Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
It's accidentally poetic that pianist Bill Evans made his most unforgettable live session at Max Gordon's Village Vanguard in 1961 (for that, try Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby) and recorded his second-best live set at the same venue in 1980, just three months shy of his death. Here's the document of the last stand, gathered on six CDs and glowing with a creative discovery that shines from Evans, drummer Joe LaBarbera, and bassist Marc Johnson. This trio had been together for less than two years, and in that time, they'd found an alchemy that Evans, at least, thought was in part lacking since the early 1960s. To be fair, Evans marshaled one of jazz's finest piano trios into the Vanguard in 1961 for the recording of Sunday at the Village Vanguard, and the tragic death of then-bassist Scott LaFaro devastated the pianist. He then played with lots of drummers but only one main bassist, Eddie Gomez. And he acknowledged Gomez's expertise, finding fault more generally with the coasting he seemed to allow on so many sessions. With the new trio, however, Evans looked to close out the 1970s with renewed creative vigor. He did so, as these sets demonstrate lavishly. Evans was deeply spun in emotional turmoil, nursing an ultimately lethal cocaine habit and also playing with crystal-clear depth. His improvisations sound as unstoppable as any of the early 1960s fare, with melody bursting from one hand and harmonically circuitous complexity pouring from the other. Johnson and LaBarbera stay on for the whole ride, from the passionate embrace of ballads to the fevered trot through standards that Evans knew backwards and forwards. What's most remarkable about this box set, though, is the sum of it all. Here you have Evans, who was notoriously microphone shy, unfolding lengthy sets--which appear on CD unedited and expansive. --Andrew Bartlett

---

Related Items:
     see more

Related Items:

• Last Waltz: The Final Recordings Live
• The Secret Sessions
• Consecration: The Final Recordings Part 2
• Piano Player
• The Paris Concert, Edition Two
• see more

---

Disc 1:

1. Bill's Hit Tune - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
2. Nardis - Bill Evans, Davis, Miles
3. If You Could See Me Now - Bill Evans, Dameron, Tadd
4. The Two Lonely People - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
5. Laurie - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
6. My Romance - Bill Evans, Hart, Lorenz
7. Tiffany - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
8. Like Someone in Love - Bill Evans, Burke, Johnny
9. Letter to Evan - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]

Disc 2:

1. Days of Wine and Roses - Bill Evans, Mercer, Johnny
2. Emily - Bill Evans, Mandel, Johnny
3. My Foolish Heart - Bill Evans, Young, Victor
4. Nardis - Bill Evans, Davis, Miles
5. Yet Ne'er Broken - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
6. Quiet Now - Bill Evans, Zeitlin, Denny
7. But Not for Me - Bill Evans, Gershwin, Ira
8. Spring Is Here - Bill Evans, Hart, Lorenz
9. Autumn Leaves - Bill Evans, Kosma, Joseph

Disc 3:

1. Your Story - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
2. Re: Person I Knew - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Bill Evans, VanHeusen, Jimmy
4. The Two Lonely People - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
5. Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) - Bill Evans, Mandel, Johnny
6. Tiffany - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
7. Turn Out the Stars - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
8. Laurie - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
9. My Romance - Bill Evans, Rodgers, Richard
10. Knit for Mary F. - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
11. Midnight Mood - Bill Evans, Raleigh, Ben
12. Time Remembered - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]

Disc 4:

1. Days of Wine and Roses - Bill Evans, Mancini, Henry
2. Up With the Lark - Bill Evans, Kern, Jerome
3. Nardis - Bill Evans, Davis, Miles
4. Your Story - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
5. Yet Ne'er Broken - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
6. If You Could See Me Now - Bill Evans, Dameron, Tadd
7. Bill's Hit Tune - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
8. Tiffany - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
9. In Your Own Sweet Way - Bill Evans, Brubeck, Dave

Disc 5:

