A pretty cool record from singer Taiguara – an artist who normally worked in more romantic pop formats in Brazil, but who here has caught a bit of the groovy sound that was showing up on some of the excellent Odeon albums at the time. Part of this is thanks to Gaya, who handled the orchestrations on most of the album – giving the record a cool baroque pop feel that really spices things up nicely on a few tracks. The record features three tracks cut with Som Imaginario – "Geracao 70", "Tema De Eva", and "Em Algum Lugar Do Mundo" – plus the titles "Universao No Teu Corpo", "Maria Do Futuro", and "A Transa". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Walker Brothers, Glass Candy, Pet Shop Boys, Giuseppe Verdi, New Order, Ray Martin, Peter Radcliff & Eva Abraham, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner. LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk galore – and one of the best recent volumes in the always-great Soul Patrol series! The set's got 10 heavy funk numbers – all pulled from obscure 45s of the late 60s and early 70s, all served up with a rough and ready feel that's enough to make us give up looking for the originals, and only keep buying compilations! Titles include "Looking In The Breeze" by Fifth Unit, "Follow The Wind" by Little Eva, "Bold Soul Sister Bold Soul Brother" by The Black On White Affair, "Nothing Left Is Real" by Pure Funk, "Chain Reaction" by Miss Faye Marshall, "Ooh Baby" by Pamoja, and "Gonna Have Fun Tonight" by The Soul Lovers. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little follow-up to one of our favorite compilations ever from Kent Records – a motherlode of under-discovered soul from 70s powerhouse Spring Records! Spring is best known for its big hits with Joe Simon during the decade – but at the same time, the label also issued countless great singles by lesser-known artists – great little gems that run the gamut from southern soul to heavy funk, harmony soul, and disco – all with a quality level that matches or beats most of the other indies of the time! This wonderful set brings together some of the best from those years – and includes work issued not only on Spring, but also on the related Event and Posse labels – served up here as a whopping 24-track package that's supported by great notes on all the music. Titles include "It's So Good To Know" by Mayberry Movement, "I'm A Lover" by Vernon Brown, "You & I Go Good Together" by Garland Green, "Turn Yourself Around" by Clare Bathe, "Walk All Over God's Heaven" by Jackie Verdell, "Baby There's Nothing You Can Do" by The Joneses, "I'm On My Way" by Winfield Parker, "Ain't It Amazing" by Prince Harold, "Dry Bones In The Valley" by The Internationals, "Mr Everything" by Little Eva Harris, "It Takes Both Of Us" by Act One, "I'll See You In Hell First" by Phillip Mitchell, "Sherry Washington" by Ray Godfrey, and "Just Can't Say Hello" by Ronnie Walker. CD

Way more than just a typical collection of rare funk and soul – as the selections here not only meet the stunningly high standards of the BGP label – but they've also been sampled in more recent years for hip hop records and other contemporary recordings! Essentially, you've got the best of both worlds – vintage funk from the late 60s and early 70s – brought together in a great collection – and work that's gone onto form the blueprint for contemporary urban sounds as well – which means you'll probably recognize some or part of most of these songs from their use in more contemporary recordings. Nearly every cut's been sampled at least more than once – and titles include "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Chick A Boom" by Pazant Brothers, "Eva" by Jean Jacques Perry, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Bouncy Lady" by Pleasure, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulson, "Take Yo Praise" by Camille Yarbrough, "Thinking Single" by The Counts, "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene. Funky funky! LP, Vinyl record album

Really wonderful early work from pianist Berndt Egerbladh – a player who's gotten a lot more global attention in recent years, but who sounds especially great on this rare date from the 60s! The album's a masterful showcase for Berndt's warm, fluid approach on the keys of the piano – a style that's really quite unique for the time, and a very strong precursor to modes that wouldn't show up that strongly on other scenes until the following decade. There's a really mature sound to the record, but one that never tries to hard to be "new", nor pushes its own sense of specialness too strongly. Instead, Berndt manages to stretch out spaciously, but in an understated way – a beautiful balance of color and sound that gives the record a really timeless quality. Bass is by Bjorn Alke, drums by Sten Oberg – and titles include "Mr Idrees", "Eva", "Sarek", "Monique", "Schizo", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

