Tony Bennett/Bill Evans, Village Vanguard Reissue, Complete Riverside

December 26, 2014 9:36 PM

The Concord Music Group (the Group's labels) is due to release on vinyl The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings in January 2015. This past November 2014, the Concord Music Group released the vinyl reissue, on the Riverside label, of The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961/The Bill Evans Trio. Also due up, is the vinyl reissue of The Complete Riverside Recordings/Bill Evans sometime in early 2015. (The pertinent info about the future releases is at the bottom of the page just linked.)

The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings was released on CD under the Fantasy label in 2009. It compiled the two recording sessions by Bennett and Evans which produced The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album/1975 and Together Again/1976, including twenty alternate takes and two tracks not released on the original LPs. Reviews: allaboutjazz, BBC, Guardian. Tony Bennett (previously). Bill Evans. Bill Evans with Tony Bennett on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show 10/27/75. Jazz Inspired-Tony Bennett on Bill Evans.


1. "Young and Foolish" (Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt) (lyrics) (Plain and Fancy)
2. "The Touch of Your Lips" (Ray Noble) (lyrics) (song)
3. "Some Other Time" (Bernstein, Comden, Green) (lyrics)
4. "When in Rome" (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) (more) (lyrics)
5. "We'll Be Together Again" (Carl T. Fischer, Frankie Laine) (lyrics) (song)
6. "My Foolish Heart" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) (lyrics) (song) (movie)
7. "Waltz for Debby" (Bill Evans, Gene Lees) (lyrics) (song)
8. "But Beautiful" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) (lyrics) (song) (Road to Rio)
9. "Days of Wine and Roses" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) (lyrics) (song) (Days of Wine and Roses)
10. "The Bad and the Beautiful" (Dory Previn, David Raksin) (lyrics) (song) (The Bad and the Beautiful)
11. "Lucky to Be Me" (Bernstein, Comden, Green) (lyrics) (On the Town)
12. "Make Someone Happy" (Comden, Green, Jule Styne) (lyrics) (Do Re Mi)
13. "You're Nearer" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) (lyrics) (song) (Too Many Girls)
14. "A Child Is Born" (Thad Jones, Alec Wilder) (lyrics)
15. "The Two Lonely People" (B. Evans, Carol Hall) (lyrics) (song)
16. "You Don't Know What Love Is" (Gene de Paul, Don Raye) (lyrics) (song) (Keep Em' Flying)
17. "Maybe September" (Ray Evans, Percy Faith, Jay Livingston) (lyrics) (The Oscar)
18. "Lonely Girl" (R. Evans, Livingston, Neal Hefti) (lyrics) (more)
19. "You Must Believe in Spring" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Jacques Demy, Michel Legrand) (lyrics) (more) (The Young Girls of Rochefort)
20. "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley) (lyrics) (song) (The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd)
21. "Dream Dancing" (Cole Porter) (lyrics) (song) (You'll Never Get Rich)
22. "Young and Foolish" alternate take 4
23. "The Touch of Your Lips" alternate take 1
24. "Some Other Time" alternate take 7
25. "When in Rome" alternate take 11
26. "Waltz for Debby" alternate take 8
27. "The Bad and the Beautiful" alternate take 1
28. "The Bad and the Beautiful" alternate take 2
29. "Make Someone Happy" alternate take 5
30. "You're Nearer" alternate take 9
31. "A Child Is Born" alternate take 2
32. "A Child Is Born" alternate take 7
33. "The Two Lonely People" alternate take 5
34. "You Don't Know What Love Is" alternate take 16
35. "You Don't Know What Love Is" alternate take 18
36. "Maybe September" alternate take 5
37. "Maybe September" alternate take 8
38. "Lonely Girl" alternate take 1
39. "You Must Believe in Spring" alternate take 1
40. "You Must Believe in Spring" alternate take 4
41. "Who Can I Turn To?" alternate take 6
The playlist. Great American Songbook.

