Jazz's Perfect Afternoon Redux, September 25, 2005

I came at this album kind of backwards - I first listened to CDs of Evans playing with Tony Bennett, then solo, then live at Montreux with Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette (trying to hear him at his most upbeat). I knew that this was one of the most revered albums in jazz, but I couldn't help but wonder what the fuss was all about. How much better could it be?Much better. First, the recording quality on this album blows away the Montreux album. Yes, there's glasses clinking and occasional chit-chat, but it tells part of the story, as does the enemic applause. The bass tone is clear and full. The cymbals are not oppressive. It is amazing what such a meager recording setup can achieve in the right hands. If you have fear based on other bad jazz recordings, have no fear here.Then there's the players. Bill Evans is Bill Evans - he has his good days and bad days, and most players people long in vain to live up to his bad days. And this was a good day,...

Chuck Ralston has already provided an extensive and very helpful review of this release. His website dedicated to Scott LaFaro is worth the attention of all jazz fans.This day of recordings at the Village Vanguard produced two magical albums, _Sunday at the Village Vanguard_ and _Waltz for Debby_. Later reissues on compact disc included alternative takes. This release, previously only available overseas, supersedes all the others. As Ralston notes, it is the first to include the opening number of the day, LaFaro's composition "Gloria's Step," which was briefly interrupted by a power failure. It also contains the first take of "All of You," previously available on Bill Evans' _Complete Riverside Recordings_, a compilation that's probably beyond most fans' budgets. As an example of the trio's high level of performance that day, it's hard to pick from the three takes of "All of You." This first take, for example, contains drummer Paul Motian's best solo spotlight of...

The following is my May 2004 review of the 2002 Japanese IMPORT edition of this seminal recording, and my views (and review) of it remain."Jazz's Perfect Afternoon" a review of _Bill Evans: The Complete Live at the Village Vanguard 1961_ (Tokyo Japan: Victor Entertainment, 2002), recorded in performance at the Village Vanguard, New York, NY, 25 June 1961, with Bill Evans, piano; Scott LaFaro, bass, and Paul Motian, drums. (VICJ-60951-3) boxed set of 3 compact discs in separate jewel-box cases and a 13 pp. program booklet in English and Japanese. Running times: CD 1 (60951) -- afternoon sets 1 and 2 -- 49:29 with nine tracks; CD 2 (60952) --evening sets 1 and 2 -- 64:21 with ten tracks; CD 3 (60953) -- evening set 3 -- 39:31 with seven tracks.The original 1961 recording was produced by Orrin Keepnews and engineered by David Jones of Riverside Records. This 2002 analog-to-digital re-mastering, utilizing the 20-bit K2 Super Coding System, was accomplished by...