Record Reviews

BILL EVANS ~ ON A FRIDAY EVENING CRAFT 888072158610 (Barcode: 888072158610) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 Released: 2020 This is an archival live album by American Jazz pianist / composer Bill EvansFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Eliot ZigmundFind albums by this artist, recorded on June 20, 1975 at a Jazz club in Vancouver, Canada. The album presents nine tracks, the usual mixture of Evans originals and standards. All the tracks are previously unreleased. The sound quality is as perfect as one might desire. The Evans / Gomez / Zigmund trio was the last trio to feature the remarkable performances by Gomez. The Evans / Gomez team up was the longest musical relationship between Evans and a bassist, lasting for eleven years. This trio recorded only two studio albums: “I Will Say GoodbyeFind albums with this title” and “You Must Believe In SprigFind albums with this title” and two live albums: “On A Monday EveningFind albums with this title” and this album, all four released posthumously. The music is of course as Godly as any Bill Evans album, and the fact that this music was finally discovered and released is of course a joyous event. Every touch of the keyboard by Evans and his telepathic relationship with Gomez is of course one of all time Jazz greatest events, to be celebrated forever. Zigmund’s drumming, more energetic and prominent than what most of his drummers produced, adds a significant layer to the trio’s aural experience. Overall, this is another album of previously unreleased recordings by the greatest Jazz piano player in history, which of course is a must have in any decent Jazz records collection. Thank God for inventing sound recording!

Updated: 04/07/2026Posted: 04/07/2026

CD 1 Digisleeve Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

BILL EVANS ~ ON A MONDAY EVENING FANTASY 888072019713 (Barcode: 888072019713) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1976 Released: 2017 This is an archival live album by American Jazz pianist / composer Bill EvansFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Eliot ZigmundFind albums by this artist, recorded on November 19, 1976 at the Madison Union Theatre in Madison, WI, USA. The album presents eight tracks, the usual mixture of Evans originals and standards. All the tracks are previously unreleased. The sound quality is a little boomy, with the drums low in the mix, but altogether perfectly audible. The Evans / Gomez / Zigmund trio was the last trio to feature the remarkable performances by Gomez. The Evans / Gomez team up was the longest musical relationship between Evans and a bassist, lasting for eleven years. This trio recorded only two studio albums: “I Will Say GoodbyeFind albums with this title” and “You Must Believe In SprigFind albums with this title” and two live albums: “On A Friday EveningFind albums with this title” and this album, all four released posthumously. The music is of course as Godly as any Bill Evans album, and the fact that this music was finally discovered and released is of course a joyous event. Every touch of the keyboard by Evans and his telepathic relationship with Gomez is of course one of all time Jazz greatest events, to be celebrated forever. Zigmund’s drumming, more energetic and prominent than what most of his drummers produced, adds a significant layer to the trio’s aural experience. Overall, this is another album of previously unreleased recordings by the greatest Jazz piano player in history, which of course is a must have in any decent Jazz records collection. Thank God for inventing sound recording!

Updated: 05/07/2026Posted: 05/07/2026

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHEL PETRUCCIANI ~ KUUMBWA ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990459 (Barcode: 8435395505106) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 1987 Released: 2026 This is an archival live album by the French pianist / composer Michel PetruccianiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio setting with British bassist Dave HollandFind albums by this artist and American drummer Eliot ZigmundFind albums by this artist (famous for his work with Bill EvansFind albums by this artist). The 2CD album presents twelve tracks, four of which are original compositions by Petrucciani and the rest are standards. The extensive booklet offers interesting background material about the music and Petrucciani’s biography and excellent photographs, including an interview with Zigmund, as usual with all Elemental MusicFind albums on this label releases. Despite his genetic illness, which caused his short statue, he was a great genius and one of the greatest Jazz piano players of the 20th Century, in the class of Bill Evans. His sensitivity, style and virtuosity were so colossal, that seeing him playing live transformed his shriveled body into a Giant, a miracle I was lucky to experience many times, as well as carrying him in my arms on stage, which he was unable to do on his own. I miss him terribly. The music is of course Godly, and luckily for Jazz, and especially Jazz piano trio enthusiasts, his recorded legacy is pretty extensive, and he never made a weak album, neither in studio or live, and this excellent concert at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA, recorded on May 11, 1987 is no exception. Overall, this is a beautiful Jazz piano trio album, presenting wonderful melodic compositions, full delicate lyricism and exquisite harmony, supported by a brilliant rhythm section, which played with Petrucciani in a telepathic coherence. A must in every decent Jazz records collection.

Updated: 12/10/2026Posted: 12/10/2026

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend