I love all eras of Bill - but one of the things that really gets me excited about his last trio is how far out Bill is able to hear. I get the sense that Bill could actually hear his ideas out through full choruses by then. The emotional content has also changed a bit for me - in that I seem to get that Bill recognized he didn't have much time left and so he was trying to push himself and his development even faster - a recording from late 1980 has a whole new set of constructs and ideas than one from late '79. Sorry if none of this makes sense...
Bill Evans V V 1961 vs Bill Evans V V 1980
For a few days now have been comparing these two Village Vanguard sessions, although some 19 years apart. The first is the legendary 1961 session with Scott Lafaro and Paul Motian with his last session there with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera.
One catches him early with his original trio and represents Bill Evans in my opinion at his emotional and heartfelt best. While the later done in 1980 showcases the greatness he attained later in life. The 1980 session certainly swings more, but on many of the tracks the deep sense of emotion remains, just not quite the same emotion as the 1961 session.
Certainly the recording process itself is better on the 1980 session as opposed to the 1961 session. Live recording technique had come a long way in those 19 years.
Your thoughts appreciated.
One catches him early with his original trio and represents Bill Evans in my opinion at his emotional and heartfelt best. While the later done in 1980 showcases the greatness he attained later in life. The 1980 session certainly swings more, but on many of the tracks the deep sense of emotion remains, just not quite the same emotion as the 1961 session.
Certainly the recording process itself is better on the 1980 session as opposed to the 1961 session. Live recording technique had come a long way in those 19 years.
Your thoughts appreciated.