Artists · Jazz
Bill Evans. The trio as a conversation.
Piano, bass and drums as three equal voices: 11 albums with his trios, from 1956 to 1968. Plus quintets, encounters with Cannonball Adderley, Stan Getz and Tony Bennett – and 4 albums on which he plays with others, from “Kind of Blue” to Oliver Nelson.
Tap a cover – you jump straight to the album.
01 / The trio
Who played in his trio?
Tap a trio: the triangle shows who played bass and drums, while the catalogue shows the matching albums.
02 / All titles
All 21 titles
Prices and availability come live from the shop.
In the trio · 1956–1968
From his first album to Montreux: eight line-ups, one three-way conversation.
recorded 1956
New Jazz Conceptions
Bill Evans
With: Teddy Kotick, Paul Motian
His first album as a leader: trio pieces and three solos – including the first recording of “Waltz for Debby”, still a brief piano solo.
“And we have the amazing Bill Evans New Jazz Conceptions – a 45 RPM release, the same one you find in the box set.”
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g · Mono
recorded 1958
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Bill Evans Trio
With: Sam Jones, Philly Joe Jones
Recorded on 15 December 1958, a month after he left Miles Davis. Evans plays “Peace Piece” alone – it grew from an introduction to Bernstein’s “Some Other Time”.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1961
Explorations
Bill Evans Trio
With: Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian
Recorded on 2 February 1961: the last studio album by Evans, LaFaro and Motian. A thought begun at the piano can be continued by the bass.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1961
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
With: Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian
Live at the Village Vanguard on 25 June 1961: the album opens and closes with pieces by Scott LaFaro. Eleven days later he died in a car accident.
“I’m 100 percent sure: what we have here is the ultimate version.”
UHQR · 45 RPM200 g Clarity Vinyl
recorded 1961
Waltz for Debby
Bill Evans Trio
With: Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian
From the same day at the Village Vanguard, the last of a two-week engagement. Evans wrote the title piece for his niece.
“It’s the same quality as Sunday at the Village Vanguard.”
UHQR · 45 RPM200 g Clarity Vinyl
recorded 1962
Moon Beams
Bill Evans Trio
With: Chuck Israels, Paul Motian
A ballad album from May and June 1962, with a new line-up after LaFaro’s death: Chuck Israels takes over the bass.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1963
At Shelly’s Manne-Hole
Bill Evans Trio
With: Chuck Israels, Larry Bunker
An evening at Shelly’s Manne-Hole in Hollywood in May 1963. Larry Bunker is on drums, and Chuck Israels brings one of his own compositions.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1963
Trio ’64
Bill Evans
With: Gary Peacock, Paul Motian
The trio with Gary Peacock on bass: “Little Lulu” turns an unexpected popular melody into a piece full of graceful momentum.
“The soundstage – and especially its depth – is outstanding.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP · 180 g
recorded 1965
Trio ’65
Bill Evans
With: Chuck Israels, Larry Bunker
Evans revisits pieces from his repertoire, such as John Carisi’s “Israel” – with Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker.
“Beautiful dynamics, extremely detailed – without losing that analog vinyl touch.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP · 180 g
recorded 1966
At Town Hall Vol. 1
Bill Evans
With: Chuck Israels, Arnold Wise
At the New York concert the trio plays standards first, then the stage belongs to Evans alone – with the first recording of “Turn Out the Stars”.
“We will get Bill Evans at Town Hall, Volume One – of course a timeless piano classic … Acoustic Sounds Series, Bill Evans live: a sure bet.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP · 180 g
recorded 1968
At the Montreux Jazz Festival
Bill Evans
With: Eddie Gómez, Jack DeJohnette
A trio that existed only briefly: Eddie Gómez and Jack DeJohnette follow Evans live into every rhythmic turn.
“Number 16 of my top 20 audiophile jazz editions of 2020: Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the 45 rpm version from Analogue Productions. A beautiful gatefold cover, a beautiful pressing, beautiful sound – and a very atmospheric, outstanding session from Bill Evans.”
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM2 LPs
More than a trio
Two quintets and the big Riverside box with 22 LPs.
recorded 1962
Interplay
Bill Evans
With: Freddie Hubbard, Jim Hall, Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones
As a quintet, recorded on 16 and 17 July 1962: Freddie Hubbard’s trumpet and Jim Hall’s guitar join the piano.
