Bill Evans - The Sesjun Radio Shows Vol.2

Bill Evans was frequently recorded for radio broadcast during his various European tours, many of which ended up as bootlegs with incorrect song and personnel listings, poor audio, and incomplete tracks. Fortunately, everything is done right in this collection, which was recorded in 1979.

The 1979 tracks will be of great interest to Evans' fans. The new trio, with the brilliant young bassist Marc Johnson and superb, subtle drummer Joe LaBarbera, achieved a level of playing close to the pianist's group with Scott La Faro and Paul Motian. The trio selections cover familiar territory but find the band at its peak, highlighted by the lightly swinging take of Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now" and Evans' always introspective exploration of Miles Davis' "Nardis," the latter tune individually showcasing all three musicians. Harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans, who appeared on Evans' Affinity album, is a special guest on the last five songs, adding a sizzling solo to "Blue in Green" and getting to play his signature song "Bluesette" with the trio as well. The temporary quartet also nicely gels with a romp through Evans' longtime set closer "Five." The Sesjun Radio Shows is an essential collection for fans of Bill Evans. AllMusicGuide