Bill Evans
Live at Village Vanguard

It's strange, but the first feeling I associate with this live recording is a profound annoyance... annoyance caused by the background noise that can be clearly heard during the musicians' performances. It's all right that we’re in a club, it's all right that the performance in question couldn't be historicized the moment it was happening, it's all right that the hiring of the same musicians on that Sunday in June 44 years ago was solely for the entertainment of the patrons, but really... the chatter of the audience and the clinking of plates during La Faro's solos, or Evans himself, and in the sublime moments of interplay between them and Paul Motian is a bit disheartening for future generations.

On stage, the formula of the jazz trio (piano-double bass-drums) is being codified for decades to come, and people are talking as if nothing is happening? The spectators are fortunate to witness one of the most incredible performances in the history of jazz music and continue sipping their drinks? The pianist swings with sparkling grace in the splendid "Gloria’s Step", dispenses lyricism generously in the Gershwinian "My man's gone now", delivers sumptuously in compositions by Miles Davis and Cole Porter, and the waiters continue taking orders without stopping, astonished to watch him? The double bassist delivers absolutely incredible solos (at times it sounds like listening to a classical guitar arpeggiating... and perhaps the idea is conveyed minimally), showcases his compositional prowess in a dark and hypnotic piece like the splendid "Jade Visions", and above all, produces a marvelous sound that will undoubtedly identify him as one of the greatest specialists of the instrument, and the bartenders continue rinsing glasses instead of listening with jaws dropped? The drummer demonstrates incredible flexibility (managing to sustain "Alice In Wonderland" from the Walt Disney film almost at a waltz tempo!!!), interacts perfectly with the aforementioned giants, and more than a thumper (given the characteristics of his instrument), he resembles a painter (the way he caresses the cymbals with the sticks is enchanting), while the audience responds with brief applause to so much grace?

Mysteries of music... while it's no longer a mystery for jazz enthusiasts its luminous beauty, which shines with blinding light even half a century later in the firmament of the seven notes!!!