All That Jazz ...

[Sushant Sharma]

Absolutely Jayant. I've got 2 left feet so I keep it to humming and foot tapping only but I totally get what you mean.

Whether through his earlier years or later stuff, his playing oozes beautifully crafted melodic lines.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Amongst the best piano trios that ever was! And if one ever thought jazz was about mid range, Scott LaFarro on bass and Paul Motian with his brushes and cymbals will demonstrate the relevance of a system that can reproduce as well as both ends of the frequency spectrum. Bill Evans, of course, was in his prime here at the Village Vanguard. This is 'My Romance' from that date:

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Oh no, I didn't know that - Another great who died young!
Listening to the wonderful interplay between Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro made me look into the biography of this wonderful bassist. Shocked to learn that he died at 25 in a car accident.
From Wikipedia:
Despite his short career, he was ranked #16 on Bass Player magazine's top 100 bass players of all time.
According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". Obsessively he played "I Loves You Porgy", a song which had become synonymous with him and LaFaro. Evans stopped performing for several months.

 

[goget]

Looks like the usual suspects have been keeping a low profile while I’ve been absconding! Time to stir the pot a bit

@vivek_r
Totally agree with your take on Dolphy’s bass clarinet: one of my favourite sounds in all of jazz.
If you haven’t already, do check out his solo on Coltrane’s ‘Spiritual’, from ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’. Sublime.

Hi Need to buy Coltrane CD Live at village vanguard, not available at Amazon,any other sellers if you know please help, many thanks

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Amongst the best piano trios that ever was! And if one ever thought jazz was about mid range, Scott LaFarro on bass and Paul Motian with his brushes and cymbals will demonstrate the relevance of a system that can reproduce as well as both ends of the frequency spectrum. Bill Evans, of course, was in his prime here at the Village Vanguard. This is 'My Romance' from that date:

I hadn't heard this album in a while and actually my earlier listens were very cursory. I enjoyed playing it this afternoon. Thanks for the suggestion.You are right, the cymbal and brush work is very prominent (I mean the use of it, the reproduction of it on our different set ups, sure will vary) and Scott La Faro shines with multiple solos on different tracks. Good tight band.

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Pardon me if I am using too much real estate here. So a very wet and rainy couple of days here means I have had to stay indoors but I am not complaining as I have the chance to play lots of music.
I moved to Sunday at the Village Vanguard by the trio and realised from reading the liner notes. That the session at Village Vanguard was later selected by Bill Evans himself and presented on two albums on Riverside:
Sunday at the Village Vanguard and
Waltz for Debby.
To me one seems like a continuation of the other (as it actually is) . Similar propulsive solos on the bass, drum work and beautiful vibe. Unfortunately Scott La Faro died about 10 days after this session and this was to be his last session.

Owning speakers that do midrange well, I'd like for a change to hear what horn speakers or the like do for the bottom end and especially on an album like this. Thanks @Fiftyfifty

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Pardon me if I am using too much real estate here. So a very wet and rainy couple of days here means I have had to stay indoors but I am not complaining as I have the chance to play lots of music.
I moved to Sunday at the Village Vanguard by the trio and realised from reading the liner notes. That the session at Village Vanguard was later selected by Bill Evans himself and presented on two albums on Riverside:
Sunday at the Village Vanguard and
Waltz for Debby.
To me one seems like a continuation of the other (as it actually is) . Similar propulsive solos on the bass, drum work and beautiful vibe. Unfortunately Scott La Faro died about 10 days after this session and this was to be his last session.

Owning speakers that do midrange well, I'd like for a change to hear what horn speakers or the like do for the bottom end and especially on an album like this. Thanks @Fiftyfifty

You did some great research @Sushant Sharma ! Can't wait to give Sunday....a serious listen. I didn't know the two were twins. In the meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how Waltz for Debby is a waltz

A really pity about Scott La Faro. To me, he sounds like a Jaco Pastorius in the making, except that his is a double bass. He's as much in the forefront as Bill Evans, providing breaks, variations and solos on almost every tune.