“Bill Evans, Interplay – beautiful, iconic cover art. Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, Bill Evans on piano, Percy Heath on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums. It’s great that you can now get this 45 RPM edition outside the box set … a classic Bill Evans release.”
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1976
Quintessence
Bill Evans
With: Harold Land, Kenny Burrell, Ray Brown, Philly Joe Jones
May 1976 in Berkeley: his first recordings with Harold Land, Kenny Burrell and Ray Brown – and with Philly Joe Jones, who had played on “Interplay”.
“Sorry, but in my opinion this is a killer record – and for sure one of the five best-sounding records I’ve heard from Bill Evans.”
“For every Bill Evans fan, this is a must-have in my opinion. Absolutely essential. Gorgeous.”
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
Box
The Riverside Recordings
Bill Evans
22 LPs from his Riverside years: the trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, encounters with Cannonball Adderley and Jim Hall, solo recordings.
“In my opinion, the mother of all box sets: amazing pressings, a beautiful edition, an impressive number of records … the Bill Evans Riverside Recordings box set – 22 records in this amazing box. I do love it.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM
Encounters
Evans meets Cannonball Adderley, Stan Getz and Tony Bennett.
recorded 1961
Know What I Mean?
Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans
With: Cannonball Adderley, Percy Heath, Connie Kay
Two years after “Kind of Blue” Evans and Cannonball Adderley meet again, with Percy Heath and Connie Kay of the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
recorded 1964
Previously Unreleased Recordings
Stan Getz & Bill Evans
With: Stan Getz, Ron Carter, Richard Davis, Elvin Jones
Recorded on 5 and 6 May 1964 with Elvin Jones – released as an album only about a decade later.
“This really is two grandmasters playing together. Stan Getz and Bill Evans clearly had fun with each other – you can hear it on the album. Beautiful.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP
recorded 1975
The Tony Bennett & Bill Evans Album
Tony Bennett & Bill Evans
With: Tony Bennett
One voice, one piano: Tony Bennett and Bill Evans in Berkeley in June 1975, with no other musicians.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
Bill Evans with others
With Miles Davis, with J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding and with Oliver Nelson.
recorded 1958
Birth of the Blue
Miles Davis
With: Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb
On 26 May 1958 in the Miles Davis sextet – Evans and Jimmy Cobb had only just joined.
“It gives you everything you hope for … the dynamics, the punch, the clarity, the information, the soundstage – it has it all.”
“This record delivers musically and sonically … and the solos on this record are breathtaking.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP · 180 g
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
SACD
recorded 1959
Kind of Blue
Miles Davis
With: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb
Evans plays on every piece except “Freddie Freeloader”, where Wynton Kelly is at the piano.
“It comes with sheer, unbelievable ease … When Miles comes in, he’s there within a fraction of a second. There’s this musicality, this band, the room, the separation, the soundstage – it’s all so natural.”
“Let’s start with a masterpiece … Kind of Blue, Miles Davis. We have a very, very special edition here.”
UHQR · 45 RPM200 g Clarity Vinyl
Vinyl · 33⅓ and 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g · sides 1–3 at 33⅓, side 4 at 45 · corrected and original speed
recorded 1960
The Great Kai & J.J.
J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding
With: J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Paul Chambers, Tommy Williams, Roy Haynes, Art Taylor
Impulse! number one: the two trombones of J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding – and Bill Evans plays on all eleven selections.
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM180 g
recorded 1961
The Blues and the Abstract Truth
Oliver Nelson
With: Oliver Nelson, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, George Barrow, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes
The whole album was recorded in one day, 23 February 1961: Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard – and Bill Evans at the piano.
“The release is superb: fantastic, dead-flat, silent vinyl. Gorgeous.”
Vinyl · 33⅓ RPM1 LP · 180 g
Reel-to-reel tape
No album matches these filters.
03 / Guide
Where do you start?