1. I Do It for Your Love - Bill Evans, Simon, Paul
2. Five - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Bill Evans, VanHeusen, Jimmy
4. Bill's Hit Tune - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
5. Turn Out the Stars - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
6. Days of Wine and Roses - Bill Evans, Mancini, Henry
7. But Not for Me - Bill Evans, Gershwin, Ira
8. Knit for Mary F. - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
9. Like Someone in Love - Bill Evans, Burke, Johnny
10. Quiet Now - Bill Evans, Zeitlin, Denny

Disc 6:

1. Emily - Bill Evans, Mandel, Johnny
2. I Do It for Your Love - Bill Evans, Simon, Paul
3. Nardis - Bill Evans, Davis, Miles
4. Knit for Mary F. - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
5. Like Someone in Love - Bill Evans, VanHeusen, Jimmy
6. Letter to Evan - Bill Evans, Evans, Bill [Piano]
7. Minha (All Mine) - Bill Evans, Hime, Francis
8. A Sleepin' Bee - Bill Evans, Arlen, Harold
9. My Romance/Five - Bill Evans, Hart, Lorenz

Rating: - The hands of a genius,
Words like "perfect" and "brilliant" are often bandied about when one talks of their favorite musician(s). Frequently their use is unwarranted, making these words near-meaningless and overly common. However, when someone like Bill Evans comes along, the true meanings are restored and you just can't help but call the man a genius.

Turn Out the Stars is one of the most emotional, heartwrenching performances ever captured. While (in my opinion) Evans wasn't the technical virtuoso that Oscar Peterson was, he played with more passion than Peterson was ever able to muster. You can truly hear the pain and sorrow transferred from Evans's soul to the piano. At this point in his life, he had kicked heroin and was consumed by cocaine. When this was recorded Evans (and everyone else) was well aware that he was dying and his playing seems to be an attempt to write his own epitaph. It is at times somber, at times joyous, but always full of such emotion.

His supporting cast is phenomenal; by far the best trio he's had since the legendary "Live at the Village Vanguard" grouping. They are careful not to overpower Evans because they know he does not have much time left. Their restrained playing is absolutely gorgeous.

The decline of Bill reminds me of Charlie Parker's long downward spiral. In The Bird's case, alcohol had him by the throat for decades, and it eventually proved to be his Grim Reaper. Though Evans suffered the same ultimate fate, it does not detract from the quality of his music. This is perhaps the finest jazz recording made in the second half of the 20th century. It made me cry, smile and shudder the first time I played it through. It's that damn good.

Do yourself a favor and download the MP3 version of this from Amazon for $30, or try to find the box set somewhere. It will be one of the best investments you make this year.

Evans may be gone, but his legend lives on. There will never be another musician like him.

---

Rating: - I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT--BUT IT IS A BIT MUCH
Even for an avid fan, this six disc box set is a bit much. I will pick up almost anything with Bill Evans' name attached to it and even I had to listen to it one disc at a time spread over a few weeks.

I will say that I was constantly amazed at the variation and different readings of the same pieces that appear more than a few times throughout. "Nardis" (always credited to Miles Davis although he never recorded it himself) is rendered by the trio four times and I was blown away each time. Most pieces make at least two appearances and all are fresh and alive even though Evans played them many times across his entire album catalogue.

If I were just starting out or if I were just modestly interested in Evans, I would opt for the more manageable ARTIST'S CHOICE: HIGHLIGHTS FROM TURN OUT THE STARS [LIVE].

The HIGHLIGHTS album is an absolute must if you are just tipping your toe into jazz or have taken an interest in Bill Evans himself. Among all the records Evans released, I would also recommend purchasing one or all of the following:

1. SUNDAY AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD [LIVE]
2. EXPLORATIONS
3. EVERYBODY DIGS BILL EVANS
4. TOKYO CONCERT [LIVE]
5. AT THE MONTREAUX JAZZ FESTIVAL [LIVE]

Other fans will object to any one of the above for another (for them) more worthy suggestion. For a whole variety of reasons they may be right. But I particularly am fond of these albums and I believe they are naturally more appealing to any jazz novice. Happy hunting!

