Search - Herbie Mann :: Nirvana (Mlps) (Shm)

S.BURLEY'S REVIEW

SHAUN BURLEY | COLUMBUS,OH | 03/27/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"AS A TRUE FAN OF EVANS WORK WITH A COLLECTION OF 30 PLUS ALBUMS
FEATURING THE GREAT PIANIST AS LEADER OR SIDEMAN I WAS RATHER DISAPPOINTED IN THIS RELEASE. THE THING THAT STRIKES ME FIRST ABOUT THIS ALBUM IS HOW AWFUL THE PIANO AND DRUMS ARE RECORDED
(THE WORST SOUND QUALITY OF ANY EVANS STUDIO DATE I'VE HEARD ).
THE MUSIC IS FAR FROM ESSENTIAL. NONE OF THE SONGS STAND OUT IN PARTICULAR. THE RUNNING TIME OF THE ALBUM IS UNDER 34 MINUTES.IF YOU'RE IN SEARCH OF AN OBSCURE GEM AS I WAS,YOU SHOULD PASS ON THIS ONE."

I thought it was rather good.

11/16/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Bill Evans session followed close on the heels of the Scot Lefaro tragedy of summer 1961. Struggling to break in the new trio, confronting a spiraling drug habit, and depressed over the loss of his musical and spiritual partner, Evans, during this period, sounded weary, subdued, and somewhat vanquished. Yet this long overlooked session should not be missed. Evans, though not playing at the peak of the recent studio and live (Village Vanguard) dates, seems to have transcended the tragedy and found new depths. His playing is lax, his piano sounds distorted, but the album's color and sensitivity is unmistakeable; and with the moral and musical support of flautist Herbie Mann, bassist Chuck Israel, and drummer Paul Motian, he had certainly produced a work that could stand comfortably among the restThe composition choices reflect the mood of the session. Sati - a well known lover of the rain, of alcohol and of darker, more mystical landscapes of sound - seems an apt choice to underpin this pensive album; the title track, Nirvana, with its Buddhist soul-searching allusions, mirrors Evans' own search of the time. Yes the recording quality is a bit scrappy, yes there are better Evan's albums out there, but the significance of this recording for fans is unmistakable. It is an important document of a particular moment in time - a moment of crisis, and of musical rebirth, and one that you will not be disappointed to share."

Good jam

Americo Zeccardi | Jersey City, New Jersey | 06/14/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's a good straight-ahead jam and no, no new ground is broken. But it does all sound very nice. Better than a lot of what passes for jazz today. Just imagine, a time when people put this kind of disc on and just dug it without saying things like "too short" or "bad recording". It's a nice record to put on and chill to, and it sounds decent. What more do you need?"