Name: The Solo Sessions, Vol. 2
Brand: Milestone
SKU: 123554
Availability: OutOfStock

The Solo Sessions, Vol. 2

Rating

Album: The Solo Sessions, Vol. 2
#	Song Title		Time
1)	All The Things You Are Album Version	More Info...	9:10
2)	Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Live	More Info...	4:30
3)	I Loves You, Porgy Live	More Info...	5:49
4)	What Kind Of Fool Am I? Take 2	More Info...	6:48
5)	Love Is Here To Stay Live	More Info...	4:00
6)	Ornithology Live	More Info...	5:31
7)	Medley: Autumn In New York / How About You? Live	More Info...	6:22

Album: The Solo Sessions, Vol. 2
#	Song Title		Time
1)	All The Things You Are Album Version	More Info...	9:10
2)	Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Live	More Info...	4:30
3)	I Loves You, Porgy Live	More Info...	5:49
4)	What Kind Of Fool Am I? Take 2	More Info...	6:48
5)	Love Is Here To Stay Live	More Info...	4:00
6)	Ornithology Live	More Info...	5:31
7)	Medley: Autumn In New York / How About You? Live	More Info...	6:22

Performer Notes

Solo performer: Bill Evans (piano).
Recorded at Sound Makers Studio, New York, New York on January 10, 1963. Includes liner notes by Gene Lees.
Digitally remastered by Phil De Lancie (1991, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California).
Personnel: Bill Evans (piano).
Liner Note Author: Gene Lees.
Recording information: Sound Makers Studio, NY (01/10/1963).
Photographer: Phil Bray.
Although the disc's liner notes indicate that, at the time of this recording, Bill Evans was going through an unusually tough period (because of his severe heroin addiction and the recent death of long time sideman Scott LaFaro) there's no hint of incompetence or hesitation in Evans' playing. In fact, his keyboard work is at its most fiery and uninhibited here. Unusually raw and bluesy at times, Evans makes the usually innocuous "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" into an all-out jam before turning delicately (and gorgeously) introspective on "I Loves You Porgy." In fact, the latter performance ranks among the purest and prettiest Evans recordings on record.
The remainder of THE SOLO SESSIONS VOL. 2 (which is actually the second part of a single session) is comprised of several other standards and a mightily swinging version of Charlie Parker's "Ornithology." In addition to being a splendid jazz recording by any standard, this disc is interesting in that it represents Bill Evans at his most human. Perhaps because of the aforementioned personal problems, his playing has a certain sense of reckless abandon (not that his playing was sloppy-- Evans was, above all else, a flawless technician)-a quality rarely seen in this meticulous, superior musician.