---

Rating: - Days of wine and roses . A colossal treasure !!!!
There are no words to describe the amazing beauty of the music featured in these 6 CDs. Here is a summit in the art of playing jazz on a piano.There is so much beauty in these albums that it will take you weeks to discover all of it.
Do you remember Bill Evans' "live at the Village Vanguard",recorded June 25,1961,with the immense Paul Motian on drums,and the young giant of double bass,Scott LaFaro,who died a few days after this session ? 19 years later,Evans is back to the Village Vanguard,Max Gordon's temple of jazz in the Big Apple,and thanks God,these nights were recorded;he would die two months later,just after he played a one week long engagement at San Francisco's Keystone Korner (two 8 CD sets,"Consecration" and "the last waltz"),and another one week long gig that turned into a two nights one,at NYC's Fat's Tuesday;he died two days after his second concert.
Here is the music of a dying man,who knew he was going to fie soon;only 51,but as old and used as Lester Young was,when he left,aged only 49,a few days after his last recorded session in Paris in March 1959.
Bill Evans died of beeing a drug addict,of course; but he mostly died of despair,of living a life in an unknown world,and of too many sad moments in his life.One of his favorite themes,during the last years of his life,was "Theme from MASH",aka "suicide is painless";and that's what he committed,just like Lester,or Billie did;some kind of painless suicide.They didn't take a gun or rope,they just waited until death came,using "illegal substances".
I don't think that Bill Evans never played that way.These Village Vanguard sessions,as the Keystone Korner ones,are to me the highlights of his career.Perfectly backed by the very talented Marc Johnson on bass,and Joe LaBarbera on drums,he plays like he never did,just like each tune was the last one he'll ever play.There is indescriptible music in this set.Maybe the two sets from the Keystone Korner are the most emotional ones,because they were recorded a few days before Evans' death;and surely,the music in these CDs is as great as the Village one;but the sound on these recordings is ten times better.

---

Rating: - All of us are in the gutter,.....
.... but some of us are looking at the stars. When I first picked this up, 7 years ago, I was stunned and driven to tears by the beauty of the music herein. I have never heard a CD that has impacted me as deeply as this, and I was not really that aware of Evans, other than as the piano player on KIND OF BLUE. THIS CHANGED ALL THAT. What happened here was that I came face to face with a man who knew that his life was ending and the urgency in his playing was driven by his desire to make some lasting enduring statement about Music and what Truths lie therein before fate came to turn out the stars.
You don't need me to validate his playing. Evans was one of a kind and a soul of powerful emotions. Often called impressionistic, Evans was really more exitentialistic: there is an urgency at every moment to live and to play authentically. I can see what Miles saw in him: it wasn't what he played, but what was in the silence that his beautiful music framed. This set is absolutely loaded with such moments.
Oscar Wilde made the comment with which I opened this note. Oscar also observed that "All men kill the things they loved." Should you ever read Bill's biography, you'll understand how that aphorism applies with tragic tenderness to Bill Evans. I can think of no greater loss to music than his passing. This set presents the mments just before his star went supernova. It is the most brilliant box set I have ever heard.

---

Rating: - Fabulous
These last sessions from June 1980 of Bill Evans Trio at the Village Vanguard are a treasure, in large part, due to the superb recording and engineering of Malcolm Addey. None of the earlier recordings the Evans Trio at the Vanguard have the clarity, balance and overall quality that this set produced. It seems to me, despite his deteriorating health, that Evans was still able to bring more energy to these performances, than later in August 1980. Yes, Evans plays some of the old repertoire, like "My Romance" and "But Not For Me" in an up-tempo fashion, but results are wonderful, and a testament to the excellence of this final trio with Evans, Johnson and LaBarbera. Personally, I think Johnson and LaBarbera helped Evans to finally break away from the successful, but predictable style of the Evans, Gomez, Morrell period. In fact, Evans alludes to this during an interview with Jim Aikin, contained in the excellent liner notes of this 6CD box set.