Bill Evans Trio: Live At Ronnie Scott’s

  It’s always a treat to hear more unearthed music by the massively influential Bill Evans Trio, even if the sound quality is less than stellar. Resonance has previously released four Evans titles. The fifth is the two CD or two LP Live At Ronnie Scott’s, serving up just over an hour and a half of Evans’ short-lived 1968 trio with Eddie Gomez on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. DeJohnette recorded the gigs himself, and while the sound quality changes from track to track, it’s never very good. The piano lacks much presence, the bass is too loud (sometimes), and the drums sound hollow and far away. It’s too bad, really, since from what you can make out through the bad balance and hiss is that the trio was in very good form during this extended stay (four weeks!) at the premier jazz club in London. The version of Turn Out the Stars is quite nice, and the first disc comes to a rousing finish with a high energy rendition of Someday My Prince Will Come. Disc two sounds marginally better than the first half, featuring a fine Stella By Starlight and a upbeat version of Waltz for Debby. While you’re listening to the music, and perhaps grumbling about the sound, you can at least enjoy the David Stone Martin cover art and the well-illustrated 44-page booklet. In the best Resonance tradition, there are notes by producer Zev Feldman and prolific writer Brian Priestley, who actually attended a night of the run and wrote about it at the time. There are interviews with Eddie Gomez, a conversation between Jack DeJohnette and Chick Corea, and, most surprising, a truly enlightening interview with Chevy Chase, a big Evans fan who met the pianist and became friends with him. Hard to recommend this one, except to die-hard Bill Evans fans. Resonance HCD-2046; Bill Evans (p) Eddie Gomez (b) Jack DeJohnette (d); London, England, July 1968; Disc 1 (50:13): A Sleepin’ Bee/ You’re Gonna Hear From Me/ Yesterdays/ Turn Out the Stars/ My Man’s Gone Now/ Emily/ Spring is Here/ Embraceable You/ For Heaven’s Sake/ Someday My Prince Will Come. Disc 2 (49:37): Quiet Now/ ‘Round Midnight/ Stella By Starlight/ Alfie/ You’re Gonna Hear From Me/ Emily/ Waltz for Debby/ Autumn Leaves/ Nardis. resonancerecords.org