With Todd Duncan, Anne Brown, and the Eva Jessye Choir. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A decade's worth of grooves from keyboardist Emil Viklicky – one of the funkiest cats working behind the Iron Curtain during the 70s! Viklicky plays a variety of keyboards, and even a bit of vibes too – working with fusion combos Energit and SHQ – but also jamming strongly as a leader on his own – all in the best mix of western groovy styles that was filtering into the Eastern European scene at the time! Emil's sound may be a few years behind his American counterparts – but that only means that a sweet cut from the early 80s sounds just as great as a prime CTI cut from the mid 70s. This cool collection does a great job of digging through Viklicky's albums recorded for Czech labels like Panton and Supraphon – most of which we've never seen on this side of the Atlantic – and the set also features a cut recorded with vocalist Eva Svobodova too. Titles include "Siesta", "Jumbo Jet", "Trochu Funky", "Tyden", "Jeste Jednou Slunce", "Boston", "70 Vychodni", "Rano (part 1 Kash edit)", and "Zase Zapomneli Zavrit Okno". CD

Includes tracks by Jorge Ben, Caetano Veloso, Banda Beijo, Luciana Mello, Gilberto Gil, Toquinho & Chico Buarque, Mestre Marcal, and Banda Eva. CD

Music from Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Freddie Bell & The Bell Boys, Big Dee Irwin With Little Eva, Bobby Darin, The Crickets, Jim Reeves, Mitchell Torok, Eddie Cochran, Brenda Lee, and more. CD

The world needs changing – and plenty of these tunes may well do it – thanks to infectious grooves and some very righteous message-oriented lyrics! The set's a great document of the positive, progressive energy going down in soul music during the heady days of the late 60s and early 70s – a time when the country was changing heavily, and the music was as well – moving into new styles, themes, and ideas – expressed here by a hip batch of cats who were working on some of the best indie labels of the underground! This set offers up a great mix of cool cuts from a variety of sources – a few gems from the Flying Dutchman label, some other obscure 45s, and even a few southern soul numbers that fit surprisingly well with the northern vibe of most of these numbers. Titles include "Walk Tall" by Esther Marrow, "Get Ready/Uptight" by Little Eva Harris, "All Power To The People (part 1)" by Joe Savage & The Soul People, "Soul Patrol" by The Original Soul Patrol, "Do It (inst)" by Johnny Griffith, "The World Needs Changin" by Hank Jacobs & Don Malone, "Sea Saw Affair" by Cesar 830, "Love Tones" by Melvin Sparks, "That's The Way It Goes" by Elaine Armstrong, "This Is The Me Me" by Brenda Jones with Groove Holmes, "Sissy Strut N American Woman" by The Willard Posey Reunion, and "Rudypoot" by Huck & The Soul Patrol. CD

A later session from Bill Evans – but one that features some great work from Lee Konitz on alto and Warne Marsh on tenor – one of Evans' last sessions with horn players! Eddie Gomez plays bass – and titles include "Eiderdown", "Pensativa", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Pensativa", and "Speak Low". LP, Vinyl record album

Everybody Digs Bill Evans – or at least it certainly seems that way from the cover endorsements by Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and Ahmad Jamal – but the real proof is in the record, and the set is a great one from Bill's classic years on Riverside! Evans is at the peak of his early powers here – working with a straightforward rhythm combo that features Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but still hitting those beautifully fluid, beautifully spacious lines that set his playing apart from most who'd come before him. Tracks include 3 solo numbers – "Lucky To Be Me", "Peace Piece", and the very short "Epilogue" – plus trio tracks "Night & Day", "Minority", "Tenderly", and "Oleo". CD features 1 bonus track – "Some Other Time". CD

The Bill Evans trio with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – a near-perfect lineup that forever raised the bar for jazz piano expression! The title here is certainly apt – because even though many of the tunes are shortish, Evans has a sense of exploration in the way he's approaching the keys – one that still retains some of the lyrically rhythmic traces of his first few records – but which also glides forth into territory that was virtually untapped on record for the time. The revolution here is so subtle, it's easy to miss from the perspective of our generation – but give it a few listens, and the record will open up beautifully! Titles include "Israel", "Haunted Heart", "Elsa", "Nardis", and "I Wish I Knew" – CD adds two bonus tracks. CD

