Moon Beams

Moonbeams was recorded in three sessions in New York City in May and June 1962 and is the first studio recording by the Bill Evans Trio after the sudden accidental death of bassist Scott LaFaro the year before. Chuck Israels replaces LaFaro and plays more of an accompanying role than Scott's style, and Paul Motian resumes his duties as the trio's drummer. This lineup produced the material for two albums that would become among Evans' most popular. Moonbeams features ballads from the ‘62 sessions, which also produced the more upbeat How My Heart Sings that same year. Moonbeams captures some of Evans’ most introspective playing; his sense of loss is evident but tempered by Israels' sensitive performances. Evans also expresses his lyricism, underpinned by rhythmic solidity, even in the extraordinarily slow “Love in Vain.”

About Original Jazz Classics:

Original Jazz Classics was launched in 1982 under Fantasy Records and revived in 2023 with a focus on audiophile reissues of groundbreaking jazz recordings. With over 850 reissued titles to date from the groundbreaking catalogs of Prestige, Riverside, Galaxy, Contemporary, Jazzland, Milestone, and others, OJC remains a reliable source for discovering and rediscovering jazz.

Since its reintroduction, the series has garnered much praise from critics, with Record Collector Magazine declaring, “The sound is out of this world.” Tracking Angle called the OJC reissue of Thelonious Monk's “Monk's Music” ‘remarkable’ and “the best-sounding pressing” of the album to date. Absolute Sound raved about the stereo reissue of Mal Waldron's “The Quest,” noting that it “sounds fabulous—full-bodied, immediate, and crackling with energy.” Jazzwise praised the “unparalleled” quality of the series, describing the reissues as ‘exceptional’ and “stunningly eloquent” sounding. Qobuz highlighted the remastering, raving that it “breathes pulsating life into the original tapes.”