As for speakers, I'm no expert on equipment, but I believe most horn, single driver or electrostats will need good bass reinforcement. By themselves, their bass can never sound full and balanced. I use a REL9i sub with my full rangers which provide fair low end, but there's still something missing. The FRs more than adequately compensate for this lack in terms of mid-range purity. But like I said, my view is a limited one. Come and give them a listen in Goa

 

[jls001]

In the meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how Waltz for Debby is a waltz

Lots of jazz songs are the blues

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Lots of jazz songs are the blues

Classical comes out of folk.

 

[goget]

You did some great research @Sushant Sharma ! Can't wait to give Sunday....a serious listen. I didn't know the two were twins. In the meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how Waltz for Debby is a waltz

A really pity about Scott La Faro. To me, he sounds like a Jaco Pastorius in the making, except that his is a double bass. He's as much in the forefront as Bill Evans, providing breaks, variations and solos on almost every tune.

As for speakers, I'm no expert on equipment, but I believe most horn, single driver or electrostats will need good bass reinforcement. By themselves, their bass can never sound full and balanced. I use a REL9i sub with my full rangers which provide fair low end, but there's still something missing. The FRs more than adequately compensate for this lack in terms of mid-range purity. But like I said, my view is a limited one. Come and give them a listen in Goa

Hi I am in Candolim every year for a month in Jan/Feb mostly , with sons getting posted to Banglore and Singapore is now more on travel plans, still hope to catch you for a listen before buying(rock to jazz is how my preference is shifting) , please do save my number n send me your contact number on my mobile no 9971076600. On mondays love going to Cantare in Saligoa for live jazz ... any other place to check out once the pandemic is over? Cheers n Stay safe.

 

[kartick]

Taking the discussion forward on about Bill Evans, I have also been listening to him a lot. In fact, I find him to be one of the most expressive Jazz musicians of all time and his Trio is superb. Waltz for Debby is one of my most favourite albums of all time. I am not a Jazz savant by 'Miles', however, still in the age where I am trying to catch nuances of the prominent legends. For me even to recognize the player on an unknown song is the biggest achievement. A few months ago this moment happened where a song I had not heard before was playing and the piano playing was so distinct that I just said it ought to be Bill Evans, and it was him. I felt really happy about that.

Anyway, coming back to Waltz for Debby. This album works on so many levels for me.

- You are beginning to get into Jazz and want something that is easy on the ears, this is IT.
- You want an album which you can listen from start to end in one go and not even realise it is over, this is IT.
- You want to use it as an audiophile album, TICK. Tuning the soundstage is a delight with this album. Needless to say, the highs of your system can be perfectly aligned as well.
- You want to see how a drummer can be so beautiful in his brushwork, TICK. He could easily have been a painter!!
- You want an album that can give you an ambiance of a jazz club, this is IT. On a resolving system, it is creepy how sometimes the clatter of the cutlery can seem to be coming from your own kitchen, when it is infused from the speakers actually.
- You want an album that sounds so good on vinyl, cd and streaming, this is IT. I tested the master available on Qobuz and it sounded darn good.

I think I have made my point. The only reason why I never went on a rant about it previously was because I always thought it was stating the obvious. I still think I have stated the obvious but seeing a few posts about him, gave me the boost!!

The vinyl on OJC Riverside (Discogs: OJC 210) is phenomenal. I am still waiting to get my hands on a MoFi pressing or one of the audiophile labels for his other albums. Wonder what bliss will that bring.

 

[kartick]

Pardon me if I am using too much real estate here. So a very wet and rainy couple of days here means I have had to stay indoors but I am not complaining as I have the chance to play lots of music.
I moved to Sunday at the Village Vanguard by the trio and realised from reading the liner notes. That the session at Village Vanguard was later selected by Bill Evans himself and presented on two albums on Riverside:
Sunday at the Village Vanguard and
Waltz for Debby.
To me one seems like a continuation of the other (as it actually is) . Similar propulsive solos on the bass, drum work and beautiful vibe. Unfortunately Scott La Faro died about 10 days after this session and this was to be his last session.