One of our favorite albums ever from Bill Evans – an amazing session of Fender Rhodes material that's quite different than most of his other work! The sound here is incredibly gentle – Bill barely hitting the keys of the Rhodes to send out spare, shimmering notes amidst larger arrangements from Michael Leonard – a talent we hardly know at all, but who fits Evans' piano with a great deal of sensitivity for the set. There's some wonderful tones and colors on each number here – and Eddie Gomez also helps to flesh out the sound a little bit with his basswork, providing those slow pulses of low tones that have a very subtle approach to rhythm. Titles include an amazing version of Luiz Eca's classic "The Dolphin" – plus "Soiree", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?", "Children's Play Song", "I'm All Smiles", and "Lullaby For Helene". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans on paino, Michael Moore on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Tracks include "Gary's Theme", "Emily", "The Peacocks", "How My Heart Sings", "Song From M*A*S*H", and "Re: Person I Knew". CD

Lost Bill Evans material from his tremendous early run on Riverside Records – sessions recorded in 1959, but unreleased to the public for many years! The core of the record features Evans working with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones both rhythm players that Bill interacted with while working in the Miles Davis group, and a strongly-voiced team to echo the sense of space and timing that was the particular Evans touch in the early days. Why these tracks never came out is a real mystery to us – because Bill's still very much at the top of his game, despite having not liked the material at the time of recording – and the Chambers/Jones rhythm section give the tunes a very solid focus throughout. Titles include "You & The Night & The Music", "My Heart Stood Still", "On Green Dolphin Street", "How Am I To Know", and 2 takes of "Woody N You". Added to that number is a really surprising bonus – a 1962 recording of "Loose Bloose", done with Jim Hall on guitar and Zoot Soms on alto – making for one of those rare non-trio dates by Evans! CD

Includes the songs "Bill's Hit Tune", "My Foolish Heart", "Turn Out The Stars", "Like Someone In Love", "The Two Lonely People", "Laurie", "Yet Ne'er Broken", "I Do It For Your Love", and "Nardis (Excerpt)". CD

A double-sized set of live Bill Evans material from the early 70s – a great amount of material that showcases a time when Evans had an especially fluid, open touch on the keys of the piano! The group here features the great trio with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums – and unlike some other live Evans albums of this nature, which tend to mike the piano more than the rhythm, this one really has all three points of the trio coming out strongly together – especially Gomez' wonderfully rich, round tones on the bass. Titles include "Two Lonely People", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Re Person I Knew", "Elsa", "Emily", "Turn Out The Stars", and "Quiet Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

A wonderful late 70s albums from Bill Evans – showing a further evolution of his solo piano/overdub approach! New Conversations is a record that follows strongly on the format of Bill's famous "Conversations" sessions for Verve in the 60s – and like those dates, it features the pianist playing alongside himself, thanks to the magic of overdubbing. But unlike those, this one also features a bit of electric piano too – picked up from the Left & Right years, and played alongside the acoustic piano in a shimmering sort of sound that's really great. The tones are tremendous – almost more open and fluid than in any Evans trio dates of the time – and the whole thing's got a ringing quality that's as much about sonic textures as it is about melody. Titles include "Song For Helen", "I Love My Wife", "For Nenette", "Maxine", "Nobody Else But Me", "After You", and "Reflections In D". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Quiet Now", "My Romance", "Noelle's Theme", "I Loves You Porgy", and "Up With The Lark". CD

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Quiet Now", "My Romance", "Noelle's Theme", "I Loves You Porgy", and "Up With The Lark". CD

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this second volume include "Nardis", "Laurie", "34 Skidoo", "Letter To Evan", and "Gary's Theme". CD

A classic set to feature the Bill Evans Trio with the great Scott Lafaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Listening to the set we're reminded of what always brings us back to Evans' playing – a quality that's often described as moody, but which is really is quite spry and lively throughout this set, without ever giving up its lyrical approach. Titles are mostly standards – but really transformed by the touch of the trio – and tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Autumn Leaves", "Witchcraft", "When I Fall In Love", "Peri's Scope", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Spring Is Here", "Some Day My Prince Will Come", and "Blue In Green". LP, Vinyl record album

