Here are 13 beauties, taken from the 12-disc Bill Evans: The Complete Riverside Recordings and available for the first time in a single CD. Evans (1929-1980) remains the most influential improvising pianist of the past 40 years, for his exquisite sound, dreamlike chord voicings, deep song balladry, and singular conception of rhythmic displacement. This set contains five solo piano pieces, four of which are from the April 1962 date that marked Evans's return to the studio following the sudden death in July 1961 of the brilliant 25-year-old bassist Scott LaFaro, the pianist's closest collaborator. The remainder of the program was done in May 1963, live at the fondly remembered Hollywood club Shelly's Manne-Hole, and featured his highly underrated trio including bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker. With cohesive, if typically understated, support, Evans, as was his wont, brings song-form improvisation to the pinnacle of communication.

with Chuck Israels, Larry Bunker