Sunday At The Village Vanguard

A Good Album that is impossible to review. Kaleidoscopic phrases, beautiful interplay, a moment of true inspiration and sweat and grime captured by some of the best musicians who lived. It's complex! And it's instantly a huge Jazz favorite for me. It's kind of a page-turner, this record... tons of harmonic stuff to sink your teeth into. If 1001 Albums had 20 Bill Evans albums, sure, I'd probably have a tough time telling you the 3's from the 4's from the 5's. This ones' a 5. 5/5

Sometimes I think with the way Bill plays it doesn't really matter which piece he's playing, he's still going to transport you to his world of calm but complex harmony and melody. If you're new to Bill Evans and liked this I recommend Waltz For Debby, Skating In Central Park, Peace Piece and the Cannonball Adderley track Toy which features Bill.

This is my type of jazz! Bright, engaging, smart… what a 🔥 set!

beautiful

While not my favorite from the Trio, this is an excellent example of what they could do. Evans for so long had been a sideman and this was his coming out party, so to speak. Jazz heads and those interesting in great music should be on this one! 9.7/10

I was looking for a Charlie Brown Christmas type sound after the holidays were over and this is it!

I haven't listened to a lot of jazz before but I really loved this. So smooth and upbeat, really pleasant and interesting but easy to just daydream or work to. The backstory is neat and you can really feel the synergy between all the players

This was fantastic

Perfection!

Really enjoyed this!

Amazing sounds, loved listening to it multiple times. Perfect for a day of reading while sitting by a fire.

Good tunes. Nonsense lyrics sweet!

Classic piano-driven jazz. Fantastic!

I don't usually listen to much Jazz, but I appreciate it. I am absolutely blown away by the quality of this recording. I don't think I have ever heard a live recording with this much detail and clarity, kind of blown away this is from 1961. The trio are very talented, very obvious they are masters of the craft of jazz. The grooves on the bass are spectacular. Percussion is tight, and not overly flashy. Evans is a treat on the keys, knowing full well when to step back and let LaFaro solo. There were times I was wondering who was in my house, as I kept hearing chit chat or the clink of a glass. It was all from this record. Quite the immersive experience if you ask me. Very enjoyable listening, I see no reason why this shouldn't be 5 stars.

I have heard some of these before. Really enjoyed the very chaotic and spontaneous sound. The little sprinkles of each instrument together gives such a great sound.

I would fucking die for this style of jazz. It is my favourite style atm and my lord it gets me going. I get where Ryan Gosling is coming from in La La Land.

i am not upset at having this classic jazz album playing through my speakers today. truly some of the best.

The man who recorded Kind of Blue with Miles! 31 Grammys! Killer record.

Another of my favorites. 5 stars

Loved it!

such cool jazz

Not a jazz connoisseur by any means - but I occasionally enjoy listening to Jazz while I'm working. This was easy enough to not lose focus on my work, but if you do tune in and listen, includes wonderful melodies and remarkable ensemble. 5/5

Listened on vinyl. It’s a perfect album.

That was a fun listen. Very cool in the classic sense

Made for a pleasant drive home tonite. Reminds me of my band days. I love that it was recorded live

Jazzy!

Algo muy bueno entre la habitual morralla de ésta página.

The definition of a hidden gem. I put this album on repeat for the entire day and never stopped finding reasons to appreciate it.

Best xmas vibe ever!! Mi nuevo álbum de navidad favorito

That cello goes hard

Great music to listen too while working at the computer.

Smoother than a baby’s butt

Besides being the right album for me today, this was another example of things I have learned to love about jazz through this project. This trio melded together perfectly while flowing in a way that felt absolutely free but obviously wasn't. I loved the whole thing.

Before listening to this album my only exposure to Bill Evans before this was his work on Kind of Blue and I think he performed incredibly on that album. So coming into this I was pretty confident it would be great and it was. The piano understandably was the star of the show as Evans is the pianist but LaFaro and Motian aren't slouches themselves. Specifically Motian on "Gloria's Step" played great and was really stand out as well as LaFaro on . This album was at both times smooth while also not falling into the trap of being so smooth that it feels like being fed baby food like a Kenny G album. It is still takes risks and they play enticing songs that are well composed. I really like the first track, "Gloria's Step", because it allowed all three of them to be the main center of attention at different times in the piece and none of them miss a beat as their all great. I like that the second track was taken in a much slower pace and it provides great contrast to the first which speeds up near the end. Throughout the album one thing that is a constant is how well practiced the trio seems. Their instruments meld together just as well as in any other albums I have heard. "My Man's Gone Now" is played incredibly as well and is a much more emotional track than the first. One thing that caught me off guard in this album is the crowd noise. It was so quiet compared to any other live album I have heard that when I heard a voice say something I literally turned around thinking one of my roommates was trying to talk to me. Unsurprisingly "Solar" is an amazing track. When you have a song composed by Miles Davis and Chuck Wayne it is sort of hard to be bad. Here I think that LaFaro absolutely steals the show with his bass. This is largely due to the fact that it was just him and Motian playing but LaFaro is allowed the spotlight and capitalizes on the opportunity. Also Motian at the end ramps up his drumming and it is great. "Alice in Wonderland" is obviously the theme for the Disney movie. I had heard it before in the movie but never in as focused a manor as it is performed on this album. I think that this song is another example of what this album excels at which is keeping the listener captivated by playing really well arranged songs while also not being too obvious. This is a really well composed tracks with movements that are completely evoke completely different emotions. It starts out in a very dreamy, floaty sound that progress to a punchy, loud, hectic movement that is such a clear allegory for the story that gives this song its name. It then slowly comes back down to softer tones at the end which makes this song feel very rounded and cyclical. I think it is probably the best song on the album imo. "All of You" is a much softer, more romantic track that to me evokes images of old romance movies. It feels like it is the score of a movie about a young couple falling in love over a summer with the section with no piano being the tumultuous breakup that is resolved at the end, (turns out it was written for a romantic musical so I am kinda close). The shortest track on the album is the final song "Jade Visions". This one feels like an more smoky, mature version of the previous song. It feels like a song from the soundtrack to a romance movie closer to that of Casablanca. It is a really good send off for this album and I think is probably the most expressive of the tracks on this album. One other note for pretty much all the songs on this album is the way that Motian's cymbal sounds is absolutely enchanting. I don't know if I have heard a cymbal used this effectively on a jazz album. All in all this is one of the best jazz albums I have ever heard and is probably the best live album I have heard outside of Live at the Apollo and Live At the Harlem Square Club though I have not heard that many of them due to my usual aversion to live albums (like I don't think I have heard Live at Folsom Prison which alongside a bunch of others would probably be just as good if not better). A strong 9.5-10/10.