70s work from Evans, caught not in his typical solo or trio setting, but in an all star quintet that recalls his excellent Interplay sides. Evans is joined by Harold Land, Kenny Burrell, Ray Brown and Philly Joe Jones who offset Evans' contemplative approach beautifully here. 5 numbers in all, including 'Sweet Dulcinea", "Martina", "Second Time Around", "A Child Is Born" and "Bass Face". Includes the bonus track "Nobody Else But Me". CD

A wonderful legacy of live recordings from Bill Evans – all previously unreleased, and a fantastic complement to Bill Evans' other albums recorded at the Vanguard! CD

Sublime live material from pianist Bill Evans – recorded in the very familiar setting of the Village Vanguard, with work from Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morrell on drums! Titles include "Since We Met", "See Saw", "Sareen Jurer", "Time Remembered", and "Midnight Mood". CD

Bill Evans on solo piano. CD

Two slices of never-issued work from pianist Bill Evans – material recorded on two different dates in Denmark in 1964, both featuring work from his fantastic trio that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Larry Bunker on drums! Both players were key to helping Evans develop the sound that he would carry forth strongly into the 70s – Bunker with a very subtle, open touch on the drums – and Israels with a modern conception of basswork that followed strongly from some of the experiments that Scott LaFaro had begun with Evans a few years before. The set features one batch of tracks recorded for Danish Radio, another for TV in Copenhagen – and titles include "Give", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "Waltz For Debby", "Sweet & Lovely", "My Foolish Heart", and "How My Heart Sings". CD also features a bonus track – a 1969 Denmark recording of "Round Midnight", with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums. CD

A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it from us, this set's a real winner – beautifully recorded despite a larger venue performance in Tokyo – and captured with all the grace, poise, and gentle-flowing genius of Evans in his best better-known live dates – a real antidote to some of the other 70s live albums that might have been better left unissued. Everyone's at the top of their game here – Eddie Gomez on bass with those round warm tones, Marty Morrell on drums with his simple spare rhythms, and Evans himself with a sound that's bold then quiet then bold then soft – beautiful throughout, and really setting fire. Titles include "My Romance", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", "Mornin Glory", "Up With The Lark", "When Autumn Comes", "TTTT", "Gloria's Step", and "Hullo Bolinas". CD

Fantastic Verve Records material from Bill Evans – a set that follows the no-nonsense trio style of his Riverside material, but which definitely shows the evolving Evans style of the 60s! The group here is a nicely mellow one – bassist Chuck Israels, whose sound is tremendous – and drummer Larry Bunker – a player you might know from percussion work on other albums, which seems to give him a very sensitive touch on the drum kit here! Both players have a dancing quality that goes far beyond strict rhythmic timekeeping – and this approach opens up Evans' solos in to a freer mode than on some of his early 60s sets. The result is a wonderful album that really transforms the tunes – as you'll hear on the set of tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Israel", "Elsa", and "How My Heart Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic Verve Records material from Bill Evans – a set that follows the no-nonsense trio style of his Riverside material, but which definitely shows the evolving Evans style of the 60s! The group here is a nicely mellow one – bassist Chuck Israels, whose sound is tremendous – and drummer Larry Bunker – a player you might know from percussion work on other albums, which seems to give him a very sensitive touch on the drum kit here! Both players have a dancing quality that goes far beyond strict rhythmic timekeeping – and this approach opens up Evans' solos in to a freer mode than on some of his early 60s sets. The result is a wonderful album that really transforms the tunes – as you'll hear on the set of tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Israel", "Elsa", and "How My Heart Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio date with Marc Johnson on bass a Joe Labarbera on drums. Tracks include "Laurie", "My Romance", "Turn Out The Stars", and "But Beautiful" – 7 tracks in all. CD

Includes the songs "The Way You Look Tonight", "C-Jam Blues", "The Man I Love", "To Harry From Family - "Ladies And Gentlemen"", "To Harry From Family - "Improvising"", "Embraceable You", "Body & Soul", "The Best Man", "I May Be Wrong", "Alamo", "It's Love, It's Christmas", "Body & Smoke Medley", "Toccata", "Moonlight Medley", and "Just You, Just Me". CD