Owning speakers that do midrange well, I'd like for a change to hear what horn speakers or the like do for the bottom end and especially on an album like this. Thanks @Fiftyfifty

Hey Sushant. Having read your post, I went back to the liner notes on my CD copy of this album. I specially found Bill's description of 'Zen' so beautiful. Here is what he said in an interview he gave to Don Nelson in 1960:

“Actually, I’m not interested in Zen that much, as a philosophy, nor in joining any movements. I don’t pretend to understand it. I just find it comforting. And very similar to jazz. Like jazz, you can’t explain it to anyone without losing the experience. It’s got to be experienced, because it’s feeling not words. Words are the children of reason and, therefore, can’t explain it. They really can’t translate feeling because they’re not part of it. That’s why it bugs me when people try to analyze jazz as an intellectual theorem. It’s not. It’s feeling.”

A full read of the liner notes is a must for his fans. You can get it here: http://albumlinernotes.com/Sunday_At_The_Vanguard.html .

Cheers

 

[coaltrain]

Hi Need to buy Coltrane CD Live at village vanguard, not available at Amazon,any other sellers if you know please help, many thanks

Hi Goget
Amazon uk or a similar European website would be your best bet. Unfortunately, shipping times are a pita, exacerbated by the pandemic.

Another option you could try is mp3million.com. Create an account with a minimum deposit of $15. Each track is 9 cents. And it’s cheaper if you buy an entire album at a time. Coltrane’s Village Vanguard, for example, is just 36 cents.

Download the mp3 files (make sure they’re 320 kbps) and simply burn a cd. That way, you can enjoy the music while you wait to get your hands on an original copy. I do this with albums I’m not able to procure immediately, as you can see from the pic below.

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Hey Sushant. Having read your post, I went back to the liner notes on my CD copy of this album. I specially found Bill's description of 'Zen' so beautiful. Here is what he said in an interview he gave to Don Nelson in 1960:

“Actually, I’m not interested in Zen that much, as a philosophy, nor in joining any movements. I don’t pretend to understand it. I just find it comforting. And very similar to jazz. Like jazz, you can’t explain it to anyone without losing the experience. It’s got to be experienced, because it’s feeling not words. Words are the children of reason and, therefore, can’t explain it. They really can’t translate feeling because they’re not part of it. That’s why it bugs me when people try to analyze jazz as an intellectual theorem. It’s not. It’s feeling.”

A full read of the liner notes is a must for his fans. You can get it here: http://albumlinernotes.com/Sunday_At_The_Vanguard.html .

Cheers

@kartick thanks for sharing that. What you said is more than just "obvious" and sometimes the "obvious" can elude us. And also thanks for sharing that excerpt from the liner notes.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Taking the discussion forward on about Bill Evans, I have also been listening to him a lot. In fact, I find him to be one of the most expressive Jazz musicians of all time and his Trio is superb. Waltz for Debby is one of my most favourite albums of all time. I am not a Jazz savant by 'Miles', however, still in the age where I am trying to catch nuances of the prominent legends. For me even to recognize the player on an unknown song is the biggest achievement. A few months ago this moment happened where a song I had not heard before was playing and the piano playing was so distinct that I just said it ought to be Bill Evans, and it was him. I felt really happy about that.

Anyway, coming back to Waltz for Debby. This album works on so many levels for me.

- You are beginning to get into Jazz and want something that is easy on the ears, this is IT.
- You want an album which you can listen from start to end in one go and not even realise it is over, this is IT.
- You want to use it as an audiophile album, TICK. Tuning the soundstage is a delight with this album. Needless to say, the highs of your system can be perfectly aligned as well.
- You want to see how a drummer can be so beautiful in his brushwork, TICK. He could easily have been a painter!!
- You want an album that can give you an ambiance of a jazz club, this is IT. On a resolving system, it is creepy how sometimes the clatter of the cutlery can seem to be coming from your own kitchen, when it is infused from the speakers actually.
- You want an album that sounds so good on vinyl, cd and streaming, this is IT. I tested the master available on Qobuz and it sounded darn good.

I think I have made my point. The only reason why I never went on a rant about it previously was because I always thought it was stating the obvious. I still think I have stated the obvious but seeing a few posts about him, gave me the boost!!

The vinyl on OJC Riverside (Discogs: OJC 210) is phenomenal. I am still waiting to get my hands on a MoFi pressing or one of the audiophile labels for his other albums. Wonder what bliss will that bring.

