I discovered Bill Evans via the well trodden path from "A Kind of Blue", but it's only after listening to the legendary 1961 Village Vanguard sessions, live and in the raw, that I feel that I can begin to appreciate what he was all about. Evan's playing on this record is poetic, other-wordly, impressionistic brush strokes of sound with all his classical influences, particularly Debussy, on display.
The sets also feature the last recording of the Virtuoso Bassist Scott LaFaro, a few days before his tragic death. LaFaro's extravagant freestyle playing is almost a reason in itself to buy the record. Paul Motian on drums is also superb, for long periods syncopated with the piano rather than bass, at times almost imperceptible with the most delicate brushwork.
A highly recommended seminal recording - Treat yourself!