An incredible album from Bill Evans – and maybe THE record you need in your collection if you're trying to understand his contribution to jazz! The album's one of Evan's first sides from the Village Vanguard – and features the legendary trio that included Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both players who could shake free from conventional rhythmic roles in a piano trio, yet who also support Evans' lyrically modal playing here beautifully! The tracks are a bit longer than Bill's studio sides from the time, allowing for even more magical interplay on the keys – and titles include "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", "Some Other Time", and "Milestones". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Bill Evans – and maybe THE record you need in your collection if you're trying to understand his contribution to jazz! The album's one of Evan's first sides from the Village Vanguard – and features the legendary trio that included Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both players who could shake free from conventional rhythmic roles in a piano trio, yet who also support Evans' lyrically modal playing here beautifully! The tracks are a bit longer than Bill's studio sides from the time, allowing for even more magical interplay on the keys – and titles include "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", "Some Other Time", and "Milestones". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few larger group Bill Evans sessions from the later years – an album that features sax and flute from Larry Schneider and trumpet from Tom Harrell – in addition to core trio instrumentation from Bill on piano, Marc Johnson on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. The added horns really make the session sparkle – and although those players aren't on every number in the record, when they do show up they really help change the sound nicely from overly familiar Evans trio modes. Bill plays a bit of electric piano on the set – especially beautifully on the track "Only Child" – and other titles include "Comrade Conrad", "Peri's Scope", "We Will Meet Again", "Bill's Hit Tune", "Laurie", "Five", and "For All We Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful late work from piano legend Bill Evans – a set that was recorded in 1977, but not issued until after his death in 1980 – at which point it became an instant essential in his catalog! As with so many of Bill's 70s recordings, the session benefits from the bass work of Eddie Gomez – rich, round, and warm – a perfect accompaniment for Evans' sometimes faltering piano work at the time – and a player that Evans was incredibly lucky to be working with during much of his later years. Elliot Zigmund is on drums, a beautifully sensitive player – and the set includes a sublime version of Michel Legrand's "You Must Believe In Spring", plus the tracks "Theme From Mash", "The Peacocks", "Sometime Ago", and "Gary's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful late work from piano legend Bill Evans – a set that was recorded in 1977, but not issued until after his death in 1980 – at which point it became an instant essential in his catalog! As with so many of Bill's 70s recordings, the session benefits from the bass work of Eddie Gomez – rich, round, and warm – a perfect accompaniment for Evans' sometimes faltering piano work at the time – and a player that Evans was incredibly lucky to be working with during much of his later years. Elliot Zigmund is on drums, a beautifully sensitive player – and the set includes a sublime version of Michel Legrand's "You Must Believe In Spring", plus the tracks "Theme From Mash", "The Peacocks", "Sometime Ago", and "Gary's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously-unissued live date from Bill Evans – recorded in Copenhagen right at the end of the 60s, in a very hip trio that features Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums! There seems to be a bit more force than usual in Bill's left hand – a pulse that comes through nicely on a few tracks in particular – offsetting the brilliantly understated lyrical modes that always makes his music from this period so wonderful. The set features nicely dark versions of "Nardis" and "Waltz For Debby" – plus "Time Remembered", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Round Midnight", "Our Love Is Here To Stay", and "Emily". CD

A great pairing, heard perfectly here – on titles that include "Show Type Tune", "Invitation", "Blue Serge", "Are You All The Things", and "Falling Grace". CD

A great pairing, heard perfectly here – on titles that include "Show Type Tune", "Invitation", "Blue Serge", "Are You All The Things", and "Falling Grace". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary set from the team of guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Bill Evans – both already wonderful players on their own, but really hitting a magical sort of space here together! The record is a classic in understatement – the inevitable meeting of two players who'd both made a career out of saying more with less – and both Evans and Hall manage to make this special sort of sound when working together in such a space – spare, but never short on ideas – filled with color and tone, but never overdone. The tracks are long and dreamy, and the piano/guitar lines seem to float in the air, suspended on naught but idea and imagination. Titles include a very nice version of "Skating In Central Park", plus "Dream Gypsy", "Romain", and "Darn That Dream". CD includes four previously unissued tracks – "Stairway To The Stars", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", and alternate takes of "Romain" and "My Funny Valentine". CD

