Bill Evans

The Bill Evans Trio’s June 1961 engagement at the Village Vanguard marked the final testimony of one of the pianist’s most outstanding formations. Featuring Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums, this unit is also widely regarded as one of the most legendary jazz trios of all time. LaFaro died in an automobile accident on July 6, 1961 in Flint, New York on U.S. 20 between Geneva and Canandaigua, two days after accompanying Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz Festival. His death left Evans devastated, and it took him a long time to find the strength and the enthusiasm to form a new trio. Obviously, replacing LaFaro wasn’t easy, and the first bassist chosen to fill the void was Chuck Israels. Both albums contained here belong to 1961-62 sessions presenting Evans in unusual contexts. Empathy was the first of only two albums he would record with drummer Shelly Manne (1920- 1984) –their second collaboration, A Simple Matter of Conviction, was taped in 1966. Both LPs were recorded in a trio format, but while Empathy included Monty Budwig on bass, A Simple Matter of Conviction presented Evans’ regular bassist at that time, Eddie Gomez. Our companion album is one of the sideman projects Evans collaborated on during this period. Recorded in a quartet format, Pike’s Peak (Epic LA16025) features the pianist playing with vibes –the leader Dave Pike (1938-2015)–, bass and drums. Even though he’s not the leader, he is featured extensively in this intimate set, playing solos on all of the songs, most of which he would never record again (the only exception being “In a Sentimental Mood”, which he would record professionally in 1963 at Shelly’s Manne Hole, and of which various subsequent live versions survive).