Record Reviews

BILL EVANS ~ BEHIND THE DIKES: THE 1969 NETHERLANDS RECORDINGS ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990441 (Barcode: 8435395503164) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1969 Released: 2021 This is an archival live album by American pianist / composer Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Marty MorellFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded in March, 1969 at the KRO Radio station in Hilversum and RAI Congrescentrum in Amsterdam. Two newly discovered tracks were recorded at Vara Studio 8 in Hilversum with the Metropole OrkestFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents twenty-four tracks, six of which are original compositions by Evans and the rest are standards. This particular Bill Evans trio was the longest lasting of his trios (1968-1974) and his collaboration with Gomez (1968-1977) was the longest lasting cooperation with a bassist, and this album, recorded about a year after this trio was formed, explains why it lasted so long. The telepathic rapport between the trio members is absolutely unique and the way they share the stage is absolutely beyond human. The remastered recording offers excellent sound quality, with an intimate closeness to the original sound and good balance between the piano and rhythm section, which is often totally botched by professionals recording live, especially piano trios. Gomez solos extensively, and his virtuosic and unique approach is audible herein at its full magnificence. The album includes an extensive booklet with fabulous photographs, well written articles and interviews with Gomez, Morell and others. Overall, this is another archival Bill Evans album label, which brings to life previously legally unreleased recordings by the piano Genius, which of course immediately becomes an essential piece of every Evans’ collector music library. Although the same tunes are already available on other albums, live and studio, Evan’s touch and the trio’s symbiosis are worth being listened to in every possible shape and form.

Updated: 29/03/2024Posted: 29/03/2024

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ALBERT AYLER ~ REVELATIONS: THE COMPLETE ORTF 1970 FONDATION MAEGHT RECORDINGS ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990443 (Barcode: 8435395503232) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1970 Released: 2022 This is an archive live album by iconic American saxophonist / composer Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, recorded in France during two concerts on July 25 & 27, 1970. Ayler is accompanied by his wife, saxophonist / vocalist Mary ParksFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve TintweissFind albums by this artist and drummer Allen BlairmanFind albums by this artist, and on the second concert also pianist Call CobbsFind albums by this artist. The 4CD Box Set includes a superb 100-page booklet with in depth articles and beautiful photographs, and the music offers a pristine sound quality. Recorded just a few months prior to his tragically premature death, the music on this album offers a glimpse at the pinnacle of Ayler’s ingenuity and Genius. His role in the development of American Jazz has been always undermined by the fact that his recorded output was truly miniscule in comparison to the massive output generated by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, who is traditionally almost singlehandedly credited for the development of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, but is fact Ayler was there ahead (time-wise) and way more innovative / radical. During his lifetime he remained almost completely unknown and underappreciated, even though Coltrane (and other innovators) recognized his immense talent. On this album Ayler returns to his musical sources, with strong spiritual influence and even spoken words / lyrics, which reflect his strong ties to Church music, Rhythm And Blues and Bebop, before exploring the Free Jazz experimentation in the 1960s. However, his lengthy improvisations are as fiery and explosive as one can imagine. The musicians taking part in this session, although less prominent, are all excellent and support the leader amicably. Naturally the focus of the music is Ayler’s incredible improvisational power. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of Jazz history, miraculously preserved in perfect condition and now available for us to enjoy and admire. It is of course a must for Free Jazz / Improvised Music enthusiasts, and offers a beacon of light on one of the greatest American Jazz musicians, who is sadly rarely in the limelight.

