This set is totally unique to any other Evans recording in my opinion, expressing both the hard swinging and also the subtle, lyrical Evans in equal proportions. The trio interacts brilliantly on every disc, with extended bass and drum solos frequent in number. This set throughly reveals Evans during his final performing period with a high percentage of original material and a more aggressive approach to the piano. In particular, disc 4 presents a firey Evans, who reinvents such tunes as "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Up With The Lark".

Overall, this set comes highly recommended. Within my vast jazz CD library, this set ranks within the top few purchases I have made. Many of the selections are played with a liberal dose of humour and you get to fully recognise the way in which Bill Evans was growing musically during the period. The four takes of "Nardis" alone are proof to this rapid growth, with each presenting totally different views on the classic melody. If you love Bill Evans, or just love great piano jazz, then buy this set. You will not be disappointed.


Some of the best piano jazz available   June 10, 2000
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

The Village Vanguard is the club that Bill Evans played some of his best music. It is rather amazing that Evans, who was dying after years and years of drug abuse, played the way he did during these sessions. It was as if his hands had a mind of their own. This 6 CD box is essential to any fan of Evans. His last trio was one of his best. Musch like his first trio, the interaction between Evans, Marc Johnson, and Joe LaBarbra is just amazing. I have heard many piano-bass-drum trios try to accomplish this sort of sound and they fall way behind. This is the trio at their best. I believe the most impressive tracks are the many versions of "Nardis" and "My Romance" where each memeber of the trio gets a few minutes for an unaccompanied solo. This set is rather expensive (there is a highlights CD that is rather limited) but it is worth every cent. It is a true jazz classic.


Pin Drop, Thank God!   October 12, 2002
Toshio Fukuhara (Yokohama, Japan)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

In terms of sheer sound quality, this set is, by far, the best recording issued of Bill Evans. As compared to the first Vanguard recording in 1961, the audience is (or was) wonderfully quieter and, thank god, respectful to the one of the greatest but soon to be dying pianist.
Though Bill's life was already numbered at the time of this recording, he still played most of the tunes immaculately in composure without hasting every note as evident in the Keystone Korner sessions two months later, hardly two weeks before his premature death. My favorite is Disk 3, which consists mostly of Bill's own compositions, such as Time Remembered. The boxed set contains all the final set of his newest compositions, Letter to Evan, Tiffany, Your Story and Knit for Mary F. All of them immediately became my favorites. As I listened to those brand new tunes, I was reminded of John Lennon, who was to be gunned down less than three months later. Both Evans and Lennon passed away when their formidable creative talent resurfaced and exploded. Only the good die young.


Fabulous   February 5, 2003
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

These last sessions from June 1980 of Bill Evans Trio at the Village Vanguard are a treasure, in large part, due to the superb recording and engineering of Malcolm Addey. None of the earlier recordings the Evans Trio at the Vanguard have the clarity, balance and overall quality that this set produced. It seems to me, despite his deteriorating health, that Evans was still able to bring more energy to these performances, than later in August 1980. Yes, Evans plays some of the old repertoire, like "My Romance" and "But Not For Me" in an up-tempo fashion, but results are wonderful, and a testament to the excellence of this final trio with Evans, Johnson and LaBarbera. Personally, I think Johnson and LaBarbera helped Evans to finally break away from the successful, but predictable style of the Evans, Gomez, Morrell period. In fact, Evans alludes to this during an interview with Jim Aikin, contained in the excellent liner notes of this 6CD box set.