Bill Evans Live At Art D’Lugoff’s Top Of The Gate (2017, DSD128) – 2xHD

Bill Evans Live At Art D’Lugoff’s Top Of The Gate release by Resonance Records from 2xHD mastering. Next to piano genius Evans and his bandmates Eddie Gomez (bass) and Marty Morell (drums), the real hero of this two set/double-disc collection is a man by the name of George Klabin. Klabin was a senior at Columbia University when the Evans trio played the intimate Top Of The Gate in October of 1968; he recorded the sets from 10/23/68 for his radio show on the college’s FM station, WKCR.The quality of this recording would be impressive by anyone’s standards; the fact that it was accomplished by a young man toting a 50 lb. two-track tape recorder and four different mics, mixing on the fly through a set of headphones is nothing short of amazing. By virtue of perfect mic choices and placement, Klabin – who is now both the founder and president of the Rising Jazz Stars Foundation, as well as Resonance Records– nails the warmth and depth of the trio’s sound with just enough crowd noise to remind you that it was live.

All in all, this is an incredible performance – one that any fan of Bill Evans’ music will want to get into; and not a bad place for the novice to begin, either. The flavors are many; the delivery is stunning