beautiful

Everybody digs Bill Evans...Normally I'd object to such harsh panning (bass left, piano right); but this division brings both instruments into their own orbit with the drums occupying the space all around. I can focus on both throughout their wild flights of fancy. In spite of their distance, their worlds work well together. Really, I could listen to Bill Evans all damn day.

Amazing. Just unbelievable

Absolute gem. Great to listen to while reading.

Likely the best recorded album of the one of the best. You can so easily get lost in the music or any specific instrument.

Beautiful.

An excellent album. As great as Evans is, this is a showcase for the rhythm section of LeFaro and Motian. The interplay is something else, and it shows both how much jazz grew but also how much that key year of 1959 influenced everything that came after. Just two years later, this shows new directions while learning the lessons. An album you must hear.

Impressionistic jazz. So easy sounding and without a flat moment . Someone took it upon themselves to introduce me to jazz and made some mix tapes for me. It includes Bill Evans Trio, and Ella& Louis and others and that was it for me.... I had a base from which to explore

A five it is. Cozy, nostalgic, a little melancholy - it invokes memories and transports me to beloved times and places in the way only music can. I’ll be coming back to this one for sure.

Bill is a beauty as always, but this was a LaFaro tribute more than anything, and I love it for that. Perfect for this unexpectedly rainy day. This was staying at a very solid 4 for me, but the transcendent beauty of the simple final track Jade Visions bumped this just into 5 star territory; that's a new all-time favorite for me.

Loved it!

Erm, it was very nice

A sublime artifact of an acclaimed trio at the top of their game, forever capturing the mastery of their symbiotic playing before it ceased to exist only days later.

Moved into a flat to this

Jazz

Music like this gives me life. Music like this gives me hope, makes my day better, and fills my heart with love. How can you not love jazz? I have a hard time giving a jazz album a low score, because I have a hard time not loving jazz music. These three manage to do more in 6 songs than some can say for their entire careers. Aside from maybe two songs, every track has a bass solo on it. And I am glad it was done that way. Because Scott 100% takes advantage of the time he is given, and shows off his mastery of the bass in an excellent way. You want to know what my favorite part of this record is though? It's the crowd ambiance. For some reason, I love the noises of the people in the club. It is somewhat quiet, but on most songs, you can hear the sounds of the hustle and bustle inside of the Village Vanguard. It adds the perfect atmosphere to the record, and because it was left in, and the trio just plays right over it, it really makes you feel like you are there while they are playing. Scott's death shortly after this was recorded is so tragic, and it breaks my heart knowing this was the last time Bill ever saw him, and how it affected him going forward, but I'm glad we have a set of masterful performances from him to cement his legacy. Rating: 9/10

Evans, LaFaro och Motian är du fruktansvärt samspelta. Som en maskin som jammar lös. Bland det bästa albumet jag vet. Extra starkt med tanke på att LaFaro omkom 11 dagar efter inspelningen.

Hyvää ruuanlaittojazzia. Alice in Wonderland ehdoton suosikki. Kuuntelisin uudelleen sopivassa tilanteessa.

This hits close to the heart. Fucking love bill Evans. One of the most influential jazz piants ever.

My first listen to any project by this trio, and it was a magnificent one. All three musicians are at the top of their game, the highlight being the stand-up bass work of Scott LaFaro. Scott’s passing shortly after the release of this record adds weight to the performances, and truly makes this album a live jazz highlight in my collection.

alice in wonderland and jade visions may be the best jazz pieces ever created.

Great piano album to focus.

Wow. Not a very long listening experience but an amazing album. No weak tracks. The sound was so complete it was difficult to believe it was just a trio.

Just a beautiful and masterful live jazz record on a lazy rainy Sunday morning. Perfection.

startastic

I listened to this while cooking and it couldn't have set the vibe better - so relaxing and smooth.

a beautiful jazz album by Bill Evans. Of course the piano on here is wonderful but the work from all the three musicians is really great. This is really giving me autumn vibes like I am sitting outside in the park and watching the leaves fall down. Is it the best live jazz album??? It could very much be! favourites: Gloria's Step, My Man's Now Gone, Solar, All Of You least fav.: Jade Visions Rating: strong 9

Extremely listenable, goes down smooth even if sophisticated

Fantastic playing by all three members of the trio. Very different style than Myles Davis, even though it is improv it is much catchier and more focused. Listened through this album 5-6 times in one day

excellent...one of my favorite jazz albums!

If I had to pick a selection of albums that would be “your stereotypical jazz”, this would be one of them.

Complex and cerebral. Beautiful in it's simplicity. Always something new to discover even after multiple listens. 5 cool autumn afternoon breezes out of 5 🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

The sound of silence, a Sunday morning with the comics page in your lap with your dog sound asleep at your slippered feet while an autumnal rain storm passes through. 4.5/5.

Though some of the songs do appear twice, each interpretation feels fresh and new.

