Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra - 140gran high quality virgin vinyl limited edition (1LP Vinyl)

Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra by Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra.

If you want to luxuriate in jazz, then look no further than this remarkable meeting of the Bill Evans Trio and a 48-piece orchestra conducted by Claus Ogerman. Appropriately named the Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra, this album pairs the intimacy of Evans's celebrated piano trio with the sweep and grandeur of a full symphonic ensemble, a combination that feels both bold and inevitable.

Released in February 1966, the record was the brainchild of Verve's A&R Director, Creed Taylor, whose instinct for pairing jazz artists with lush, ambitious settings finds one of its finest expressions here. The result is a session that refuses to treat the orchestra as mere decoration, instead weaving it into the very fabric of the music alongside Evans's unmistakable touch.

At the heart of it all is the trio itself. Bill Evans presides at the piano with the harmonic sophistication and quiet lyricism that made him one of the most influential pianists of his generation. Chuck Israels anchors the group on bass, his lines supple and attentive, while Larry Bunker brings a sensitive, responsive pulse on drums. Together they form a unit intimate enough to whisper and strong enough to hold their own against the full weight of Ogerman's arrangements.

Side A opens with "Granadas" and moves through the graceful "Valse" and "Prelude" before arriving at "Time Remembered," one of Evans's own compositions and a piece that showcases his gift for reflective, deeply personal melody. These performances glide with an unhurried elegance, the orchestra swelling and receding around the piano like tides drawn to the moon.

The second side carries the same spirit forward, beginning with the stately "Pavane" and the mournful beauty of "Elegia (Elegy)." From there the program turns toward "My Bells" and closes with "Blue Interlude," bringing the journey to a contemplative and satisfying rest. Across both sides, Evans and his trio meet the orchestra as equals, each phrase measured, each dynamic shift felt rather than announced.

This is an essential document for anyone who cherishes the quieter, more introspective corners of the jazz canon, or for the listener who wants to hear one of the music's great pianists step into a broader, more cinematic frame. It rewards close attention and repeat listening in equal measure, revealing new textures with every spin. Few records so gracefully bridge the worlds of jazz and orchestral music, and fewer still do so with the taste and restraint that define this collaboration between Bill Evans, his trio, and the vision of Claus Ogerman.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Granadas
A2. Valse
A3. Prelude
A4. Time Remembered
B1. Pavane
B2. Elegia (Elegy)
B3. My Bells
B4. Blue Interlude

Credits:
Chuck Israels - Bass
Larry Bunker - Drums
Bill Evans - Piano

Notes:
If you want to luxuriate in jazz, then look no further than the Bill Evans Trio with Claus Ogerman conducting a 48-piece orchestra on the appropriately named Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra. Released in February 1966, the album was the brainchild of Verve’s A&R Director, Creed Taylor.

Artist: Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Elemental Music

Catalog Number: 620905

Release Year: 2023

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)