More of the Music of Bill Evans
More Jazz Piano Recordings
Some of you may have discovered that the original Bill Evans records on Riverside are mostly awful sounding — I can’t recall ever hearing one sound better than mediocre — so we are not the least bit worried that this Hot Stamper pressing won’t beat the pants off of the original, any reissue you may have, and of course the (no doubt awful) Analogue Productions 45
These three guys — Sam Jones is on the bass and Philly Joe Jones on the drums — are playing live in the studio and you can really feel their presence on every track — assuming you have a copy that sounds like this one.
Based on what I’m hearing my feeling is that most of the natural, full-bodied, smooth, sweet sound of the album is on the master tape, and that all that was needed to get that vintage sound correctly on to disc was simply to thread up that tape on a reasonably good machine and hit play.
The fact that nobody seems to be able to make an especially good sounding record these days tells me that in fact I’m wrong to think that such an approach would work. Somebody should have been able to figure out how to do it by now. In our experience that is simply not the case today, and has not been for many years.
TRACK LISTING
Side One
Minority
Young And Foolish
Lucky To Be Me
Night And Day
Epilogue
Side Two
Tenderly
Peace Piece
What Is There To Say
Oleo
Epilogue
AMG Review
Everybody Digs Bill Evans was a landmark recording for the young pianist and sported a unique album cover, featuring written-out endorsements from Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal, and Cannonball Adderley.
At a time approximate to when Evans was performing with the famous Kind of Blue band of Davis, Adderley, and John Coltrane, and actually departing the band, Evans continued to play the trio music he was ultimately best known for. With the unmatched pair of former Miles Davis drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Sam Jones (no relation), Evans was emerging not only as an ultra-sensitive player, but as an interpreter of standards second to none.
All About Jazz Review
With its varied tempos, rhythms and programming, Everybody Digs Bill Evans sustains interest without allowing the listener for a moment to mistake the singular, inimitable voice of the leader. It’s not hard to understand why many Evans followers, ‘casual’ and otherwise, list it as their favorite of the pianist’s recordings. It’s doubtful there’s a more introspective, meditative trio set on record, yet the pianist shows he can dance as well.