"Sunday at the Village Vanguard" is a live album by jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans and his trio who with himself is comprised of bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Matian. The material was drawn from the trio's five sets performed on June 25, 1961 at the Village Vanguard in New York City. It was the trio's last recording as Scott LaFaro would die in an auto accident 11 days after. Bill Evans and producer Orrin Keepnews selected songs for the album that would best feature LaFaro's performances. The album is widely considered as Evans' finest and routinely ranked as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. A piano start and idiosyncratic drums open "Gloria's Step (Take 2)" There's a plodding bass. Each instrument is kind of improvising on their own yet connected as a band. A bass jam as LaFaro goes up and down the scales. Also, a song he wrote. The band covers George Gershwin's "My Man's Gone Now." It's slower, piano led. The drummer is using the cymbals/snare to make a rain sound. Another bass improvised solo. They then cover Mike's Davis' "Solar." A quicker pace with the drums more bebop. All three instruments take their turns in improvised solos. The album ends with another LaFaro song in "Jade Visions (Take 2)." A soft bass open. The piano is featured more prominently. Drums add a brushing sound. The interplay between the musicians on this album is quite impressive: when one musician finishes, another one steps in as lead. The band goes back and forth playing in unison and giving each other space to improvise. Each solo is unique in these songs. This is a high level jazz and overall album.

My heart will not let me place this above Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 7 years after this when Bill got his mojo back, but that's likely because I was exposed to it at a critical time in my exploration of the genre and it's so lively and out there that it may be more recognizable as remarkable. Both albums deserve 5 stars easily. This though, wow. For those that don't know, the bassist on this album died in a car crash shortly after, and this particular trio has been regarded for having a remarkable chemistry, so beyond the recording itself, it gets some serious historical cred for being their last hurrah. As someone who's lucky enough to live right by two bars that have donation-based live jazz almost every night, that massive boost in exposure has given me much more of an appreciation for live recordings that stand out. There's sort of a magic trick to it. It's a very fine line to tow between accessibility and sophistication, before you even get to pulling apart the tone of the individual musicians or how well they gel together. This trio is insanely cohesive - they pioneered the idea that all the instruments can share melodic responsibility on an equal footing and they shift modes so effortlessly. This is arguably THE blueprint for what most trios are trying to do nightly in New York. I almost wish there was a shitty live album on this list so those less exposed could appreciate better how superb this is.

One of the great live recordings of all time. It is a shame that this trio's time was cut short, as they were on an incredible roll as these recordings show. The interplay between three highly skilled performers is outstanding. Required listening.

I really enjoy 60s jazz, on the verge of even loving it. Mellow & smooth. Definitely something I'd listen to again. 4.5 stars

Never heard of this recording before. It's perfect.

The line-up of this trio is absolutely insane. Evans, LaFaro and Motian all revolutionized how their individual instruments were to be played in a jazz ensemble. And while this is the Bill Evans Trio it is Scott LaFaro’s bass that steals the show entirely. There is just enough chatter and clinking of glasses in the background to make this live album truly come alive. You could’ve almost fooled me if you said I was actually there.

Just sublime. Very nice. I was annoyed that the Spotify version has the bonus tracks interspersed throughout the album instead of putting them all at the end like a sane person would do.

What an amazing album!!

Slick jazz album. Really enjoyable.

What a groove!

Exceptional album. The talent on display is incredible and the chemistry palpable. A must for any serious jazz collection. 5 stars

The bass player (who died in a car crash 11 days later) on this recording is phenomenal. You hear the club crowd talking behind the sway of music. Jazz as it should be.

Absolutely a classic

Jazz at its peak

Let me just say right off the bat: I love jazz. Especially jazz piano. Needless to say, I've already listened to this album many times - it's an old favorite of mine. Every single track is perfection as far as I'm concerned. The atmosphere of this album is lovely. It was recorded live, and you can faintly hear soft chattering, glasses and silverware clinking, and smatterings of applause. Normally I'm not a fan of live albums, but here, it just works, as if the background noise is part of the performance. If you close your eyes, you can almost picture yourself in a smoky, dimly lit jazz bar.

jazzao diferenciado só pelos primeiros segundos

When you describe a live act as "tight" you are describing an act that is not only performing at their highest capable level but are nearly symbiotic in their relationship with the minds of the other members on stage. Calling this version of Bill Evans Trio "tight" does a disservice to the players as they are operating at a level beyond even that. The bass is amazing in these sessions. The interplay and countermelodies against the piano are just groundbreaking, and the percussion is a guide keeping everyone on the path while letting them explore their surroundings. I'm so glad that these top tier Jazz recordings are included in the book, as it is the only uniquely American art form, and it would be a shame not to recognize how influential it has been on music in the 20th century and beyond.

Amazing live performances love the chatter over bass solos

Perfect for a rainy day…or any day.

Absolutely beautiful background music for a gloomy winter day. The rain is coming down hard outside, but in here it's warm, and the music helps to warm the soul. I couldn't ever listen to jazz pieces like this on a day to day basis, but when the situation is right it's just perfect. Like a rich dessert. I don't know how I could pick a favourite out of an album that flows so well from one song to the next, but as per my self-enforced rules, I'll have to pick. Favourite: Alice in Wonderland, Take 2

Bill Evans played piano on Kind of Blue and his own work pushes that cool modal jazz style even further. Evans is a master of chord voicings and interesting chord progressions that seem to meander and fall back into a groove. The bass playing is exceptional, and much more virtuosic.

It's incredible how many essential jazz albums are missing from this list (I've found the latter online). Key releases by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and many others *should* be there... So I guess when one of those records miraculously finds its way in said list, I can't complain, for once. What sounds good in *Sunday At The Village Vanguard* on first listens is how each member of the trio seems to have a telepathic sense of what the two others are about to do. Vivid shapes materialize in front of your eyes if you're paying attention to this. There are moments when you're thinking: "Damn! What is this musician doing now? He's going so far away from the other two, that's not gonna work, everything's gonna crum... Oh. It works. The others just adapted. And now he's back in line." Simply incredible. Just discovered that bassist Scott LaFaro died a few days after this session in a car accident. That's so sad. Clearly, he was at the top of his game here, and so are Evans and Motian. To conclude, here are few words about the moody closer "Jade Visions", so slow, mysterious and melancholic. Here it's not a solo that shines like the moon, but the whole piece. Spotless ending, here, perfect for a film noir scene... Number of albums left to review: 706 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 148 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 70 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 82

Sublime perfection.