A pair of great Bill Evans albums for Verve – both a very good fit together! The cover of Empathy co-credits Bill Evans and Shelly Manne as the leader of the set – and that distinction's an important one – as the record has a slightly different feel than some of Bill's other 60s work for Verve! The sound is often a bit stronger, somewhat bolder – and although Manne's not a monster on the drums, he does have a way of directing the tunes that's a bit different than some of Evans' other piano-led albums. Bass is by Monty Budwig, who's nicely sensitive to the talents of both players – and there's almost an equally-weighted melodic feel to all three elements of the trio – which really rounds out the record nicely. Titles include "The Washington Twist", "Danny Boy", "Let's Go Back To The Waltz", "With A Song In My Heart", "Goodbye", and "I Believe In You". Simple Matter Of Conviction is a move into a more sophisticated vein than his earlier recordings! The album has him working with bassist Eddie Gomez, a hugely talented bassist that would be one of Bill's best partners during this period, and a player who added a nice dose of soul to the proceedings. The drummer is Shelly Manne, who's pretty nice, too – and really shows off some of his more sophisticated shadings here in the presence of Evans and Gomez – similar to his work on the great Empathy album. Tracks are shortish, but filled with imagination – and titles include "Unless It's You", "These Things Called Changes", "Stella By Starlight", and "A Simple Matter Of Conviction". CD

An open-ended live date from Bill Evans – recorded at the auspicious venue of Town Hall, but recorded with a warmth that matches Evans' smaller club sessions of the 60s! The sound here is possibly a bit more focused and direct than some of the moodier, mellower Evans live records – well pointed at the start, but then moving into some gentler chromatic modes as the set moves on – all with gentle accompaniment from Chuck Israels on bass and Arnold Wise on drums. Titles include trio versions of "I Should Care", "Spring Is Here", 'Who Can I Turn To" and "Make Someone Happy" – then Evans takes a 13 minute solo turn, dedicating a suite to the memory of his father! CD

One of Bill Evans' most beautiful albums from the time – and one that features the fantastic team of Jeremy Steig and Eddie Gomez, who were cutting some beautiful records for other labels at the time. Steig's flute later got very silly, but at this point, he's got a raw stripped-down sound that works perfectly with Gomez's warm, slightly funky basslines – making for a slightly soulful approach that really transforms the session. Evans is no slouch either – and the youthful company makes him play some of his best bits in years – on titles that include "Time Out For Chris", "So What", "Spartacus Love Theme", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans is reunited with singer Monica Zetterlund – in a live date done more than a decade after their classic Waltz For Debby album! The first side of the record features Evans in a trio mode – working instrumentally, without Monica, in a group that features the great Eddie Gomez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums – easily some of the better-recorded European live material by Bill from the 70s, caught in a way that really shows his new sensitivity in the later decade. Evans' piano is breathtaking here – a subtle symphony of shades and tones that delights the ears at each new twist and turn – recorded in some slightly longish takes on tunes that include "Sugar Plum", "Sareen Jurer", "Very Early", and "Gloria's Step". Bill continues the feeling of the first side wonderfully on the flip – as Zetterlund joins the group, and shows how much she's matured as well since here last meeting with Evans. Most of the tunes are standards, but they've got a sensitivity that goes way beyond familiar readings – carried off wonderfully by Monica in some beautifully dark-toned vocals. Titles include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "The Second Time Around", "Once Upon A Summertime", "What's New", and the lovely "Samba". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

2 wonderful late 50s sessions from arranger Gil Evans – both of which we'd rank right up there with his best work with Miles Davis, or the albums under his own name for Impulse in the 60s! The first half of the CD is from the album New Bottle Old Wine – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". Great Jazz Standards is equally great, a fantastic lost set from Evans – and one that features Mingus trumpeter Johnny Coles as the lead soloist in front of Evans-led modern groups that include players like Elvin Jones, Ray Crawford, Steve Lacy, Budd Johnson, Rod Levitt, and Chuck Wayne. Despite the "standards" in the title, most of these numbers are modern tunes from the 50s – like "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed" – all given Evans' unique style of arrangement, tweaked up a few notches to give them a really edgey quality. Coles is clearly standing in for Miles here, but the format works well overall! CD features 15 tracks in all, including some newly-improved versions of a few tracks, correcting mistakes in the original records! CD

Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and "Zeke Tolin" on alto, who is certainly a more famous player under a fake name. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". CD