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This is essential jazz listening. "Explorations" is another fine example of Evans' classic trio of Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. Highly recommended.I consider every Bill Evans album essential listening. If you haven't heard it, then pick it up today, you'll be glad you did. These guys make this music swing so hard. Bill Evans redefined the role of the trio and made history with these outstanding musicians.
Lyrical and contemplative throughout, Explorations has a mix of somber and swinging solos.I wish the Bill Evans Trio would have made just a blues standards album. Most of his work is know as introspective, but when Evans wanted to play at fast, upbeat tempos, he could very well. The Miles Davis tune "Nardis" is beautiful because Evans had a knack for playing chords that had a deep and rich tone. This was the first Evans/LaFaro/Motian trio album that I bought and it was a wise purchase. His work with Miles(who loved the blues) and Coltrane charged forward a little harder. I wanted to buy something from this trio because I know that their influence on modern jazz trios is immeasureable. Almost every song on Explorations is outstanding. The great thing about this album is that it actually features an "upbeat" Evans.
Much has been written about the intricate interplay of the trio, and it's all true, especially concerning LaFaro's basswork; but Motion's brushwork is great as well, interacting with the others with intricacy and almost melody-like flourish. In Explorations Evans is at his most gorgeous, lyric, and thoughtful. It's a sad tragedy that LaFaro died soon after this recording, for one can only wonder how great he'd be today. As another reviewer said, "Nardis" and "Israel" are my favorites, with wonderful melodic lines and enchanting improv, and to my mind are unmatched in his catalogue. Explorations is likely not only my favorite jazz album, but favorite album in any genre.
I plan to collect his other albums in the near future. Sunday at the Village Vanguard is not the first Bill Evans album you should buy because its a bit too expressive or experimental to listen. Thank You. If your a fan of McCoy Tyner's Night Ballads or Oscar Peterson's Timeless then I guarantee this should be a fine addition.I would like to thank all working at Amazon for helping us newbies listen to jazz tracks before making a purchase and exploring similar items in your selection menus. This is far more easier on the ears and memorable. My drive to work is smooth thanks to this gifted artists' composition.
Lost. This is what it feels like to listen to this music, great art as friendship, the untying of knots, so it's best just to say : WOW. This review is a tribute, because sometimes that's necessary, one owes it. Play this CD over and over, and it will take you to a place, where I'm not sure, but like a center within, I know this sounds corny, but to feel this is completely different, like some kind of eternal safety, the kind of stuff mystics might speak of, but this music is no mere theorizing, but an actual path you can get on, or enter so to speak, it's the antithesis of the vapidity of so much modern media and TV, he's taking you by the hand to your higher plane, and making sure you get a good seat there, that you can rest there. and thanks too. Feeling depressed. Lonely.
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