Bill Evans - Waltz For Debby - No other album exists for me right now

One note and you know is Bill Evans. Waltz for Debby is my second all time favourite Evans recording. Number 1 still is Sunday Village Vanguard.

Those two represent some of the best live jazz ever recorded.

 

Please do yourself a huge favor and purchase the box set, "The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings,1961." It's the entire day's performances on June 25, and includes all of "Waltz For Debbie" and "Sunday At The Village Vanguard", plus much more. This was a special performance not only for the incredible interplay between Evans and his bassist Scott LaFaro, but Scott was to die in a car crash some 10 days later. A short career but a legend on his axe nevertheless. The sound is outstanding BTW.

 

Can you imagine what glories Le Faro would have brought to the art as he got older?

I just picked up CALIFORNIA HERE I COME with Eddie Gomez and Philly Joe Jones. Live dates from 1968 that wasn't released until 1982 (after Bill's passing). This album is a great counterpoint to the delicacies of DEBBY and VILLAGE VANGUARD...Jones pushes Evans into some pretty intense workouts!

BTW: I'd love to find the DCC EXPLORATIONS but is the SACD comparable?

 

This may not be the best comparison, but here are my experiences with 2 Evans SACD's.

I don't have the DCC "Explorations" but I have the OJC, the SACD and a very old pressing of the lp. I was not blown away by the SACD. It sounded real close to the cd. Now with Moonbeams, I have the SACD and an original pressing, but not the OJC. I would rate the SACD as one of the the best sounding in my collection. The bass on the lp just booms and the SACD really captures it.

My thoughts. Hope they help.

 

I was disappointed by most of the SACDs remastered by Fantasy (except the Gil Evans, Eric Dolphy and Art Pepper+11 discs). But the SACDs with Fantasy material remastered by other labels (Analogue Productions, MFSL) sound great.

 

I agree. I also think that the SACD version of 'Waltz for Debby' is outstanding and sounds better than the Japanese 20-bit K2. Interesting to read the comments about the 45-rpm releases. While I'd like to sample one of these sets, the Lays Potato Chip ad keeps popping into my head. I've got a lot of Evans on cd, soooooo......could I have ju$t one? Which one would be the best to sample?

 

What the OJC and/or AP LPs of Sunday Night? I been eyeing those...

 

Well, last time I visited the doctor in late Feb he did say something about a 40% 'buildup' inside the right ear. Guess it's time to get that baby irrigated. What's Kayaker's excuse??

 

If you like WFD for the initmate club atmosphere, another one to check out is Ben Webster At The Rennaisance. He conjures a similar vibe on the sax, and it's a great recording as well.

 

My wife claims I'm deaf when my stereo is on and she is talking....

 

Waltz For Debby is possibly my favorite Evans CD.

Others right near the top:

Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Portrait In Jazz
Explorations
How My Heart Sings!

 

Was EXPLORATIONS ever actually released by DCC? I thought this was one that, for whatever reason, was supposed to be released but it never happened.

 

It's on Steve's discography here. I've never seen one but I only recently started looking...

 

Steve, what don't you like about the SACD? Just curious...

 

I just picked up the Analogue Productions Gold disc today. Agree 100%.

 

Yeah, it's listed on Steve's discography, but there's no catalog number. I've never seen one of these, nor have I seen one turn up anywhere. If it was actually released, it must've been in a very small number.

 

Where'd you find it?

 

There's a used CD store down the street from me called The Beat Goes On. They had one in. Excellent condition too. The same place I found the Miles Davis Musings of Miles DCC.

 

Think they got an extra???

 

No doubt! These two albums really do go hand in hand.

 

Geoman076, Thanks for the thread on this album! I picked up the OJC CD of this album today when I went to The Electric Fetus looking for Moody's SACDs -- I just had to hear what the raves were all about. Listening to "My Foolish Heart" made me care not one single bit about being stuck in traffic on the highway. What a lovely song! Scott Lafaro might just be my new bass hero. Anyway, thanks for sharing your enjoyment of this album, as it's always nice to have someone suggest a starting point for an artist's catalog, and for me with Bill Evans this was my first exposure. Very cool!

 

I'd think there'd be a catalog number on Steve's discography if it had been released.

 

And after you get all the trio albums with LaFaro, pick up a copy of You Must Believe in Spring. It has perhaps the best recorded piano sound of any of his trio albums, and the gorgeous repertoire and playing make a real highlight of his 70s albums.

- Joe

 

im so happy that i picked up "waltz..." and "sunday..." 45's when they were around. these are 2 of the best lp's steve has ever done, and while it's a hassle getting up to change them, the pain goes away when the music comes on. legendary american music.