Bill Evans Trio: The Oslo Concerts (2007)

Bill Evans was one of the most distinctive and influential jazz pianists of all time with a rich legacy that remains undiminished since his untimely death in 1980. He recorded over fifty albums as a leader received thirty one Grammy nominations and has had an inescapable impact on virtually every jazz piano player of prominence who came after him including Herbie Hancock Keith Jarrett Chick Corea and Brad Mehldau.This DVD brings together two Bill Evans Trio concerts that have never been on the market before both featuring Evans in prime form. The DVD begins with an October 1966 concert shot a few months after the great bassist Eddie Gomez joined his trio and ends in August 1980 with Evans last filmed concert when he was playing with Mark Johnson and Joe LaBarbera in a new trio that captured much of the spirit of his original landmark group.Bill Evans was a major side-man with Miles Davis and played an equal role with Miles in composing Kind Of Blue the best selling jazz album in history.This DVD offers performances of Davis tune Nardis in both concert settings along with standards and trademark favorites such as Stella by Starlight Autumn Leaves Days of Wine and Roses and much more.A special bonus included on the DVD is an interview conducted after the 1980 concert where Evans discusses his music as well as the current jazz scene.This DVD will be a must have for Bill s extensive fan base which includes jazz aficionados and players as well as a legion of music buffs who were smitten by his timeless lyrical magic.Format: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 016351633095 Manufacturer No: SHA-DV6330 Product Description

his best dvd... period...

the dvd is divided in 2 parts, one with trio lafaro/bunker, second one with trio johnson/motian wich in my opinion is the highest level bill evans reached in a trio.. communication is intense, harmony and lyricism amazing, simply the basis point of modern jazz piano..
days of wine and roses is incredible August 11, 2008

Bad Editing on 2nd Concert

The Oslo Concert is the better of the two sections because it had better shots and editing. You got very good views of the musicians playing their instrument and you feel as if you were part of the audience. The Molde Concert hardly showed Bill Evan's hands at all and the shots and editing were all around bad. Nonetheless, both performances were amazing. March 29, 2008

good DVD for 1980 set and 1966

uh, quick confession. I spent $40+ for an imported region 2 dvd of the 1980 concert alone, and ... I spent $85+ for a region free player to play it... then i saw I could have bought this $18 all region DVD with the 1980 concert PLUS another concert. All that to say: This is a good value: buy it and don't be as stupid as me!!! October 31, 2007

"BILL EVENS AT HIS BEST"

2 DIFFERENT RYTHMN SECTION'S. THEIR GOOD,BUT BILL IS EXELLENT! GREAT TUNES,"NARDIS",
"AUTUMN LEAVES","VERY EARLY","STELLA BY STARLIGHT" 7 MORE +INTERVIEW. July 12, 2007

Early and late Evans

This may be the best concert DVD of Bill Evans out there. As such, Evans lovers will be relieved to know that it is quite a good snapshot of two distinct phases of his career. The '66 concert has a young Evans playing a restrained but beautiful set with a young Eddie Gomez on bass and an unknown but relaxed drummer Alex Riel. The sound, although mono is well balanced and clean. The piano sound in particular is crystalline and bell like, ie an accurate rendering of the Evans golden touch. The camera work is spare and for the most part, unobtrusive.

In contrast, the 1980 show has surprisingly poor sound. The bass is the dominant instrument, the piano being too far back and the drums muddy and indistinct. The camera work is sloppy and brash, deliberately going for a distracting "artsy" shot of red light reflected off the cymbals, not once but several times. Ahh, but the performance-that is another story.

This concert was shot about a month before Bill's death, and as anyone who has heard his last concerts at the Keystone knows, Bill was playing...well, as if his life depended on it. This is in stark contrast to his conservative performance of 1966.

Evans' evolution as an artist can be traced in a steady arc. Rather than reinvent himself like a Picasso (or closer to home,), a Miles Davis, Evans chose to build upon his earlier concepts, stretching and developing his areas of interests over the course of his brief life. We are given perfect example of this evolution in the two contrasting version of Nardis, a vehicle Evans played throughout his career. On the one hand, the '66 version is brief, spare and controlled, swinging to be sure, but contained. However, the 1980 version begins with a long rhapsodic solo exposition that would have Franz Liszt gaping in amazement at its sheer virtuosity. But behind the masterful pianism lies Evans the modernist- his harmonic and rhythmic structures have deepened. In this intro one can hear the evolution of 20th century music. Evans absorbed everything he heard and incorporated what he liked into his playing. One can hear echoes of Debussy, Bartok and Stravinsky, while at the same time the influences of McCoy Tyner and and Chick Corea are evident. To say that Bill had big ears is an understatement. Yet amidst this sea of influences, the Evans voice is clearly heard.

This was Evan's last trio, and by his own admission probably the best trio he had put together since he had worked with the late Scott LaFaro. Certainly Marc Johnson was the right bass player for the job. An agile and intuitive player with a skill for deep listening and a fat, warm sound, Johnson could often anticipate Bill's lines and get right in there with him, playing counterpoint or underlining a melody without stepping on the music. And Joe LaBarbara was a solid powerhouse, playing with sticks and hitting hard, generating the energy needed to support this later high octane Evans. Pity we can barely hear his ride cymbals here.

This is a must have for Evans' fans and so far the best video document of this important figure in the evolution of jazz. There is simply no jazz pianist after Bill who has not in some way been influenced by this humble giant. This DVD captures him doing what he did best and should not be missed. The bonus interview at the end of the 1980 concert makes for interesting viewing as well.

Highly recommended June 13, 2007

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