It's like where coffee shop jazz was invented.

Great album. Amazing stereo separation and recording quality.

Wondeful

I liked this instantly. This recording sounds so great, so much space taken up by only three instruments. Bill Evans piano playing is simultaneously unpredictable, but at the same time phrases never seem surprising. Reminds me a bit of some of the Miles Davis records I like, no surprise they played together in the late 50's.

Great album. Amazing bass lines.

Excellent piano jazz.

I've been listening to Jazz recently, starting with acclaimed classics and Sunday At the Village Vanguard is definitely an essential Jazz record. It's amazing musicianship and oh, so easy to listen to with it's smart grooves and cool vibe, makes this a no-brainer. A glorious afternoon listen and crystal clear live recording, it felt like they were performing in front of me! Wow, why haven't I been listened to more of this before? Even non-Jazz fans should be impressed, a must hear!

Everybody digs Bill Evans

Which idiot at Spotify ordered it so the bonus tracks come immediately after the previous take from the original album? Surely it's not ordered like that on the CD. Anyway, after a quick playlist sort, this is a delight. Really enjoy a bit of jazz but I admit I'm mostly ignorant of many of its greats, so not an album I knew. But yes, superb. Fantastic stuff.

Soothing, relaxing, entrancing

nice

Really enjoyed this! I dont know about jazz enough to know why this is considered "the" live jazz album, but there were a lot of elements that really tickles my ears in a good way. Loved the buildup in "Solar", how the trio started drifting apart and then comes back together in unison, super professional and just a joy to hear. Will listen again!

So so good

My second favorite Bill Evans album. The trio plays seamlessly as one during Bill’s very visual compositions.

The interplay between them and the intimacy of the Vanguard gives this live performance a a gorgeous sonic stage that gives one the feeling of being there.

BET is god!!! EVERYONE digs Bill Evans 😁

Amazing!!! Great for background as well

These cats are cookin’!

While on my home 1001albumsgenerator project I am getting things that are more aggressive, on this one I see, that I get amazingly nice music to keep my working mood up. This album is amazing to listen, while I have my coffee and don't want to hear the noise at work, that lasts for a while. The drums are amazing.

Great recording, fantastic arrangements, I could listen to this all day. And I kind of did.

Masterpiece.

Épico álbum para los amantes del piano y el Jazz

Pretty

Cool

Took me a bit, to realise just who this was, but the more I listened the more I felt I was there.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall (or an audience member in attendance) at the time of this performance. Apparently the last show of the trio to include bassist Scott LaFaro, this live set gave us two albums and plenty of stellar moments sprinkled throughout (from the takes of Alice in Wonderland, All of You, My Man's Gone Now, Porgy, etc.) Go out of your way to listen to whatever variation you prefer (Sunday, Waltz for Debby and/or the Complete) and immerse yourself in one of the more important nights (out of many) in jazz history.

Bill Evans is an absolute genius on the piano. I'd put him right up there with Oscar Peterson. This album creates a very soothing ambience that I really enjoy. The 'banter' between the bass and piano is playful at times, and you can tell the trio never falls out of sync. The quiet conversation and clinking of glasses leaking through this live recording at times makes me feels right at home. Fave tracks: All of You - Take 2, Alice in Wonderland - Take 1

This is indeed, like they say, one of the best jazz live albums of all time. Bill Evans was one of the greats when it comes to piano, and the clearness and strongness of his style are captured very well in this record. The best thing Evans did was leave Miles Davis' band in 1959 and form his own trio, since Scott LaFaro' bass and Paul Motian' drums were a perfect match for his refinement. It's a shame that this trio only produced four albums and one have to wonder what else they would gift us if it wans't for LaFaro's tragic death. But to end on a lighter note, the performances of "My Man's Gone Now" and "Solar" are essencial jazz.

Oo this is an easy 5 cello gets me every time.

love the jazz.

Not come across Bill Evans before, but this is now in my list of jazz to listen to.

Iconic live jazz release

Really good jazz album from 1961

This is certainly a smooth album that puts a smile on my face. Gorgeous!

a fabulous jazz trio playing in a wonderful jazz club - what's not to love?

Don't know much about this genre / style of music. I'd hold my snarky criticism if I had any, but this is super-good stuff. Lovely, coffee-and-pajamas Sunday morning listening. Hi-fives.

Good album, nice smooth jazz.

So smooth. Mmmm hmmmmm.

Really good and relaxing jazz. Really dug this album a lot. Will give it another listen.

One of the best albums of the vinyl history. One of the great pianists of the history.

So good! Such a simple band with complex music. I loved it.

gorgeous!

This album is good and relaxing.

So good

Very excellent listen

A classic!

Musste ich zwei mal hören. Großartig.

Super chillier jazz der sehr zeitlos daherkommt

Loved it - i liked the Charlie Brown christmas vibe

Bill Evans es una verga. Más jazz por favor.

mt loko

Jazz Clásico del bueno. Todo un descubrimiento.

Smooth

Fantastic, loved this sound

classudo

Absolutely amazing!

Jamming album. Some songs with sweet guitar solos that rock harder.

Superb

You like jazz?

i love it

Cozy little jazz album. Very nice.

virtuoso playing, very sad backstory regarding the bassist, you can hear how talented he is - RIP

8/10. Discazo. Es lo mejor que se puede encontrar musicalmente hablando, jazz directo, sin vueltas, solos de contrabajo increíbles, buenas armonizaciones. Igualmente, como casi todo el jazz, le falta alma. Le falta algo que me haga sentir conectado, vivo, esencia. Pero se merece la alta puntuación.

special songs

This was cool, but I could have done with some speed metal or punk rock today...SOOOO slow!! 4

Love me some jazz. I want to give this a more focused listen next time but it was perfect for background music.

