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John Evans
Composer/Arranger/Producer/Engineer
About Me
Composer/Arranger John Evans is best known for his work with
saxophonist
David Sanborn on the RIAA certified gold, Grammy-nominated album,
HIDEAWAY.
Evans and his group Dream have just released their fourth album, Night Flower.
Here's what Jackie Anderson - Host of Midday Jazz on WJAB-FM
Radio, said
about John Evans & Dream's first album: You can feel the magic from
start to
finish with DREAM. Smooth jazz at its finest. Don't miss this one.
In 2007, shortly after its' release, Evans' DREAM album made it to the
number
one slot for all genres at CD Baby. The album then remained in the top
10 of
Best Selling Smooth Jazz albums for over 125 weeks.
Here's what Paul Dunkel - Music Director & Conductor of the
Westchester
Philharmonic (New York) had to say about John Evans & Dream's first
album,
DREAM:
I've been listening to Dream, a lovely recording based on the music of
the
gifted American composer John Evans. Mr. Evans obviously has an ear
for
lyrical lines and many of his songs are extended in these instrumental
versions. The arrangements are subtle and colorful. The playing is first
rate
throughout. For this listener (a classical musician) Mr. Evans seems to
have
learned lessons from several major composers: Debussy comes to
mind first.
My particular favorite cut is Para Bailar with its Latin edge. Each
selection
has a catchy groove and there is enough variety between the five
compositions to satisfy any listener whether he be from the pop or
classical
worlds.
Personnel for John Evans & Dream: Ron Jones (saxophones & flute),
Larry
Spencer (trumpet & flugelhorn), Andy Timmons (electric guitar), Brady Mosher (guitars),
Johnny Hooper
(guitars), John Evans (keyboards & bass), Chuck Rainey (Fender bass), Gene
Glover
(congas & percussion), Mike Collier (drums & vocals), Jennifer
Perryman
(vocals), Rosana Eckert (vocals), Annagrey (vocals).
Born in New York City, Evans started piano lessons at age four. A few
years
later, John saw the movie The Benny Goodman Story and was
inspired to
learn how to play the clarinet. He went to the school band teacher
hoping to
check out a clarinet, but, as luck would have it, everyone else had seen
the
movie the day before and there were no more clarinets. The band
teacher told
John that they only had one alto sax left, so John started playing alto. In
the
sixth grade, he switched to tenor sax and continued playing tenor for
nearly
twenty years. While attending Phillips University, Evans played in a popular R&B horn band
called The Preachers. After returning to New
York City, he studied tenor with the late, great Clifford Jordan.
Evans served in the US Army with a tour in South Korea as an
entertainment
specialist, booking USO shows, playing in combos and doing shows for
the
troops in isolated areas. He started showing an interest in the electric
bass.
Completing in his tour of duty, he returned to New York (1970), he
continued
freelancing on tenor.
Finding it difficult to earn a good living playing tenor in Manhattan, Evans
switched to electric bass and almost immediately was working full-time.
Prior to becoming a free-lance recording musician, John held the bass
chair for a series of
shows on Broadway... Godspell...The Magic Show with
Doug
Henning...Evita...and some lesser known shows.
Began studying composition and arranging. He has composed,
arranged and
produced music for Sports Illustrated and Time Life.
Worked with David Sanborn on the RIAA, Certified Gold, Grammy
Nominated,
Hideaway album. Evans composed and co-penned Creeper with
Sanborn. It was the
tune that became the single release from the album.
Formed The John Evans Band. They were fortunate enough to be one
of the
New York bands that often played at Mikell's, a well-known musicians'
hang-
out at that time. Hiram Bullock, Paul Shaffer, Steve Jordan, Clifford
Carter, Doane Perry,
Lou Volpe and
other session musicians were, at times, a part of the band.
Played Late Night with David Letterman. The Late Night band at the
time
was Paul Shaffer, Steve Khan (who was filling in for Hiram Bullock),
Steve
Jordan and Evans (who was filling in for Neil Jason), who was subbing
for Will
Lee.
Moved to Los Angeles. Worked with Elliott Randall, Cornell Dupree, Jeff
Baxter, Tom Pierson's Big Band and a host of others.
Evans lives with his wife, writer and lyricist, Sandy Evans.
The fourth John Evans & Dream album, Night Flower is available from.
Studio Records (www.studiorecords.net) as well as CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.