Week 19: Bill Evans’ Sunday At The Village Vanguard

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It’s been a while since our last album of the week. We thought we’d kick off the series again with this classic record made by the Bill Evan’s Trio, released on Riverside Records, June 25, 1961.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard was originally a large recording session with the Bill Evans Trio at New York City’s Village Vanguard club. The recording session was the first of Evans’ first trio with drummer Paul Motian and bassist Scott LaFaro, whom Evans had been working with for some time. This trio, featuring Evans’ vision of how traditional trios could operate, had released two previous albums: Portrait In Jazz and Explorations. Until the Evans trio’s formation, trios traditionally were meant to showcase the pianist’s sound, ability, and writing, without much input from the rhythm section other than appropriate stylistic aspects of playing. Evans’ trio was immediately different because of the advanced interplay among the members of the group.

The Bill Evans Trio sound was based on just that — interplay and improvisation from each member lifted standards and Bill’s tunes to new heights, though it would be the conversation between Evans and LaFaro that would define the sound of this trio. Motian knew exactly how to set up this classic dialogue between Evans and LaFaro, simply using brushes and light cymbal fills. He didn’t necessarily set a typical groove for a trio setting. Rather, he played consistently and lyrically on the drum set. LaFaro was known to play in counterpoint to Evans’ playing, manipulating the tune with his half-time feel and use of fifths and even, at times, full chords.

Scott’s improvisation was lyrical and very specific to the time and harmony. Evans’ comping could always be heard under the solos; he had a way of inserting his own melodies through his voicings under Scott’s solos. The trio’s transitions between solo sections are seamless.

Days after the recording of the Village Vanguard Sessions, Scott LaFaro was involved in a car accident and had passed away. His death was a big blow to the group and Evans, who released the recordings only a few months after LaFaro’s death. Though the trio was no more, this ensemble was still regarded as the best of Evans’ career. His release of “Waltz For Debbie” seemed to become his homage to LaFaro.

This is a great place to begin with Evans’ music if you are not already familiar with his catalog. This was the session during which he reached confidence and hit a “groove,” so to speak, with the trio setting. Below are a few selections from Sunday At The Village Vanguard.