Good jazz

Incredible, incredible live recording of the Bill Evan’s Trio (who I had never been introduced to). The album is a compilation of different takes of four different compositions from a series of performances on a Sunday at the Village Vanguard (the titular moment!).

one of the goats

Dit is een heeeeeeerlijk jazz album dat je gewoon aan kan zetten. Zo'n diner plaat weet je wel? Of een "We doen nog 1 drankje" plaat. Whiskietje, pilsje ofzoiets erbij. Het liefste draai je deze op vinyl, want dat gekraak maakt dit album net iets beter. Alleen weet je wat deze avonden wel gemeen hebben? Je doet ondertussen iets anders dan muziek luisteren. Je bent niet alleen maar met de muziek bezig, maar het is ontzettend lekker op de achtergrond. Dat is meteen een beetje mijn issue met deze plaat. Het is stiekem de ideale achtergrond muziek omdat het niet al te veel de aandacht opeist. Dusja, heerlijk album, wel een beeeetje liftmuziek of 1950s whiskyjazzbar. FAVO: Alice in Wonderland, All of you, Jade Visions

This is a very intimate live album, which fits the sound well. Simple and elegant, with the bass being the star a lot here. One of my favorite jazz albums.

I can dig it.

Good live jazz album that's special for a sad reason. The bass player, 25 year old phenom Scott LaFaro, died in a car accident only 11 days after the recording. The bass was the best part of the recording and sorry to learn of another young bassist like Cliff Burton passing by car accident. It's a 5 star album just not my favorite music.

Just because someone listed as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time, does not make it so. That said, this one is definitely one for a certain time and place. Like a dimly lit bar/restaurant with cocktail in hand, perhaps cigar in the other if you so choose. This recording is three musicians in the pocket in the most quiet and subdued manner. Its not great driving music, but it is a good listen. I'll probably listen again when I have a window of work time when i need to concentrate. Biggest Hit - Alice In Wonderland Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - All Of You Hidden Gem - Solar

Very pretty jazz album, the performance is great and definitely kept my interest. The live atmosphere really helps with this record and it sounds great

solo se que quiero ese album en vinilo

Some of the best bass playing that I've ever heard in my life. Truly had no idea what to expect with this but not only was it an immersively produced live album but one of Jazz's great young bass prodigies in Scott LaFaro doing some of his best work shortly before his tragic death. Will try to track down more of his stuff and more by Bill Evans Trio.

Great jazz, but more background scene than active listening. I want to give it a 5, but giving a 4 since it wasn't earth-shattering.

This is the kind of music that I would consider easy listening jazz. When I was young at the barber's, I would sometimes hear something like this. I didn't understand it then growing up in a rural environment without the trappings of the bougie company. Well, except for my barber. Which most people called Frenchie but his name was Ray. He listened to jazz. I guess my impression at the time was that only old and/or French people listened to jazz. I still don't have the musical experience to grok jazz but I can appreciate more what I hear. I worked with a improv jazz drummer for a bit. I loved to go to his shows. Skronk jazz is what I called it. This isn't that. This a bunch of folks getting together and jamming out. They are throwing each other motifs, musical suggestions and listening as they go. I got this on a Saturday and waited until Sunday to finish listening to it. Listening to this as someone who has lived in the city and has at least tried some illicits, I can understand the appeal a bit more. Still not my thing but you can imagine hanging in a night club, a bit high; cocktail and cigarette as the hours get small and just swaying to what the folks are doing. It is a way to burn some hours in a not unpleasant way. This feels like somewhere near the best that can be expected for capturing a decent live performance of this type of music. I know that I will be challenged as some more comes along but for one of the first ones to come up for me, this is a good start.

Jazz!!! Джаз я люблю)

Rlly good but got a bit repetitive and noodly

This was relaxing

Chillin out, pretty nice

Album 227. Sunday At The Village Vanguard (https://open.spotify.com/album/3uwufR7PwniMX7t3v4I5oB?si=uAdNNlReR5COZZKqTJK9ig) — Bill Evans Trio (1961) It's a great jazz album, but too chill for me. First time listening Bill Evans Trio, so I wanna listen to something else by them too. 4/5 Liked: — Solar — All Of You - Take 2

Bill Evans Trio Didnt think I liked much jazz...but I really liked this. As with Tom Waits yesterday, the whole point is to listen to stuff you would never normally dream of pulling out. So here are three guys, totally zoned in on their playing and that of each other. Sometimes aligned, sometimes at a tangent, sometimes dropping out altogether. But each, obviously, an absolute master of their craft.

Smooth jazz without a ton of the flair that is sometimes found in other jazz albums. I think i just miss the brass. That said the way the instruments talk to each other is very fun. Very good album.

No denying the beauty of the interplay between piano and bass, though stopping short of a fifth star because there were times when it just doesn’t grab me. I might even have ended up being one of those folks you can hear talking all the way through (I jest of course, I’d never stoop to such a low).

A fantastic listen; my only complaint is talking in the crowd

Classic, amazing playing

Very enjoyable.

Good ol classic jazz.

I could listen to this all day. McNally Robinson music!

Bill Evans is solid. He may not be as iconoclastic as Monk. But he’s no schlub.

A great performance, if a bit of an odd pick for the ONLY record on the list from 1961. The interplay between the 3 musicians is immaculate. There's a lot of interesting stuff to hold your attention within this relatively simple texture -- this is only "background" music if you let it be.

A nice relaxing jazz albums, good cafe jazz. Great performing especially the piano and drums. A nice listen this morning.