Updated: 13/12/2024Posted: 13/12/2024

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BILL EVANS ~ TREASURES: SOLO, TRIO & ORCHESTRA RECORDINGS FROM DENMARK (1965-1969) ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990444 (Barcode: 8435395503645) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1969 Released: 2023 This is another archival album by the greatest Jazz pianist of all time, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, recorded at various occasions in Denmark and including solo piano performances, trios with Danish bassist Niels-Henning Orsted PedersenFind albums by this artist / American bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Alex RielFind albums by this artist / American drummers Alan DawsonFind albums by this artist or Marty MorellFind albums by this artist and The Royal Danish Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist and The Danish Radio Big BandFind albums by this artist conducted by trumpeter, arranger Palle MikkelborgFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents thirty tracks, recorded between 1965 and 1969. This album is a companion release to the album “Tales: Live In Copenhagen (1964)Find albums with this title”, which presents other performances by Evans in Denmark, and which completes these historical recordings. It also features an extended booklet with interviews with Gomez, Morell, Riel, Mikkelborg and others and other background information. The album offers absolutely brilliant sound recording quality, with every little nuance perfectly audible, which of course adds the pleasure of listening to this album. As usual, the brilliant telepathic communication between the trio members prevails over everything. Evans’ trios were always an exquisite example of collective music creation, and although Evans was at the center of attention, the role of creating the music and the responsibility was equally spread between the trio members, in contrast to the usual leader / sidemen formula. Of course this is also a relatively rare opportunity to hear Evans playing solo piano and the trio playing with Orchestra / Big Band, which expands the presentation of Evans’ brilliance and incredible musicianship. Luckily for the many Evans’ fans, he was extensively recorded and his recorded legacy is truly extensive, with this album being an exemplary part of it. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Bill Evans recorded legacy, covering his live appearances in Europe. For the many Evans’ followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 25/03/2024Posted: 23/02/2024

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BILL EVANS ~ TALES: LIVE IN COPENHAGEN (1964) ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990445 (Barcode: 8435395503751) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1969 Released: 2023 This is another archival album by the greatest Jazz pianist of all time, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Chuck IsraelsFind albums by this artist and drummer Larry BunkerFind albums by this artist during Evans’ first European tour. The album presents eleven tracks, six recorded on August 10, 1964 at Danish Radio (without audience), four recorded on August 25, 1964 at Danish TV and finally one (“bonus”) track recorded on November 21, 1969 with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Marty MorellFind albums by this artist. Three of the tracks are Evans’ originals and the rest are standards. This album is a follow up release to the 2CD album “Treasures: Solo, Trio And Orchestral Recordings From Denmark (1965-1969)Find albums with this title”, which presents other recording by Evans in Denmark, and which completes these historical recordings. It also features an extended booklet with interviews with Israels and Bunker’s widow and other background information. The album offers absolutely brilliant sound recording quality, with every little nuance perfectly audible, which of course adds to the pleasure of listening to this album. As usual, the brilliant telepathic communication between the trio members prevails over everything. Evans’ trios were always an exquisite example of collective music creation, and although Evans was at the center of attention, the role of creating the music and the responsibility was equally spread between the trio members, in contrast to the usual leader / sidemen formula. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Bill Evans recorded legacy, covering his live appearances in Europe. For the many Evans’ followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 23/02/2024Posted: 26/01/2024

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BILL EVANS ~ IN NORWAY: THE KONGSBERG CONCERT ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990447 (Barcode: 8435395503935) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1970 Released: 2024 This is another archival live album by the greatest Jazz pianist of all time, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Marty MorellFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen tracks, recorded on June 26, 1970, at the peak of Evans’ creative power. It features, as usual, an extended booklet with interview with Evans by Norwegian journalist / critic Randi HultinFind albums by this artist the day after the concert, reflections by Gomez, Morell and others, superb historic photographs and other background information. The album offers absolutely brilliant sound recording quality, with every little nuance perfectly audible, which of course adds the pleasure of listening to the music. As usual, the brilliant telepathic communication between the trio members prevails over everything. Evans’ trios were always an exquisite example of collective music creation, and although Evans was at the center of attention, the role of creating the music and the responsibility was equally spread between the trio members, in contrast to the usual leader / sidemen formula. These recordings, made with his longest lasting trio (six years 1968-1974), show Evans at his best, full of lyricism and sophisticated delicate touch on the keyboard. Gomez’s incredible support on the bass is absolutely stunning, a true soul brother and musical companion to Evans, as is the intricate playing by Morell. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Bill Evans recorded legacy. For the many Evans’ followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 05/01/2025Posted: 05/01/2025

