Bill Evans' Fantasy recordings of 1973-1979 have often been underrated in favor of his earlier work but, as this remarkable nine-CD set continually shows, the influential pianist continued to grow as a musician through the years while holding on to his original conception and distinctive sound. The collection has all of the 98 selections recorded at
Evans' 11 Fantasy sessions, including nine numbers from a previously unreleased 1976 concert with his trio. In addition,
Evans' appearance on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio program is tacked on as a bonus and it is actually among McPartland's finest shows, a fascinating hour of discussion and music with
Evans. Nearly all of the performances on this box (which includes duets with bassist
Eddie Gomez and singer
Tony Bennett, trio outings with
Gomez and either
Marty Morell or
Eliot Zigmund on drums, and a couple of quintet sets with the likes of tenors
Harold Land and
Warne Marsh, altoist
Lee Konitz, guitarist
Kenny Burrell, bassist
Ray Brown, and drummer
Philly Joe Jones) is available individually on CD but Bill Evans' more passionate collectors will certainly want this definitive box. The only minus is Gene Lees' typically self-serving liner notes; he always seems to love to write about himself. ~ Scott Yanow