Clásico Bill Evans! Piano icónico. Siempre un acierto. 9/10

Really solid jazz album (duh), I might come back when the mood strikes, but this isn't something I would typically think to throw on.

A fun foray into music I won't listen to again

Normally lyrical jazz I’ve found csn be a little repetitive, or even boring, but this was a rally good album. Maybe because it’s due to the tragedy of the album and how it was made or maybe it’s due to seeing the two versions of each song and how different they are from each other due to the riffing and improv, but this was great. Not the absolute best but still very enjoyable.

As nice as brunch jazz will ever get

Beautiful. The lack of brass makes it super relaxed and accessible. It's soundtracking a lazy poolside afternoon in Corfu, with success

Pas une seule parole et pourtant ça mérite un emoji qui parle

A lovely display of musicianship here. On the surface it sounds like tame background noise you'd enjoy to while milling about a dimly lit restaurant, but it really pulled me in the longer I listened. Calming yet strangely entrapping, like slowly pooling molasses to the ears. I also find it immensely humanising how strangers' clinking of dinnerware and chattering has been frozen in time and forever immortalised in this record :)

Excelent record

Go to for Saturday morning.

I sat on the front porch drinking whiskey gingers while listening to this album. With decent whiskey even! I felt so fancy.

That base player is on some good cocaine!

This was a lovely soundtrack to an early morning walk. I saved it for good background music while I’m working.

Review - this is a great live jazz album. This is what that shitty Tom Waits album I had to listen to a month ago wishes it was. Full disclosure, I had to listen to this while walking around so didn't really do it justice. It's an album for sitting and relaxing with it on in the background. Score - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES

Джазы пианино лайв хорошо

This is some chill jazz, but it works for a late night chill session.

i never listen to jazz so this is definitely a new experience i really like the bass player and really like solar great overall 7/10

Rating:★★★★ Great Jazz. Nice easy listening.

Yeah, I enjoyed this.

Brilliant!

beautifully relaxing, like waves washing over you. i'm not very familiar with jazz, it either sounds good to me or it doesn't. this sounded good!

My soul left my body and was transported to Barnes & Nobles while listening. Great album.

Buen jazz pero tener dos veces cada canción por tener algunas modificaciones me parece un poco innecesario. 8/10

Very nice smooth jazz album, added a couple songs to the playlist

A very chill way to start the day. I don’t have a great ear for jazz, but this felt very accessible. Favourite track: All of You

Really great and pretty understandable at any listening level (not as experimental as some other jazz albums here).

I generally prefer vocal jazz, but this was really nice today.

definitely not my typical kind of music. but I found it very pleasant

Jazz ,mit guter Musik und zum sich setzen und hören lassen

New-to-me artist in a style I don't normally gravitate towards, but I liked it. Chill background music for nighttime vibing.

This is the jazz I can handle … no dying birds to be found here. Amazing jamming with this trio, if you can handle that sort of thing … made me look forward to my next ride in an elevator.

I've been enjoying jazz ensembles recently, and this is fantastic. Very pleased to be introduced to Bill Evans. The trio plays brilliantly together. There is so much happening yet nothing feels forced. Very organic feel to this album, and genre in general. Bass steals the spotlight. Showing off on his solos but stays within the song allowing his mates to wander in and around him. Same for piano and drums, but bass intentionally highlighted on this album and I'm glad for it (sad for the untimely passing of the player). I was blown away by this trio and will be re visiting.

A little subtke for my untrained ears but a really enjoyable listen.

I think I'm starting to warm up to piano jazz. I wouldn't want to sit down and listen to this, but it's really good playing in the background while doing something else. Soft and relaxing.

Just delightful. There was a light rain this evening and I couldn't have chosen a better sound track. My ear isn't trained well enough to get all the nuance out of this trio as I'm sure some others can. But all the same, I found myself engaged and moved.

Enjoyed this

Never listened to jazz, it was pretty good but slightly repetitive

Great jazz. Relaxing and beautiful, most importantly there's no brass in it.

Listened in the car. Do you like jazz? Yes I do, Jerry. Yes I do.

Amazing music! Super chill good to put while you are having dinner!

Amazing

Fun and jaunty

Yes, good, smooth brain for working.

Smooooth!! I have a soft spot for this sound. Strong coffee in music form.

Nice and calming piano music. I listened to a lot of similar music in college.

I don’t really know jazz, but I like what I like when I hear it. And I know of Bill Evans but not that familiar with his catalog. This was lovely, very enjoyable.

Smooooth. Evans really is a gateway drug to jazz. It occasionally runs the risk of fading away to the bg in this record.

Great modern jazz from a potent trio, including legendary bass prodigy Scott LaFaro in (I believe) his last recorded performance before his untimely death at 25. You've got to be in the mood for jazz to enjoy this, but if you are, this is as good as it gets.

Smooth Jazz

Featuring bassist Scott LaFaro who died ten days after the recording was made - the album features two LaFaro penned tracks, and the bassist is front and centre throughout the recording – Bill Evans tribute to his fallen bandmate. It’s an excellent record, with the trio working brilliantly together, and plenty of space provided for solo improvisations. It’s been a go to jazz album for me for many years, together with its sister record Waltz For Debby. 9/10

La verdad es que no suelo escuchar jazz y no conocía a este trío, pero me sorprendió muchísimo lo que escuché. Más allá de no ser un género que consuma seguido, siempre me gustó porque su estilo instrumental me resulta de lo más agradable y relajante. Es un disco que sin dudas escucharía en un día de lluvia, tranquilo en mi cuarto, metido en mis pensamientos. El piano es impresionante en todas las canciones, aunque lo destaco especialmente en “Solar”. Además, me llamó mucho la atención lo bien que suena a pesar de ser una grabación en vivo; realmente parece un disco de estudio. Una verdadera obra de arte. En resumen, le doy un 9/10.

