Which pianist led the trio on Bill Evans’s 1961 album Waltz for Debby?

Bill Evans led the trio on his 1961 album Waltz for Debby.

The album was recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City on June 25, 1961. Evans played piano with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, the celebrated trio whose interactive approach became a landmark in modern jazz.

Waltz for Debby was released by Riverside Records and includes performances of pieces such as “My Foolish Heart,” “Waltz for Debby,” and “Milestones.” The music is admired for its conversational balance, in which piano, bass, and drums share melodic and rhythmic responsibility.

The recording has an especially poignant history because LaFaro died in a car accident only ten days after the Village Vanguard sessions. Evans withdrew from public performance for several months. The album title refers to a composition Evans wrote for his niece, Debby Evans.