View attachment 56486View attachment 56487

What a beautiful writeup Kartick! You are being modest but you are obviously a keen jazz enthusiast because Bill Evans, with his classical chord structures and heavy left hand, is not an easy listen to most. Thanks for sharing his interview and the liner notes. Enjoyed reading them.
Cheers!

P.S. Why silent on Scott La Faro? Stating the obvious?

 

[kartick]

Scott LaFaro is brilliant. The plucks are so clean and sweet sounding, it blends in perfectly with the mix. Actually, this album and all of Bill's Trio ones are perfect examples of co-existence. Each player stands out with their craft but doesn't call attention to themselves. What shines always is the musical piece. I am yet to get to LaFaro's playing one Ornette Coleman's/Stan Getz & Cal Tjader's albums.

However, a great coincidence happened. Right after I was done playing Waltz for Debby, my brain's algorithm directed me to pull out a Keith Jarrett album, The Mourning of a Star. The moment I played it, something felt familiar and immediately my hand grabbed the album jacket. What was written prominently was PAUL MOTIAN!! Two back to back albums with Paul playing on them. He is seriously good. I had no idea before this incident that Paul had played on this Jarrett album. Good learning for me.

A good 'Jazzy' day in the middle of pandemic mess. Music is the only escape in these troubled times.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Scott LaFaro is brilliant. The plucks are so clean and sweet sounding, it blends in perfectly with the mix. Actually, this album and all of Bill's Trio ones are perfect examples of co-existence. Each player stands out with their craft but doesn't call attention to themselves. What shines always is the musical piece. I am yet to get to LaFaro's playing one Ornette Coleman's/Stan Getz & Cal Tjader's albums.

However, a great coincidence happened. Right after I was done playing Waltz for Debby, my brain's algorithm directed me to pull out a Keith Jarrett album, The Mourning of a Star. The moment I played it, something felt familiar and immediately my hand grabbed the album jacket. What was written prominently was PAUL MOTIAN!! Two back to back albums with Paul playing on them. He is seriously good. I had no idea before this incident that Paul had played on this Jarrett album. Good learning for me.

A good 'Jazzy' day in the middle of pandemic mess. Music is the only escape in these troubled times.

Let's do a discussion on Keith Jarrett, and one on Ahmed Jamal too

 

[moktan]

Laconic , lyrical , languid — beautiful understated jazz by veteran practitioners of the craft. One of the best albums I have heard in recent times. Also relevant given the discussions that we have been having ( again) on the peerless Bill Evans Trio.
This trio though , features piano ( Carla Bley) , Bass (Steve Swallow) , sax (Andy Shepard). Perhaps one remembers Carla Bley for her Escalator Over The Hill , a rambunctious melange of jazz , rock, spoken words, even raga.
Are you old enough to remember this tune by the Jewish emigre Walter Kaufman that one hears on the prelude of A.I.R ( think I have given the game away ) ?

 

[himadri]

Amongst the best piano trios that ever was! And if one ever thought jazz was about mid range, Scott LaFarro on bass and Paul Motian with his brushes and cymbals will demonstrate the relevance of a system that can reproduce as well as both ends of the frequency spectrum. Bill Evans, of course, was in his prime here at the Village Vanguard. This is 'My Romance' from that date:

What an album!!! One of my all time favorites. Superb melodic interplay between Bill Evans and Scott LaFarro, and both are in the top of their game.
Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Laconic , lyrical , languid — beautiful understated jazz by veteran practitioners of the craft. One of the best albums I have heard in recent times. Also relevant given the discussions that we have been having ( again) on the peerless Bill Evans Trio.
This trio though , features piano ( Carla Bley) , Bass (Steve Swallow) , sax (Andy Shepard). Perhaps one remembers Carla Bley for her Escalator Over The Hill , a rambunctious melange of jazz , rock, spoken words, even raga.
Are you old enough to remember this tune by the Jewish emigre Walter Kaufman that one hears on the prelude of A.I.R ( think I have given the game away ) ?

Truly beautiful Moktan. Needs some burn-in though before one can fully appreciate