Whoever named the genre "cool jazz" got it right. That stuff is COOL jazz

Dear lord this is classy. First live album I experience where the ambience isn't in the crowd's cheers, but in the wine glasses clanking and other such subtleties. Those are the details that TRANSPORT you to the Village Vanguard, to performances where Scott LaFaro is shredding pure heat on bass. Love it!

Not much of a jazz listener but it was very easy to listen to. very calming

Jazz

Always love hearing jazz records I haven’t before. This bassist, Scott LaFaro, sadly was killed in a car accident 11 days later. He crushes here.

Some really great live jazz stuff, the open hihat sounds like rain and the rest of the instrumentation is just very well done

Perhaps I was just in the right mood, but this recording is so evocative and atmospheric. It's easy to be there in the room, the smell of tobacco, the drink flowing, the sounds of the fret clicks and string chirps, and the hum of the audience gently murmuring in the background. I can hear the sound that may have influenced a young Zappa too. I'm not a massive fan of live albums, but this feels more like an historical document. I love it. It moves to 'the buy list'. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ Superb ★★★★☆ (8/10) Total reviewed : 274 Already owned : 62 Purchased : 15 To buy : 2 Nope : 195

This seems like a basically pristine recording - you can't really tell it's live until the audience starts clapping. Maybe it's because I'm a bassist, but the bass stands out the most to me by far. That said, reading up a little bit, it sounds like the bassist was a prodigious talent who passed away in a car accident shortly after this was recorded. Only 25, very sad. Piano and drums are great too though. It does all sort of blend together to me. I wouldn't regularly choose to listen to this kind of thing, but it's a really pleasant experience to listen to.

Scott Lafaro, bass player here, died 11 days after this was recorded. Reading this fact made me single him out as this album went on. His performance alone is enough to hold my interest and make me enjoy the album all the more.

Really great! A little too ambient for my tastes — I wouldn’t play it back-to-back, per se. But it is a great sound that I love to listen to. A 4.

Amazing. Not much into jazz but was nice over my morning coffee

Clean and moody, like the crowd noise. I don't know music theory enough to fully appreciate this. 3.5/5

Oh this is superb! I am not very knowledgeable in jazz but I do appreciate the shifts in mood and the amazing piano and bass. The songs are very nice and enjoyable and made my breakfast a thousand times better. I will definitely listen to more Bill Evans Trio and get to know better his background. Amazing 4/5

Scot's Day At The Village Vanguard A landmark recording - delicate lightning in a bottle!

I like jazz trios, feels both cool and accessible. I like this album. It's not super memorable and I wouldn't be able to tell it apart from a hundred other jazz trio albums, but I like it.

solid 4.0. Extremamente agradável e relaxante.

Great, captivating jazz. Only thing docking from a perfect 5 is that I didnt always love the bass player

relaxing

Heel leuk, jazzy! Wel iets drukker dan ik uit mezelf zou luisteren

So fun. Jazz is really something. Weaving in and out with each piece. What it would have been like to be in that room..

4.5 (42:03, 6 tracks, 3rd album, 1961) LIVE Jazz, Genre defining (Jazz Trio) Really coming to appreciate Jazz (traditional music appreciation track for a middle-aged white guy.) Most of my youth Jazz sounded like 3 super talented musician met in a parking lot and picked a time signature to play in, went inside and performed a set and never saw each other again. They'd split the $150 three ways; and this is how they made a living, well that and bussing tables during the day. Q: "Can you play that song again." A: "Nope." i really enjoy this album, listened to it many times. It walk friendly, work friendly, sleep friendly - mood album. Can definitely see me playing this again and again. Took a whole spin down Bill Evans life span of work (it's massive) as part of this assignment. Sunday at the Village Vanguard is a live album by jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans and his Trio consisting of Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motian. Released in 1961, the album is routinely ranked as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time. Sunday at the Village Vanguard was drawn from material recorded on June 25, 1961, at the Village Vanguard in New York City. The trio played five sets—two in the afternoon and three in the evening—each one comprising four or five numbers and lasting about half an hour. This was the last performance by the Bill Evans Trio with bassist Scott LaFaro, who was killed in a car accident eleven days after the recording. Riverside had been looking for only one album from this date, but LaFaro's death changed the economics. The album was subtitled "Featuring Scott LaFaro" and was rushed out for release three months after recording by September 1961. Evans and producer Orrin Keepnews reportedly selected the tracks for Sunday at the Village Vanguard 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. This memorable day's performance resulted in additional material released in a second album in 1962, Waltz for Debby, as well as a further selection of takes appearing posthumously in 1984 as another LP: Bill Evans — More From the Vanguard (Milestone M-9125). In numerous interviews Evans has paid tribute to what he always considered to be his finest trio, “I am thankful that we recorded that day, because it was the last time I saw Scott and the last time we would play together. When you have evolved a concept of playing which depends on the specific personalities of outstanding players, how do you start again when they are gone?” After this recording at the Village Vanguard and the death of LaFaro, it became one of the extreme low periods in the life and career of Evans. He did not play for many months, not even at home. Thom Jurek wrote of the album: "This trio is still widely regarded as his finest, largely because of the symbiotic interplay between its members. This is a great place to begin with Evans." C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz wrote: "Along with bassist wunderkind Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, Evans perfected his democratic vision of trio cooperation, where all members performed with perfect empathy and telepathy... It is these performances, currently available as Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby that comprise the number one best jazz live recording in this present series." Starting in 1992, both this album and its successor Waltz for Debby have been awarded a crown in all nine editions of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Track listing 1. "Gloria's Step" (take 2) 6:09 2. "My Man's Gone Now" 6:21 3. "Solar" 8:52 4. "Alice in Wonderland" (take 2) 8:34 5. "All of You" (take 2) 8:17 6. "Jade Visions" (take 2) 3:44 Personnel Bill Evans – piano Scott LaFaro – bass Paul Motian – drums Bill Evans Bio: William John Evans (1929–1980) was a legendary American jazz pianist and composer who fundamentally reshaped the role of the jazz trio and modern harmonic language. Classically trained from age six, Evans studied at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Mannes School of Music. His style was heavily influenced by 20th-century classical composers like Debussy and Ravel. He is renowned for his "singing" melodic lines, innovative chord voicings, and the use of impressionist harmony. Evans revolutionized the piano trio by moving away from a piano-dominant structure toward a "democratic" dialogue where the bassist and drummer had equal roles in improvisation. Career Highlights: In 1958, Evans joined Miles Davis’s sextet and played a pivotal role in the recording of Kind of Blue (1959), the best-selling jazz album of all time. He formed his most famous trio with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, recording landmark albums like Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby (1961). He received 31 Grammy nominations and won seven awards. His compositions, including "Waltz for Debby" and "Very Early," have become jazz standards. Evans's life was marked by the tragic death of Scott LaFaro and the suicides of his brother and long-term partner. He struggled with long-term heroin and cocaine addictions, which contributed to his early death at age 51 from complications related to a bleeding ulcer and liver disease. He remains one of the most influential jazz musicians of the post-bebop era, directly inspiring pianists such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett.