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CANNONBALL ADDERLEY ~ BURNIN` IN BORDEAUX: LIVE IN FRANCE 1969 ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990448 (Barcode: 8435395504130) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1969 Released: 2024 This is an archival live album by American Jazz saxophonist Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet, which also includes his brother, trumpeter Nat AdderleyFind albums by this artist, Austrian pianist Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist, bassist Victor GaskinFind albums by this artist and drummer Roy McCurdyFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents twelve tracks, a mixture of standards and original material, mostly composed by Zawinul. As usual with the Elemental MusicFind albums on this label releases, the album is accompanied by a booklet with interviews, photographs and essays with historical background about the music. The sound quality of the live recordings is certainly good enough to enjoy the music. The album offers a splendid occasion to hear Adderley with Zawinul, shortly before he left to found Weather ReportFind albums by this artist, after spending most of the decade in Cannonball Adderley’s and Nat Adderley’s groups, recording numerous albums with both of them and composing a huge part of their material. The quintet performs with passion and complete control of their faculties, as appropriate for such professionals. By the time this music was recorded, the material was getting somewhat out of sync with the dramatic developments on the Jazz scene, with Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion rapidly taking over the somewhat rusty Bebop and Hard Bop stylistics, but nevertheless the Adderley Brothers were still a force not to be taken lightly, and certainly able to provide the listeners with exciting and worthwhile musical experience. Overall, this is an exciting time capsule, presenting mainstream American Jazz at the very end of the 1960s, just before the scene would enter a succession of dramatic changes, in which only a minority of the musicians will take part willingly and enthusiastically, and the rest would try to carry on the music further on the same path.

Updated: 26/05/2025Posted: 26/05/2025

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CANNONBALL ADDERLEY ~ POPPIN` IN PARIS: LIVE AT L`OLYMPIA 1972 ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990449 (Barcode: 8435395504147) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2024 This is an archival live album by the great American saxophonist / composer / bandleader Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet, which also included his brother, trumpeter Nat AdderleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Walter BookerFind albums by this artist and drummer Roy McCurdyFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, recorded during two sets on October 25, 1972, at the legendary L`Olympia concert hall, performed as part of the Paris Jazz Festival. Most of the music was composed by Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist, the former keyboardist of the quintet, one tune is by Duke, another one by Nat Adderley and one is a standard. The album features, as usual, an extended booklet with interviews, articles by Jazz journalists, superb historic photographs and other background information. The album presents the music Cannonball Adderley recorded with his last quintet, in the last four years of his life (1972 to 1975 - he died suddenly in August of 1975), which was documented on the albums released by the FantasyFind albums on this label label, with George Duke as the central figure of the quintet, who pushed the music into much more modern stylistic / post Bebop direction, adding elements of electric Funk and Groove. Duke was the most impressive instrumentalist in the quintet, which is plainly audible on this album as well. He gets most of the solo spots, which are all marvelous. Moving between the Adderley and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist groups, Duke was simply one of the most vital American Jazz musicians in the 1970s. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Cannonball Adderley recorded legacy. For the many of his followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 09/01/2025Posted: 09/01/2025

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BILL EVANS ~ FURTHER AHEAD: LIVE IN FINLAND 1964-1969 ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990451 (Barcode: 8435395504659) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1969 Released: 2025 This is another archival live album by the greatest Jazz pianist of all time, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, recorded on three different occasions during his concerts in Finland with his trio: five tracks with bassist Chuck IsraelsFind albums by this artist and drummer Larry BunkerFind albums by this artist in 1964, three tracks with Danish bassist Niels-Henning Orsted PedersenFind albums by this artist and drummer Alan DawsonFind albums by this artist (and saxophonist Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist on one track) in 1965, on CD1 and nine tracks with bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Marty MorellFind albums by this artist in 1969 on CD2, altogether seventeen tracks, recorded at the peak of Evans’ creative power. The album features an extended booklet with interviews, essays and superb historic photographs and other background information, as usual with all Elemental MusicFind albums on this label releases. The album offers absolutely brilliant sound recording quality, with every little nuance perfectly audible, which of course adds the pleasure of listening to the music. As usual, the brilliant telepathic communication between the trio members prevails over everything. Evans’ trios were always an exquisite example of collective music creation, and although Evans was at the center of attention, the role of creating the music and the responsibility was equally spread between the trio members, in contrast to the usual leader / sidemen formula. The recordings on CD2, made with his longest lasting trio (six years 1968-1974), show Evans at his best, full of lyricism and sophisticated delicate touch on the keyboard. Gomez’s incredible support on the bass is absolutely stunning, a true soul brother and musical companion to Evans, as is the intricate playing by Morell. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Bill Evans recorded legacy. For the many Evans’ followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 01/06/2025Posted: 01/06/2025

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend