Bill Evans meditates on the loss of Scott LaFaro

After redefining the piano trio on a series of albums for Riverside, Bill Evans had his musical foil taken from him with the 1961 car accident that killed bassist LaFaro. Perhaps most difficult was that LaFaro’s death came less than two weeks after the trio made their tour de force stand at the Village Vanguard, as subsequently memorialized on the albums Sunday at the Village Vangaurd and Waltz for Debby. Evans withdrew from performing for several months before reemerging in 1962, with Chuck Israels filling the bass slot, with this album of ballads. The interplay of the previous trio is still to be heard, but Evans piano, pensive but not moody, steps more assertively forward.Israels’ warm tone provides a soothing bottom end for Evans’ rhythmic chords and solo flights, and Paul Motian’s drumming, particularly in the sparser passages, keeps Evans moving without pushing the tempos. This is a beautifully expressive album from start to finish. [©2012 hyperbolium dot com]