I agree with you on close miking and engineer's choice for a studio recording, but it has always bothered me that the Evans live Vanguard sessions (Sat and Sun, Waltz for Debby and Sunday at the Vanguard were cut from the same 2 days of live performances) were either recorded, or just mixed Evans right and Paul Motian (drums) left. Usually for a live recording there is some adherence to the natural performance soundstage. I have been to the Vanguard many, many times since 1980 and to my recollection drums have always been setup right (audience perspective) and piano left. The stage is a funky triangle (point to the back) and all of the other live VV recordings of Charlap, Coltrane and others I have heard were released piano left. I used to think that maybe in 1961 it was set up differently, but other sessions from that era are also piano left.
The album cover photo, which was taken at the Vanguard, is close cropped, but Bill is on the right of the piano, which is opposite the way the piano is normally set up at the VV when it is on the left, so perhaps Bill had the stage reversed for the gig. I have yet to find a photo of the stage from that session, so if anyone has one, it would be cool to see. What a trio, sadly now all gone with Motian's passing.