This page gathers 21 titles with Bill Evans, from his first album as a leader in 1956 to “Quintessence” in 1976: eleven albums with his trios, plus quintets, encounters with Cannonball Adderley, Stan Getz and Tony Bennett, and his recordings with Miles Davis, J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding and Oliver Nelson. We carry them on vinyl, as UHQR and as hybrid SACD. Where you start depends on what you want to hear.
You want to hear the trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian
Then start at the Village Vanguard: “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” and “Waltz for Debby” come from the same day, 25 June 1961, the last of a two-week engagement. Here a thought from the piano can continue in the bass – the trio becomes a three-way conversation. “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” opens and closes with pieces by Scott LaFaro; eleven days later he died in a car accident. The last studio album of this trio is “Explorations”, recorded on 2 February 1961.
You want to hear how the trio changes
Eight line-ups of his trio appear on this page. After LaFaro’s death Chuck Israels takes over the bass – on “Moon Beams”, a ballad album from May and June 1962. On “At Shelly’s Manne-Hole” Larry Bunker sits at the drums, on “Trio ’64” Gary Peacock plays bass, and on “At the Montreux Jazz Festival” Eddie Gómez and Jack DeJohnette follow Evans into every rhythmic turn – a trio that existed only briefly.
You want to hear Evans alone at the piano
On “New Jazz Conceptions”, his first album as a leader, three solos stand beside the trio pieces – among them the first recording of “Waltz for Debby”, still a short piano solo. Evans plays “Peace Piece” on “Everybody Digs Bill Evans” alone; it grew out of an introduction to Bernstein’s “Some Other Time”. And on “At Town Hall Vol. 1” the stage belongs to Evans alone after the trio’s standards – with the first recording of “Turn Out the Stars”.
You want to hear him with other voices
On “Interplay”, Freddie Hubbard’s trumpet and Jim Hall’s guitar join the piano. “Know What I Mean?” reunites him with Cannonball Adderley in 1961, two years after “Kind of Blue”. On “The Tony Bennett & Bill Evans Album” there is just one voice and one piano: Tony Bennett and Bill Evans in June 1975 in Berkeley. And with Miles Davis you hear him on “Birth of the Blue” and “Kind of Blue”.
Which edition suits you?
Eleven of the 21 titles are available on vinyl at 45 rpm, spreading the same music over more record sides. As UHQR at 45 rpm we carry “Sunday at the Village Vanguard”, “Waltz for Debby” and “Kind of Blue”: a limited edition on 200-gram Clarity Vinyl, inspected by hand, in a box with a booklet and a hand-signed certificate. As a hybrid SACD we also carry “Birth of the Blue”. The CD layer plays on any CD player, the SACD layer on an SACD player. And the box set “The Riverside Recordings” brings together 22 LPs from his Riverside years.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
Which Bill Evans album should I start with?
With the trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian: “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” and “Waltz for Debby”, both recorded live on 25 June 1961. If you want to hear Evans alone at the piano, start with “Peace Piece” on “Everybody Digs Bill Evans”.
Which albums feature the trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian?
“Explorations”, “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” and “Waltz for Debby” – and the box “The Riverside Recordings”.
Do “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” and “Waltz for Debby” come from the same concert?
From the same day: 25 June 1961 at the Village Vanguard, the last day of a two-week engagement. “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” puts Scott LaFaro in focus, and “Waltz for Debby” followed in 1962. Both are available here as UHQRs at 45 rpm.
Where does Bill Evans play with others?
With Miles Davis on “Birth of the Blue” and “Kind of Blue”, with Oliver Nelson on “The Blues and the Abstract Truth” and with J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding on “The Great Kai & J.J.”.
Who played bass and drums in Bill Evans’ trios?
On this page, eight line-ups: Teddy Kotick and Paul Motian (1956); Sam Jones and Philly Joe Jones (1958); Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian (1961); Chuck Israels and Paul Motian (1962); Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker (1963–1965); Gary Peacock and Paul Motian (1963); Chuck Israels and Arnold Wise (1966); Eddie Gómez and Jack DeJohnette (1968).
What is “The Riverside Recordings”?
A box set with 22 LPs from his Riverside years: the trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, encounters with Cannonball Adderley and Jim Hall, and solo recordings.
Details from our product texts, years = year of recording (as of 19 Sept 2026). Price and availability live from the shop.
