Captured in 1975, On a Friday Evening is an engaging and deeply intimate album that finds pianist Bill Evans and his trio in performance at Oil Can Harry’s in Vancouver, British Columbia. Recorded by radio host Gary Barclay, the album was initially broadcast on Barclay’s CHQM jazz show before languishing unheard for the next 40 years. Fully restored, this 2021 archival release finds Evans backed by one of his best latter-career rhythm sections featuring bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund. Radio broadcasts of live concerts were not unheard of in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and On a Friday Evening works as a nice companion album to the similar 2017 radio restoration On a Monday Evening, which featured the same lineup and some of the same tunes. That said, On a Friday Evening is an even better sounding restoration and truly represents the intricate group dynamics and virtuosity they’d developed on tour together. While Gomez had been with Evans since 1968, the trio’s warm and enveloping style becomes even more impressive when you realize that drummer Zigmund was barely into his first year with the pianist when they hit the stage at Oil Can Harry’s in June of 1975. Together, they play with a lithe focus that balances Evans’ close-eyed intensity with moments of lively, contrapuntal group interplay. Particularly enrapturing is their take on “Sugar Plum,” which Evans kicks off by himself, anchoring his twirling right-hand lines with steady left-hand chords before Gomez takes his own lyrical solo. We also get equally inspired renditions of such Evans’ favorites as “Sareen Jurer,” “Quiet Now,” and “How Deep Is the Ocean.”
Listening to Ledisi’s new album - Ledisi Sings Nina. I had not heard of her before playing this. Reading the (short) liner notes on Tidal shows a great depth with Nina’s music. Her voice is very good and she puts her own spin on some of Nina’s classics. It’s very well recorded with every nuance of her voice captured.
Never new this cd existed.
Swedish musicians do not let him down. Excellent close recording.
One of the best although he begins to look and sound a little tired.
A good short biography to be found in the Austin Chronicle,his home town, ( just pop his name in the search box). The tale of his besting a petulant Miles brought a smile.
@Nick1940)Great! Thank you for pointing to that article.
This compilation by the PD label Definitive Records has 23 track selections from 1946-1949 - available on Tidal.
images and track info from discogs
Old age confines me to the settee once again.
Cheer me up music.
Nice to have a busy drummer on this type of session for a change.
Some of the organ notes after remastering will help with ear wax loosening.
Roland’s siren sounds a few times so he must have been satisfied with proceedings.
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