Concord Music Group has uploaded a playlist of their vinyl reissue. The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 was released on CD in 2005. In 2009 the recording was added to the United States National Recording Registry. The media kit for the reissue. Soundcloud. The Bill Evans Trio. More. Previously. Previously. Previously.

1. "Gloria's Step" (Take 1)
2. "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 1)
3. "My Foolish Heart"
4. "All of You" (Take 1)
5. "My Romance" (Take 1)
6. "Some Other Time"
7. "Solar"
8. "Gloria's Step" (Take 2)
9. "My Man's Gone Now"
10. "All of You" (Take 2)
11. "Detour Ahead" (Take 1)
12. "Waltz for Debby" (Take 1)
13. "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 2)
14. "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)"
15. "My Romance" (Take 2)
16. "Milestones"
17. "Detour Ahead" (Take 2)
18. "Gloria's Step" (Take 3)
19. "Waltz for Debby" (Take 2)
20. "All of You" (Take 3)
21. "Jade Visions" (Take 1)
22. "Jade Visions" (Take 2)
23. ...A few final bars

The Complete Riverside Recordings Bill Evans is massive. It covers an eight year period (1956-63). Twenty sessions are released in full, 151 selections in all (samples). The vinyl reissue is due early 2015.

posted by cwest (14 comments total)

"Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)"

Probably my favorite piece from the bunch. There's a quiet bit towards the end where some of the ambient crowd noise makes it in. One can imagine carefree lovers laughing and chatting at a table over a bottle of wine.

Scott LaFaro's untimely death soon after this recording was a loss beyond words. It's hard to think of any other arrangement Evans has led or been a part of, where he and his bassist collaborated so perfectly together and made Art.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:04 PM on December 26, 2014

Diamond!
posted by clavdivs at 10:33 PM on December 26, 2014

I get THIS VIDEO IS NOT AVAILABLE for the first 41 links - the numbered songs - in this post. Maybe that's just Japan?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:37 PM on December 26, 2014

Maybe that's just Japan?

Maybe so. I checked the links again and they are working for me. I'm in the US.
posted by cwest at 11:11 PM on December 26, 2014

Great Post! Two timeless jazz artists; two of the best, ever, at their respective instruments. This is so RIGHT!
posted by Vibrissae at 11:29 PM on December 26, 2014

Oof, what a gift, cwest - thanks a million for this!
posted by On the Corner at 12:51 AM on December 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

I checked the links again and they are working for me. I'm in the US.

Working in the UK as well.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:32 AM on December 27, 2014

I checked the links again and they are working for me. I'm in the US.

Working in the UK as well.

Well, damn. Maybe here in Japan they just don't like people named Bennett.

Uh oh.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:19 AM on December 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Don't work in the Netherlands either.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:03 AM on December 27, 2014

> Scott LaFaro's untimely death soon after this recording was a loss beyond words.

So very true. Previously, previouslier.
posted by languagehat at 7:24 AM on December 27, 2014

Thanks for posting this. One commenter on the Village Vanguard set's Amazon page noted that the vinyl was taken from digital files rather than from the original tapes. If that's true, why would that be the case? I realize that a lot of work went into remastering the set, which has a great sound, for CD. But is there a reason not to go from the original analog masters?
posted by the sobsister at 9:38 AM on December 27, 2014

Holy crap, what a post. Thanks for this, cwest.
posted by enrevanche at 9:46 AM on December 27, 2014 [2 favorites]

If that's true, why would that be the case? I realize that a lot of work went into remastering the set, which has a great sound, for CD. But is there a reason not to go from the original analog masters?

I'm certainly no expert, but it's extremely hard not to notice that audiophiles are forever arguing with one another. Here's an article from analogplanet.com (check the comments as well) that explains what the objection to the reissue might be.
posted by cwest at 9:52 AM on December 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

cwest,

Thanks for the link. Interesting article and comments. And, yes, audiophiles in full fervor can make religious dogmatists seemed subdued and open to compromise.
posted by the sobsister at 10:07 AM on December 27, 2014