Bill Evas Trio: Bill Evans (piano); Sam Jones (bass); Philly Joe Jones
(drums).
Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, New York, New York on December 15, 1958.
Originally released on Riverside (1129). Includes liner notes by Orrin
Keepnews.
Digitally remastered by JVC using XRCD (Extended Resolution Compact Disc)
technology.
Personnel: Bill Evans (piano); Sam Jones (bass instrument); Philly Joe Jones (drum).
When Bill Evans entered the studio on December 15, 1958 to record his second album as a leader, he was arguably the coolest man in cool jazz. Fresh from a groundbreaking stint with Miles Davis and backed by bassist Sam Jones (then most recently with Monk) and Coltrane's drummer "Philly" Joe Jones, the pianist effortlessly produced a set which proves that the album title and front-cover accolades from Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal and Julian "Cannonball" Adderly are no mere hyperbole.
Hoary standards like "Lucky To Be Me" and "Night and Day" sound fresh and exciting in Evans' lyrical hands, and the haunting, cerebral solo improvisation "Peace Piece" is perhaps his best and most famous work. (The CD adds "Some Other Time," to which "Peace Piece" was an extemporized intro.) This album belongs on any reasonable list of The Greatest Jazz Records Ever Made.