Articles

Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.

RADIO October 18, 2020

Orrin Evans, Ira Sullivan, Joe Turner and More

This week we start with the latest album by Philadelphia-based pianist Orrin Evans and his Captain Black Big Band. Then we profile a new Kansas City group, The Freedom Affair, as they hit the airwaves with strength and style. We also look at new music from Mary Stallings and Fumi Tomita, say good-bye to the mighty Ira Sullivan and thank you to Kansas City jazz vocalist Molly Hammer. Enjoy yet another hour of fine jazz. Playlist Orrin Evans ...

ALBUM REVIEW May 19, 2020

Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band: The Intangible Between

By Paul Rauch

Pianist Orrin Evans has a deep understanding of the unshakeable bond between fellowship, humanity and the creative process. That knowledge has guided him through creating a remarkable catalog of music as both a leader and sideman, along the way, experiencing the fellowship of a collective of musicians he often refers to as “The Village." The Village is indeed real, and most aptly expressed musically through the The Captain Black Big Band, Evans' ensemble of anywhere between nine and ...

LIVE REVIEW July 4, 2019

2019 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival

By C. Andrew Hovan

2019 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival Pittsburgh, PA June 20-23, 2019 Now in its ninth year, the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival continues to grow and prosper as one of the country's best jazz festivals. Tied to the efforts of the city's August Wilson African American Cultural Center, the festival continues to prosper under the leadership of center CEO Janis Burley Wilson. While there has been an increase in the number of ticketed events during the festival, these ...

RADIO November 8, 2018

Roberto "Zizzi" Zanetti, Orrin Evans, and Michael Formanek

By Bob Osborne

From Verona, Italy Roberto Zizzi" Zanetti takes us on a trip through the jazz of the Roaring Twenties paying homage to the music innovators who flourished during the social and political problems of the Prohibition Era. Orrin Evans raises the temperature with live recordings from his large ensemble The Captain Black Big Band and Michael Formanek displays true innovation with his new band the Elusion Quartet featuring Tony Malaby, Kris Davis and Ches Smith. In between more jazz, old and ...

ALBUM REVIEW September 26, 2018

Orrin Evans: Presence

By Mike Jurkovic

You have to wonder how many outlets a restless creative like hard bopping pianist Orrin Evans needs to fully express himself. Twenty-five or so albums into a legacy that finds him as the newest member of The Bad Plus after years of riffing and ripping it up with The Mingus Big Band, experimenting with soul/jazz Luv Park; solo successes--Faith In Action, (Posi-Tone, 2010); The Evolution of Oneself (Smoke Session, 2014)--and various collaborations, Evans still has a talent bursting with ideas ...

ALBUM REVIEW January 23, 2017

Orrin Evans: #knowingishalfthebattle

By Mark F. Turner

Since the 1990s Philadelphia-based pianist Orrin Evans has carved out a revered career as a band leader, producer, composer, and first and foremost, one helluva jazz pianist. Recorded live at New York's Sear Sound's Studio, #knowingishalfthebattle is his third release on Smoke Sessions with an all-star lineup that includes two other well-known Philly natives, guitarists Kevin Eubanks and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Energy runs through the session through the virtuosic performances of the three headliners as well as the ...

ALBUM REVIEW October 27, 2015

Orrin Evans: The Evolution Of Oneself

By Mark Corroto

Simply put, if there was no Philadelphia sound, there would be no Orrin Evans. The pianist, hailing from The City of Brotherly Love, finds plenty of Philly passion on this busy trio recording, his 25th as a leader or co-leader. Here he teams up with Detroit drummer and former roommate (back in the day) Karriem Riggins, and Philly's go-to bassist Christian McBride. His amazing career has developed from the early post-bop Criss Cross recording days to his neo-soul ...