I was today years old when I learned that Bill Evans was Miles Davis’s keyboardist. It shows here. However, I don’t understand jazz as well as I should. It seemed to miss the horns that made Miles’s music so accessible for me. Still I can’t deny the quality of the performances here.. Great bassist whose name I missed (Scott LaFaro - a true virtuoso). This would work better for me as background music. 4 stars

Rock solid jazz album Some really cool pockets and the bassist is excellent All of them are locked in

I think this is my first ever pure instrumental jazz record. Based on that I have no basis for weather this is actually *good*. I think it was, I enjoyed myself. It was pleasant! Very easy listening.

The bassist is going crazy on this one. Must have been incredible ripping a heater in a jazz club seeing this live, 3 old fashioned’s deep.

Gimme more of that.

Very enjoyable album to study to

The album is routinely ranked as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time and I understand why. Never listened to the whole album. I want a comfy lounge chair and a martini. I prefer a crooner/singer with my jazz. 0 songs added to playlist.

STANDOUTS: Gloria's Step, Solar, Alice in Wonderland Peak studying music right here. Listened to this while working on homework and I've never felt more locked in in my life. The sound level of the crowd noise is perfect, it's not too loud where it overpowers the music, which by the way is absolutely gorgeous (especially the bass), but it also prominent enough to provide a bit of natural ambiance, making it feel much livelier than a studio recording. 8/10

Romanticized rainy morning

Seratonin

Great listen! Very cool snapshot of the era.

What an awesome album. Love Bill Evans. 7.5/10

nice freestyle jazz or whatever it is i find it quite enjoyable but in some moments it sounds like mumbles

Various parts of different songs really stand out, but no songs as a whole. Better background music than actively listening.

A great cleanse for my musical palate. Very heavy bassist throughout most songs.

I really like this album. It feels classy and simple without ever teetering on boring. The bass playing in this really stood out to me, shout out him. Strong 8/10

Mood music. Smoke filled club large leather chairs sitting back very mellow mood sipping espresso martinis.

Una atmósfera muy íntima y envolvente. Mi favorita del álbum es "Jade visions".

Turns out the original release is only six tracks, but I didn't mind listening to the full ten on streaming. Expert playing and a mournful vibe. Dig it.

Divine.

True to its name, this is Sunday brunch jazz. Light, airy, delightful. I made tea and toast, sat on my couch and looked wistfully out my window, chilled, vibed. Jazz is exquisite enlightenment. Even in the darkest of times, it is a ray of light and a beacon of hope and a truth that can never be falsified. I wish there were more variations of it on this list.

jazz tranquilo, principalmente piano y batería, muy chill, merece la pena escuchar en modo relax o poner de fondo,

Skikkelig koselig kaféjazz.

Det flyter greit inn i hverandre det her, men kan ikke si annet enn at det var fint å høre på. Kult med støy fra lokalet som løfter live-følelsen. Sjuk bassist!

I enjoyed this. Pictured myself sitting at a table in a smoky New York nightclub in the 1950s. Very atmospheric and musically important. Ultimately, it works for me as background music but saying that probably makes me a philistine. Warrants careful attention to all the instruments and the whole improvisation vibe.

Gorgeous and vibey. Perfect listening for a quiet rainy day.

Very beautiful and relaxing jazz.

Ist an mir vorbeigeflogen im positiven Sinne. Wirkte schon so, als ob da auch ein guter Teil Jam-Session ist. War aber alles im Rahmen.

Really sets the mood for a nice chilled evening

8/10… jazz / piano / *1961

Solid jazz album, but not blow me away great. Since I listen to my album choices in the morning, it was my soundtrack for grocery shopping, and no complaints. 3.75 / 5

Not enough jazz on this list, at least so far. Fantastic album

Love this, 1* off for the live recordings that include people talking. I'm all for the jazz club vibe but i prefer it without the additional soundtrack

Felt like a live jazz bar. Studying with this on was like a breeze. Gorgeous melodies and some virtuosity. Great record

I actually really liked this. An instrumental jazz isn’t always my go to, but the time went by really fast and liked the music throughout

Sunday at Starbucks Inc.

el cool jazz més blanc que ningú pot imaginar, però joder, que bé li senta al gènere un tio que ha absorbit a tots els impressionistes per a traslladar eixe minimalisme melòdic als seixanta de nova york. que sí, que no inventa res i que de vegades pot acabar sent un poc fons, però és impossible separar la gravació del seu context, i al cèsar el que és del cèsar.

No lo escuché todo pero lindo y suave

Loved it. Great jazz album!

2/3/26. Enjoyable jazz with no voice. 8/10

Impeccable, gentle, top tier jazz from a trio of wonderful musicians. Well recorded and effortlessly digestible. Bass playing is out of this world.

Un classico