whole time. Jade visions is awesome. Some of the best trio playing ever
Really nice and easy listening.
Sublime, melodic, exquisite live jazz. Unbelievable that people in the small crowd would talk during this performance. Yes, 63 years ago, there were “chompers” in the audience. 🙄
Made me think how well jazz and food go together. Like black coffee and french pastry enjoyed slowly; or craft beer and a flower salad. Never had that thought so vividly before. And then it expands into enjoying other arts, and even nature. The ambient sounds of drinks clinking and people murmuring emphasize that sense of jazz as an overlay that contours and dances with the rhythms of living. Not surprising coming from a guy who played with Davis and Coltrane. Really enjoyed.
No need to encourage me to listen to this album: it's one I listen to at least a few times each month. Bill Evans is incredible. I love all his work. This album has long made me wish so much I could've been there at the Village Vanguard for these sessions, and seen him play many times over. Genius is a word that gets thrown around a lot but is appropriate for Mr. Evans.
Always wonderful to listen to
Bill shines but the real standout of this live performance is bassist Scott LaFaro, who sounds like he's trying to out-rhythm-section his drummer. There are sections where they are just cooking together while Bill comps or lays back, content to let his chosen accompanists take the spotlight. It says a lot when a leader chooses a team that they can learn from, and Bill Evans is always collaborating with the very best. This record is a perfect showcase of that.
Very reminiscent of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Easy to listen to.
An essential jazz piano album. Very famous, for good reason. This album is just pure vibes, everything from the lucsious harmonic approach that is effortless on Evans playing, to the on point accompaniment from the bass and drummer player, this is a musical masterpiece. I love how you can even here the audience tapping cutlery off the plate, and indistinct chatter it just really adds to the feeling that I am actually in a jazz club. I love this album and it conforts as well as amazes me greatly.
Really enjoyable jazz album. Satisfyingly paced, well structured songs. Me likey. 4.5 personally
Perfect jazz record
Beautifully balanced. Exquisite bass.
i have potentially listened to a version of this album 100 times before and it is some of the most enjoyable jazz ever