Immortal Concerts: Autumn Leaves

AMG Review of Immortal Concerts: Autumn Leaves

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

The Bill Evans Trio is heard in concerts, excerpted from two radio broadcasts in Europe, taped nearly two-and-a-half years apart, though both feature the pianist with bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Marty Morell. The first six selections come from November 1969, with Gómez as the main soloist in an intense "Autumn Leaves." Evans sparkles in his moody ballad "Turn Out the Stars" and Denny Zeitlin's lush requiem "Quiet Now." The interpretation of "Nardis" heard in 1969 is far more concise and to the point than Evans' later recordings, while the song incorrectly labeled "Very Airy" indicates this CD's bootleg origin, as the song is titled "Very Early." The last three tracks are taken from Live in Paris 1972, Vol. 1, another unauthorized release issued by France's Concert years earlier. The interplay is outstanding in the brooding rendition of the pianist's "Re: Person I Knew" (another title misidentified on this release), while it is hard to imagine the trio cooking much harder than they do in an explosive take of Scott LaFaro's "Gloria's Step." While it is better to look for the complete releases than settling for this compilation, the excellent sound of these broadcast excerpts and strong performances make this essential listening for fans of Bill Evans.