The Last Waltz: The Final Recording
The Bill Evans Trio
The Final Recordings Live at Keystone Korner, September 1980
The Last Waltz is a profoundly moving valedictory. These eight discs find Evans’s poetic piano—best known for its dark-night-of-the-soul balladry, oft-copied, Impressionist-influenced chord voicings, abiding intelligence, and much-envied touch—infused with a life-force that is palpable, even on the most brooding ballads. The terrible irony, of course, is that though we seldom heard this great artist in more expansive form than is so evident here, Evans (1929-1980) was near death, knew it and, consequently, was exceptionally driven to make every note count. This only adds to the poignancy of these, his final recordings.
The Last Waltz’s 65 previously unreleased performances take in 32 different melodies, most of them standards, as well as nine Evans originals. The sessions stem from eight nights at a one-time San Francisco jazz landmark by the pianist’s last outstanding trio, during what would prove to be the penultimate week of his life. This collection is additionally notable for its repertoire, amounting to a beautifully-charted Evans Retrospective, buoyed and consistently challenged by the young but adept bass-drums team of Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera, who had joined him in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Evans rethinks, reconfigures, and revitalizes many of the touchstone pieces spanning his brilliant career. There are, for example, six different renderings of ex-employer Miles Davis’s “Nardis,” each introduced by a rich, extended fantasy for solo keyboard.
Though many gifted musicians fell under his quiet spell, and many more surely will, Bill Evans is in that tiny circle of the absolutely irreplaceable. The Last Waltz at once points up our grievous loss, while shedding new light on enduring genius.
Contains a 28-page illustrated booklet with essay by Derk Richardson.
Produced by TODD BARKAN
TRACKLISTING
DISC ONE
- 1. After You
- 2. Like Someone In Love
- 3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
- 4. Emily
- 5. Turn Out The Stars
- 6. I Do It For Your Love
- 7. Nardis
- 8. But Beautiful
DISC TWO
- 1. Peau Douce
- 2. Knit For Mary F.
- 3. The Touch Of Your Lips
- 4. My Man's Gone Now
- 5. Turn Out The Stars
- 6. Your Story
- 7. Nardis
DISC THREE
- 1. Peau Douce
- 2. Yet Ne'er Broken
- 3. My Foolish Heart
- 4. Up With The Lark
- 5. Turn Out The Stars
- 6. I Do It For Your Love
- 7. Nardis
- 8. Medley: Noelle's Theme / I Loves You Porgy
DISC FOUR
- 1. Yet Ne'er Broken
- 2. Spring Is Here
- 3. Who Can I Turn To (when Nobody
- 4. Letter To Evan
- 5. If You Could See Me Now
- 6. The Two Lonely People
- 7. A Sleepin' Bee
- 8. Haunted Heart
- 9. Five
DISC FIVE
- 1. Re: Person I Knew
- 2. Tiffany
- 3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
- 4. Like Someone In Love
- 5. Your Story
- 6. Someday My Prince Will Come
- 7. Letter To Evan
- 8. My Romance
- 9. But Beautiful
DISC SIX
- 1. Mornin' Glory
- 2. Emily
- 3. Knit For Mary F.
- 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
- 5. Up With The Lark
- 6. My Foolish Heart
- 7. Nardis
- 8. But Beautiful
DISC SEVEN
- 1. My Foolish Heart
- 2. Nardis
- 3. Mother Of Earl
- 4. If You Could See Me Now
- 5. My Man's Gone Now
- 6. Who Can I Turn To (when Nobody
- 7. Waltz For Debby
- 8. Spring Is Here
- 9. Five
DISC EIGHT
- 1. Letter To Evan
- 2. My Man's Gone Now
- 3. 34 Skidoo
- 4. Spring Is Here
- 5. Autumn Leaves
- 6. Knit For Mary F.
- 7. Nardis
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