Pianist Orrin Evans Forms All-Star Trio
Featuring Christian McBride and Karriem Riggins for
The Evolution of Oneself - Available September 11
on Smoke Sessions Records
Album Spans Jazz, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop, and Country
in Reflection of Personal Growth
"...he
brings a bold intensity to the piano, seemingly informed by McCoy
Tyner's voicings and a heavyweight boxer's roundhouse punches." - NPR.org
Pianist Orrin Evans takes stock of the pivotal moments that shape the trajectory of a life on The Evolution of Oneself, his scintillating new release on Smoke Sessions Records.
The album is itself a landmark in Evans' musical evolution, introducing
a remarkable new piano trio with two longtime associates but first-time
collaborators: bassist Christian McBride and drummer Karriem Riggins.
The result is a raw and thrilling excursion incorporating a startlingly
wide range of influences, from jazz and neo-soul to country and
hip-hop.
As suggested by the title, The Evolution of Oneself
explores deeply personal terrain, with Evans reflecting on the road
he's traveled to become the man and musician he is today. "This album is
about personal evolution," he explains. "For me, there have been
different moments or people in my life that have made me evolve. You can
call it change, but ultimately you're still the same person from the
day you came out of your mother's womb. But you evolve, and that process
is what this record is about."
Through
25 albums as a leader and co-leader, including his neo-soul/acid jazz
ensemble Luv Park and the bracing collective trio Tarbaby, Evans has
always followed a vigorously individual path. The Evolution of Oneself
is no exception, with Evans setting a pace that brings out fiery,
gut-churning playing from both McBride and Riggins - two of modern
jazz's most renowned and distinctive voices in their own rights.
McBride,
of course, shares Evans' Philadelphia origins, roots that both have
taken great pride in over the course of their careers. But despite only a
three-year difference in age, they've only worked together a handful of
times, never on record. Evans met Riggins more than two decades ago,
prior to his move to New York; Riggins later stayed with Evans and
fellow Philly expat Duane Eubanks in their New York City apartment upon
his own move to the city. Still, it wasn't until a recent tour under
Riggins' leadership that the two shared any significant stage time
together. The Evolution of Oneself finally
provided the long-overdue opportunity for Evans to collaborate with both
of them, forming a powerhouse new trio in the process.
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The
album is framed by three very different takes on the Jerome Kern/Oscar
Hammerstein standard "All the Things You Are," a song which Evans says
represents the most important factor in his own personal evolution: his
family. The lyrics, he explains, captures the support and devotion that
his wife, Dawn Warren Evans,
has provided through the ups and downs of a career in jazz. "My
evolution is based on the past twenty years with this woman who's had my
back and accepted all the things I am," he says.
The couple recites those lyrics together over an electronica track produced by their youngest son, Matthew Evans,
on the penultimate version. (Older son Miles doesn't appear, but
provided the inspiration for two tracks, "For Miles" and "Tsagli's
Lean.") The album opens with an up-tempo run through the tune that sets
the spirited tone for what is to come, while it closes with a languorous
reimagining featuring McBride's dirge-like bowed bass and the haunting,
soulful moan of vocalist JD Walter. 17-year-old
Matthew also produced the hip hop-tinged "Genisis" interludes that
pepper the album, culled from his home recordings of his father and
mixed by bassist/producer Anthony Tidd, famed for his work with both The
Roots and Steve Coleman's Five Elements.
While The Evolution of Oneself takes the concept more literally than usual, an Orrin Evans
recording session is always a family affair, with a party atmosphere
and guests stopping by whether they end up contributing or not. "Being
in the studio and doing what I do is no different than a cookout on a Saturday night," Evans says, and that openness is reflected in the raucous verve of this album.
The date's other special guest is guitarist Marvin Sewell,
responsible for its most surprising moment: the country-blues slide
guitar that introduces the traditional Americana folk song "Wildwood
Flower," made famous by the Carter Family. His introduction to the song
came via drummer Matt Wilson, and Evans' rendition is dedicated to
Wilson's late wife Felicia. While one might not expect to hear a country
music influence coming from Evans, the beauty of the song is undeniable
-- and he naturally turns the down-home feel inside out and makes it
wholly his own.
Beyond
McBride's involvement, Philly is well represented on the album. The
sultry R&B groove of Grover Washington Jr.'s "A Secret Place" offers
the chance for both to pay homage to the late saxophonist, who resided
in Mt. Airy, the same Philadelphia neighborhood that Evans has long
called home. "One of my only musical regrets is not recording with
Grover Washington Jr.," Evans admits. "He was really cool and he lived
right around the corner, but at that time in my life I didn't understand
how accessible he was. I don't think people know how bad he was as a saxophonist, as a musician, and as an artist."
Evans
credits Philadelphia trumpeter Jafar Barron as one of the key players
in the development of the neo-soul movement, and tips with hat with
Barron's composition "Jewels and Baby Yaz." Bassist Jon Michel's
swinging "Sweet Sid" was written in memory of pianist Sid Simmons, a
mentor to Evans and countless young Philly jazz musicians.
The album is rounded out by a loose-limbed, sharp-angled take on "Autumn Leaves," the airy ballad "February 13th"
by bassist and fellow Tarbaby member Eric Revis, and a half-dozen Evans
originals representing the impressive reach of his stylistic
imagination. With this album Evans marks a profound breakthrough in his
personal evolution, one that has progressed beyond categories and into
the realm of unfettered expression.
"The Evolution of Oneself" was recorded live in New York at Sear Sound's Studio C
on a Sear-Avalon custom console at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to ½" analog tape
using a Studer mastering deck. Available in audiophile HD format.
Upcoming Release Performances for The Evolution of Oneself:
September 10 - 13 / Smoke Jazz & Supper Club / New York, NY
feat. Luques Curtis and Clarence Penn w/ special guests Steve Wilson (9/10),
JD Walter (9/11), Paul Bollenback (9/12), and Antonio Hart (9/13)
September 17 / New Brunswick Jazz Society / New Brunswick, NJ
feat. Luques Curtis and Mark Whitfield Jr.
September 18 - 19 / Chris' Jazz Cafe / Philadelphia, PA
feat. Luques Curtis and Mark Whitfield Jr. w/ special guest Sean Jones
Orrin Evans · The Evolution of Oneself
Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: September 11, 2015
For more information on Orrin Evans, please visit: OrrinEvansMusic.com
For media information, please contact:
DL Media · 610-667-0501
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com
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and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com
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