The Last Waltz

by Jim Newsom A moving finale to a remarkable career, The Last Waltz was recorded during a nine-night stand at San Francisco's legendary Keystone Korner one week prior to jazz piano icon Bill Evans' death at age 51. With the youthful rhythm team of Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera providing telepathic support, Evans turns in some of the most magnificent performances of his 25-year career. Aware that his days were numbered, he played with the creative drive and improvisational intensity with which he had long ago made his mark. This eight-disc set's 65 tracks include takes on 32 different tunes of which nine are Evans originals. Revisiting, reworking, and revitalizing many of his signature pieces, he finds new dimensions to explore in each. The set lists range from standards like "My Foolish Heart," "If You Could See Me Now," "Autumn Leaves," and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" to the pianist's own classics, "Turn Out the Stars," "Letter to Evan," and "Waltz for Debby." The lengthy solo piano introductions to six different renderings of Miles Davis' "Nardis" are breathtaking in their beauty. This is simply gorgeous music, powerful and moving, a fitting farewell from one of the finest.