Bill Evans - Complete Riverside Recordings (CD)

All Music Guide

This magnificent 12CD set contains all of Bill Evans' Riverside recordings as a leader, an extremely important period in the influential pianist's development. The first session predates Evans' period with the Miles Davis Sextet and other significant sessions include his sets with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian (highlighted by the marathon Village Vanguard session of June 25, 1961), Evans' return nearly a year after LaFaro's death in a car accident with a new trio (consisting of Motian and bassist Chuck Israels), a sideman set with altoist Cannonball Adderley, the Interplay sessions with either trumpeter Freddie Hubbard or tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, an extensive and rather somber solo set, and a 1963 appearance at Shelly's Manne Hole with bassist Israels and drummer Larry Bunker. Twenty sessions are released in full, 151 selections in all, including 24 performances that had been previously unissued at the time. Fortunately for listeners with a budget, nearly all of this... material has since been reissued on single CDs (mostly as part of the Original Jazz Classics series), but true Bill Evans fanatics will have to get this remarkable box. - Scott Yanow, All Music Guide Read more Less