BIll Evans In Norway – The Kongsberg Concert

by Don Berryman

You might ask yourself “Do I really need another Bill Evans album?”, and in this case the answer is probably “yes” and if you are an ardent fan of Bill Evans or Eddie Gómez the answer is “most certainly. “  Bill Evans In Norway – The Kongsberg Concert is a stunning recording of Bill Evans’ second great trio featuring Eddie Gómez and Marty Morell captured live in 1970 and unreleased until now. It will be released as an exclusive RSD two-LP set on Nov. 29th and a two-CD set on Dec. 6th on Elemental Music.

The Bill Evans group with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian will always be remembered as the trio that redefined the jazz trio and produced some of Evans most loved albums, Sunday At The Village Vanguard and Waltz For Debby. That trio ended with Faro’s death. In 1966 Evans invited one of my favorite jazz bassists, Eddie Gómez, to join his trio. In 1968 Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival was recorded live with Jack DeJohnette on drums. Eddie Gómez’s brilliant solos at that time put the young player on the map. Bill Evans once said that “Gómez solos on bass like a horn player”. Now Eddie Gómez is recognized and revered as one of the finest bass players in modern jazz.

Later in 1968, drummer Marty Morell replaced Jack DeJohnette in the trio and remained until 1975. This was Evans’ most stable, longest-lasting group and I would argue one of the best sounding ones. BIll Evans In Norway – The Kongsberg Concert was recorded a week after the trio recorded Montreux II. In the notes for BIll Evans In Norway Eddie Gómez says “When we played in Kongsberg, we had just played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The recording of that event was called Montreux II. And at that time Montreux was a very high-profile festival. Having passed that hurdle, we went on to Kongsberg, and that was a relief. I felt really relaxed, like, ‘Okay, this is good. It’s not like Montreux, there’s less pressure.’ And I think the outcome is a record that’s quite good.”

Craig Taborn from the liner notes: “The group playing in Kongsberg in 1970 is really interesting for me because I think the Marty Morell years are fascinating. People associate Bill with Paul Motian and Scott LaFaro, of course, because that was an essential period in terms of the development of modern jazz playing. But when he worked with Eddie Gómez and Marty Morell, Bill had already established pretty much the trio concept. With Morell, Bill is really on top a lot. He has a much brighter feel. He’s really pushing stuff. Even bringing the tempos up a little bit. This group is swinging along in a brighter way, really bringing out a lot of the more rhythmic side of Bill Evans, which is one of the things that I always notice about him.”

Peter Pettinger in Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings, writes about Marty Morrell’s tenure with Evans “[H]e had been responsible for an exceedingly tight unit that could swing and drive relentlessly. His control of the twelve-bar sections in a number like “Twelve Tone Tune,” for instance, was as snappy and precise as could be. At the same time, on ballads, he never failed to provide a listening cushion of the utmost delicacy, seeming to imbue his drums with the ability to breathe of their own volition, and always in expressive union with his leader.”

Another reason for the more relaxed and uptempo feel of this set is probably because earlier that year Evans had quit heroin and was on a managed methadone maintenance plan. He was more engaged with the audience and had more energy.

The energy was evident as the trio presented an uptempo version of Miles Davis’ “So What” injecting some swing into this modal anthem. While Gómez opens with the familiar intro, the tune takes off in a new direction, and the bass alternates between pedal point and walking–make that dancing–bass lines. “Autumn Leaves” is uptempo as well, Evans opens with a swinging style then drops out for a great bass solo by Gómez.

There are also sweet ballads like “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life” and also “Some Other Time” by Leonard Bernstein which is my favorite track. It is serene and delicately beautiful.  The interplay between Gómez and Evans are delightful.

Another Miles Davis tune, “Nardis”, closes the set with Marty Morrell delivering an inspired and enthusiastic solo.

Produced for release by “Jazz Detective” Zev Feldman, the extensive liner notes include a rare interview with Evans conducted by Randi Hultin at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival; new interviews with bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Marty Morell; reflections on Evans’ art by pianists Aaron Parks, Craig Taborn, and Eliane Elias; and concert photographs by Arthur Sand.  It was mastered by Matthew Lutthans at the Mastering Lab and pressed at Memphis Pressing. The source material was from the archives of Norway’s Kongsberg Jazz Festival. My only issue is that the bass could’ve been more forward in the mix, I find myself turning up the volume during bass solos. However the recording is clear.

Track listing

SIDE A:

1. COME RAIN OR COME SHINE 5:58
2. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? 5:46
3. 34 SKIDOO 5:57
4. TURN OUT THE STARS 5:09

SIDE B:

1. AUTUMN LEAVES 5:55
2. QUIET NOW 5:34
3. SO WHAT 6:59

SIDE C:

1. GLORIA’S STEP 4:58
2. EMILY 5:18
3. MIDNIGHT MOOD 6:21

SIDE D:

1. WHO CAN I TURN TO? 6:38
2. SOME OTHER TIME 5:42
3. NARDIS 9:48

Link to original Jazz Police article: https://jazzpolice.com/archives/16751