The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961
Encyclopedia
The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961, a three-CD box set released in 2005, marks the first time the entire Bill Evans
Trio's complete sets at the Village Vanguard
on June 25, 1961 have been released in their entirety (outside of the twelve-disc set containing Evans' complete Riverside
recordings). It also marks the first US release of the first take of "Gloria's Step," which is incomplete due to a power failure.
These sets, from which the classic LPs Sunday at the Village Vanguard
and Waltz for Debby were drawn, were the trio's final live recordings. Bassist Scott LaFaro
would die in an automobile accident on July 6.
The album was deemed by the Library of Congress
to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" and added to the United States National Recording Registry
for the year 2009.
In addition, tracks marked with [Sb] were bonus tracks on the CD reissue.
Tracks marked with [W] were originally released on Waltz for Debby. The original running order was:
In addition, tracks marked with [Wb] were bonus tracks on the CD reissue.
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
Trio's complete sets at the Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. At first, it also featured other forms of music such as folk music and beat poetry, but it switched to an all-jazz format in 1957.-History:Over 100 jazz...
on June 25, 1961 have been released in their entirety (outside of the twelve-disc set containing Evans' complete Riverside
Riverside Records
Riverside Records was a United States record label specializing in jazz. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer under his firm Bill Grauer Productions, Inc. in 1953, the label was a major presence in the jazz record industry for a decade...
recordings). It also marks the first US release of the first take of "Gloria's Step," which is incomplete due to a power failure.
These sets, from which the classic LPs Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Sunday at the Village Vanguard is a 1961 album by jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans. The album is routinely ranked as one of the best live jazz recordings of all time.-History:...
and Waltz for Debby were drawn, were the trio's final live recordings. Bassist Scott LaFaro
Scott LaFaro
Rocco Scott LaFaro was an influential jazz bassist, perhaps best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio.-Biography:...
would die in an automobile accident on July 6.
The album was deemed by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" and added to the United States National Recording Registry
National Recording Registry
The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, which created the National Recording...
for the year 2009.
Afternoon Set 1
- Spoken introduction
- "Gloria's Step" (Take 1, interrupted) (Scott LaFaro)
- "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 1) (Sammy FainSammy FainSammy Fain was an American composer of popular music.-Biography:Sammy Fain was born in New York City. In 1923, Fain appeared with Artie Dunn in a short film directed by Lee De Forest filmed in DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. In 1925, Fain left the Fain-Dunn act to devote himself to...
-Bob HilliardBob HilliardBob Hilliard was an American lyricist. He wrote the words for the songs; "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", "Any Day Now", "Dear Hearts and Gentle People", "Our Day Will Come", "My Little Corner of the World", and "Seven Little Girls ".-Career:Born in New York City, New York, and after...
) [Sb] - "My Foolish HeartMy Foolish Heart (song)"My Foolish Heart" is a popular song that was published in 1949.The music was written by Victor Young and the lyrics by Ned Washington. The song was introduced by the singer Martha Mears in the 1949 film of the same name. The song failed to escape critics' general laceration of the film...
" (Victor YoungVictor YoungVictor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
-Ned WashingtonNed WashingtonNed Washington was an American lyricist.-Biography:Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962...
) [W] - "All of YouAll of You"All of You" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and published in 1954.It was featured in the musical film Silk Stockings and been recorded by Fred Astaire, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald on her 1972 album: Ella Loves Cole, Billie Holiday, Tony Martin, and Anita O'Day.The jazz pianist Bill Evans...
" (Take 1) (Cole PorterCole PorterCole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
) - Announcement and intermission
Afternoon Set 2
- "My RomanceMy Romance (song)"My Romance" is a popular song, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, written for Billy Rose's musical, Jumbo . In the 1962 movie version of Jumbo, Doris Day performed the song....
" (Take 1) (Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
-Lorenz HartLorenz HartLorenz "Larry" Milton Hart was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart...
) [W] - "Some Other Time" (Leonard BernsteinLeonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
-Betty Comden-Adolph GreenAdolph GreenAdolph Green was an American lyricist and playwright who, with long-time collaborator Betty Comden, penned the screenplays and songs for some of the most beloved movie musicals, particularly as part of Arthur Freed's production unit at MGM, during the genre's heyday...
) [W] - "Solar" (Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
) [S]
Evening Set 1
- "Gloria's Step" (Take 2) [S]
- "My Man's Gone NowPorgy and BessPorgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
" (George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
-Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
-DuBose HeywardDuBose HeywardEdwin DuBose Heyward was a white American author best known for his 1925 novel Porgy. This novel was the basis for the play by the same name and, in turn, the opera Porgy and Bess with music by George Gershwin.-Life and career:Heyward was born in 1885 in Charleston, South Carolina and was a...
) [S] - "All of You" (Take 2) [S]
- "Detour Ahead" (Take 1) (Lou Carter-Herb EllisHerb EllisMitchell Herbert "Herb" Ellis was an American jazz guitarist. Perhaps best known for his 1950s membership in the trio of pianist Oscar Peterson, Ellis was also a staple of west-coast studio recording sessions, and was described by critic Scott Yanow as "an excellent bop-based guitarist with a...
-John Freigo) [Wb]
Evening Set 2
- discussing repertoire
- "Waltz for Debby" (Take 1) (Bill Evans-Gene Lees) [Wb]
- "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 2) [S]
- "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)I Loves You Porgy"I Loves You, Porgy" is a duet from the opera Porgy and Bess with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was published in 1935....
" (George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin-DuBose Heyward) [Wb] - "My RomanceMy Romance (song)"My Romance" is a popular song, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, written for Billy Rose's musical, Jumbo . In the 1962 movie version of Jumbo, Doris Day performed the song....
" (Take 2) [Wb] - "Milestones" (Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
) [W]
Evening Set 3
- "Detour Ahead" (Take 2) [W]
- "Gloria's Step" (Take 3) [Sb]
- "Waltz for Debby" (Take 2) [W]
- "All of You" (Take 3) [Sb]
- "Jade Visions" (Take 1) (Scott LaFaro) [Sb]
- "Jade Visions" (Take 2) [S]
- ...A few final bars
Relation to original LPs
Tracks marked with [S] were originally released on Sunday at the Village Vanguard. The original running order was:- "Gloria's Step" (evening set 1, take 2)
- "My Man's Gone Now" (evening set 1)
- "Solar" (afternoon set 2)
- "Alice in Wonderland" (evening set 2, take 2)
- "All of You" (evening set 1, take 2)
- "Jade Visions" (evening set 3, take 2)
In addition, tracks marked with [Sb] were bonus tracks on the CD reissue.
Tracks marked with [W] were originally released on Waltz for Debby. The original running order was:
- "My Foolish Heart" (afternoon set 1)
- "Waltz for Debby" (evening set 3, take 2)
- "Detour Ahead" (evening set 3, take 2)
- "My Romance" (afternoon set 2, take 1)
- "Some Other Time" (afternoon set 2)
- "Milestones" (evening set 2)
In addition, tracks marked with [Wb] were bonus tracks on the CD reissue.