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| Bill Evans Soulgrass at Blue Note Jan. 23-28 Bill Evans Soulgrass Special Edition (Bill Evans, sax; Sam Bush, mandolin; Dave Weckl, drums; Richard Bona, bass; Tony Trischka, banjo; Christian Howes, fiddle;) will playd for the first time at the world famous Blue Note jazz club. Throughout his 20-year career as a solo artist, multi Grammy nominated saxophonist Bill Evans has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including hip-hop, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and slamming funk. At the age of 22, Evans became a key part of Miles Davis' celebrated comeback band in 1980. Bill became Miles' right-hand man and soloistic foil in concert and on a series of recordings -- 1981s The Man With The Horn, 1982s We Want Miles, 1983s Star People and 1984s Decoy. After leaving Davis band in 1984, Evans joined John McLaughlin in a reconstituted edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, appearing on 1985s Mahavishnu and 1987s Adventures in Radioland. Bills solo debut came in 1984 with Living in the Crest of a Wave and he followed up in 1985 with Alternative Man. In the early 90s, he was one of the first to blend hip-hop and jazz in a musical way on a triumvirate of recordings; 1993s Push, 1994s Live in Europe and 1995s Escape. Bill has been touring as a leader since 1990. Evans says that the idea of exploring an adventurous and unlikely hybrid of bluegrass and jazz was actually something he had in mind for years. "I've been an Americana fan ever since my Miles days. I liked the sound of mandolin, banjo, dobro and fiddle and I thought that music had a very cool rhythmic approach, even though I never really knew the names of the players or the tunes. I had been listening to some Americana and bluegrass stuff for quite some time. I had some Bill Monroe CDs at home as well as recordings by Bruce Hornsby, the Flecktones, Sam Bush, Mark O'conner. Music of that genre was very inspiring to me. Bluegrass and jazz are very similar in so many ways. As a jazz musician, it's all just a different way to improvise and express yourself. I find it very exciting to combine both kinds of music. It is a dream of mine to play on stage at the Blue Note with all these great musicians and create some totally new music!" In 2005 Bill flew to Nashville and with the stellar cast of Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, victor Wooten, Jerry Douglass, Vinny Colaiuata, Mark Egan, and Bruce Hornsby and completed the CD, calling the music and Cd "Soulgrass." The record was nominated for Grammy in 2005, and now, Evans is bringing the music all over the world. Says Evans, "It's all a dream come true for me." Sam Bush has been a pioneer in bluegrass music since the early 1980s on the mandolin. As the founder of the New Grass Revival, this prodigiously talented fiddle and mandolin player helped modernize bluegrass by incorporating disparate styles into a previously rigid musical structure. Bush took time out from the New Grass Revival in the late '80s to form the bluegrass fusion supergroup Strength In Numbers with Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Mark O'Connor and Edgar Meyer. Bush released his first solo album, Late As Usual, on Rounder Records in 1985. He moved to Sugar Hill Records for his second solo project, Glamour & Grits, in 1996, joined by supporting musicians Al Kooper, Fleck and Douglas. Sam was recently featured on Tonight Show with Jay Leno in support of his latest solo effort, "Laps in Seven." Sam continues to fill concert halls with his innovative blend of music. Dave Weckl is one of fusion's most acclaimed drummers, making his name during a six-year-stint with Chick Corea. Weckl was born in St. Louis and grew up listening to soul and jazz; he received his first drum set at age eight and developed his playing by listening to drummers like Buddy Rich, as well as R&B grooves. In 1986, Chick Corea saw Weckl performing in New York with guitarist Connors and invited the drummer to join his new Elektric Band. Weckl spent a total of seven years with Corea, performing on numerous albums and also appearing with Corea's Akoustic Band. Weckl also released a series of instructional videos, and in 1990 he led his first solo date, with Master Plan for GRP. Heads Up followed in 1992, as well as Hard-Wired in 1994. To date, Dave has recorded nine solo CDs, including his most recent, titled "Multiplicity." Richard Bona is arguably one of the best bass players in the world today. Bona was born on October 28, 1967 in Minta, in eastern Cameroon, into a family of musicians. His grandfather was a singer (griot) and percussionist, and his mother was a singer. In 1995, Richard moved from Europe to New York, where he began work with artists like Larry Coryell, Michael and Randy Brecker and Steve Gadd. His first album solo, Scenes of my life, was released in 1999. He has also been prominently featured in Jaco Pastorius Big Band albums, as well as many other albums by well-known American jazz musicians. Richard is currently touring with his own group to support his recent Grammy nominated album, "Tiki" which features a cast of all-stars. Tony Trischka is one of America's most dynamic and inventive players. He has made fifteen albums, both solo and with his band Skyline, and has toured and recorded with Country Cooking, Psychograss and Grass Is Greener, among others. As a studio musician and accompanist he has played on countless other recordings. Said popular banjo star Bla Fleck, "My springboard was Tony Trischka, and without Tony, none of what's happened with my music would have happened." Christian Howes plays At age 33, Christian Howes is widely established as a path-finding figure on the contemporary violin. Hes won recognition and kudos from artists and critics alike. Howes has performed and/or recorded with Les Paul, Greg Osby, Akua Dixons Quartette Indigo, Billy Hart, D.D. Jackson, David Murray, Steve Turre, Frank Vignola, and Bill Evans, to name a few. Howes has been a mainstay in "Soulgrass" and has been touring with Bill Evans for the past two years. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |