...It Was Beauty …a poised artist with an impressive template of ideas at his command. – New York Times Pianist Orrin Evans released his 20th recording “…It Was Beauty ” on Criss Cross which debuted the music on May 27th @ Blue Note, NYC ••• A Prodigious Producer, Evans Also Launched Likemind Collective With New CDs by Tarbaby, Eric Revis and JD Walter Two time Grammy nominee and Pew Fellow, Orrin Evans has been recognized as one of the most distinctive and inventive pianists of his generation. In a short span of time Orrin has earned the titles of pianist, composer, bandleader, teacher, producer and arranger. The New York Times described the pianist as "... a poised artist with an impressive template of ideas at his command", a quality that has undoubtedly assisted in keeping Orrin at the forefront of the music scene. The latest release by Evans, “It Was Beauty” marks his 20th recording as a leader and his seventh release for the label, Criss Cross, which he began recording for at age 21. In his 20-year plus career, he’s been critically acclaimed for his imposing chops, his propulsive take on rhythm and harmony alike. Over- looked has been the beauty he creates through his art form. For the project, Evans convened four bassists – Eric Revis, Ben Wolfe, Luques Curtis, and Alex Claffy – and drummer Donald Edwards, all bandstand partners in recent years. Brian McKenna ph: 917.748.4337 P.O. Box 88 Pomona, NY 10970 [email protected] ...It Was Beauty Likemind. Evans has a restless mind as an artist, producer and bandmate, compelling him to forge new paths for himself and artists of likemind. Maybe it’s a Philly thing. The recipient of a 2010 Pew Fellowship, there’s something about Philadelphia musicians that keeps them rooted to the idea of neighborhood and collective sourcing of ideas that can benefit all and move music forward to a new frontier. Evans has that questing approach to music, and while acclaimed as a pianist and composer, his talent as a producer and his knack for scouting new talent have not been as recognized. Always pushing the boundaries of music – even questioning what it’s called – Evans attracts other brilliant, progressive musicians with a sound and style like no one else and organizes structures that can support them artistically and professionally. First he co-created Tarbaby, a collaborative concept with bass- ist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. Now he’s forged Likemind, a larger concept of an artist collec- tive that currently includes his own music, Tarbaby’s and that of Revis and vocalist JD Walter. Tarbaby is a sonic project and free-form collective that strives to preserve core elements that have made creative music what it is and generate organic situations where like-minded artists can participate and showcase the music’s mutable, ever-changing form. On May 15, they’ll release the self-produced Ballad of Sam Langford on Hipnotic with guests Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Lake back on tenor saxo- phone and Matthew Evans – Orrin’s son – on finger piano. Eric Revis. Bassist for Branford Marsalis’ quintet for 16 years, Revis has a deep, woody tone and his play- ing is agile, melodic and distinctive. In 2012 Clean Feed Records released the stellar Parallax by Revis with Jason Moran, Ken Vandermark and Nasheet Waits. On May 15, Clean Feed will release the followup, City of Asylum, featuring Andrew Cyrille and Kris Davis and produced by Revis. JD Walter. A purist and an innovator, Walter is a jazz singer’s singer who’s been compared to Betty Carter and Milton Nascimento. Known for his virtuosic instrumental approach to his voice and dynamic use of electronics and looping, he’ll release his seventh CD, One Step Away, produced by Orrin Evans and Eric Revis for Tarbaby Productions. Brian McKenna ph: 917.748.4337 P.O. Box 88 Pomona, NY 10970 [email protected] ...Biography Growing up in a musical city like Philadelphia was extremely important to early development of Orrin's career. PHiladelphia afforded Orrin the opportunity to study informally with the likes of Trudy Pitts, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker, Bobby Durham, Edgar Bateman, Sid Simmons, and formally with William Whitaker, Jack Carr, and Charles Pettaway. In 1993, after attending Girard Aca- demic Music Program, Orrin was accepted into the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. While attending Mason Gross some of his teachers included Kenny Barron, Joanne Brack- een, Ralph Bowen and Ted Dunbar. They instilled in him the impor- tance of the fundamentals of jazz as well as the necessity of listen- ing to and living the music. After moving to New York in 1996, Orrin was invited to join Bobby Watson's band "Horizon" on their Euro- pean tour. This opportunity introduced Orrin to the New York jazz scene. His recording and performing resume includes Wallace Roney, Mos Def, Common, Pharoah Sanders, Antonio Hart, Carmen Lundy, Ralph Peterson, Jr., Ralph Bowen, The Mingus Big Band, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Branford Marsalis, Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Sean Jones, Tim Warfield, Ravi Coltrane, Robin Eubanks, Duane Eubanks and Dave Douglas. Orrin's recording career started in 1994 with a self-produced trio release called "The Trio" (re-released as "Deja Vu" on Imani Records) featuring Matthew Parrish on bass and Byron Landham on drums. He then went on to release six critically acclaimed recordings for the Criss Cross label. Orrin has also released recordings for Palmetto Records and his own label, Imani Records. 2008 saw the release of the debut self-titled recording for the group Tarbaby, a co-lead band with drummer Nasheet Waits and bass- ist Eric Revis, and in 2010 they released "The End Of Fear" (Posi-Tone), in 2011 Tarbaby received a French American Cultural Exchange grant (FACE) from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation for the project “The Fanon Project” to be released on the Rogue Art record label Summer 2013. The Jazz Journalist Association presented Tarbaby with a 2013 JJA Jazz Award for “Short Form Jazz Video of the Year”. The fourth cd from Tarbaby “The Ballad of Sam Langford” will be released in June 2013 on Hipnotic Records. In 2010, Evans released "Faith In Action" (Posi-Tone) which is a tribute to his friend and mentor Bobby Watson. This record received much critical acclaim and Grammy consideration. In 2012, Evans released “Flip The Script” featur- ing Ben Wolfe and Donald Edwards which also received critical acclaim and landed on many “best of” lists for the year. Another wonderful project of Orrin's is his 17-piece Captain Black Big Band, whose self-titled record, released in 2011 on Posi-Tone, is culled from shows in Philadelphia and New York. CBBB’s follow up cd will be released in 2013, too. Orrin's greatest joy, besides spending time with his family, is producing projects for other artists like Sean Jones, and playing with his own band, which at different times features such notables as Ralph Peterson, Jr., Sam Newsome, Ralph Bowen, Nasheet Waits, Reid Anderson, Eric Revis, J.D. Allen, Stacy Dillard and Duane Eubanks. www.OrrinEvansMusic.com Brian McKenna ph: 917.748.4337 P.O. Box 88 Pomona, NY 10970 [email protected] ...Performance MUSICIANS PERFORMED WITH Kenny Barron, Andy Bey, Bilal, Ralph Bowen, Randy Brecker, Abraham Burton, Donald Byrd, Will Calhoun, Ravi Coltrane, Johnny Coles, Common, Elvis Costello, Dave Douglas, Bobby Durham, Robin Eubanks, Charles Fambrough, Russell Gunn, Craig Handy, Roy Hargrove, Stefon Harris, Antonio Hart, Miles Jaye, Denise King, Frank Lacy, Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride, Sam Newsome, Greg Osby, Ralph Peterson FESTIVALS Festhalle Viersen (Germany) Playboy Jazz Festival (CA) Guiamareas Jazz Festival (Portugal) San Francisco Jazz Festival (CA) Pulsano Festival (Italy) Erie Blues & Jazz Festival (PA) Seixal Jazz Festival (Portugal) COTA Jazz Festival (PA) Verona Jazz Festival (Italy) Tri-C Jazz Fest (OH) St. Lucia Jazz Festival ( St. Lucia) Mellon Jazz Festival (PA) Oporto Jazz Festival (Portugal) Clifford Brown Jazz Festival (DE) Copenhagen Jazz Festival (Denmark) Freihofer Jazz Festival (NY) Wales Jazz Festival (England) Chicken Bone Beach Festival (NJ) Jazz Fest of Sevilla (Spain) Kansas City Blues & Jazz (MO) Cork Jazz Festival (Ireland) JVC Jazz Festival (NY) North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands) New Orleans Jazz & Heritage (LA) Estoril Jazz Festival (Portugal) Detroit Jazz Festival (MI) Vienna Jazz Festival (Austria) Mt. Hood Jazz Festival (CO) San Sebastian Jazz Festival (Spain) Telluride Jazz (CO) Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada) Jazz at Ravinia (IL) Ocho Rios Jazz Festival (Jamaica) Cape May Jazz Festival (NJ) www.OrrinEvansMusic.com Brian McKenna ph: 917.748.4337 P.O. Box 88 Pomona, NY 10970 [email protected] ...Discography Recordings as a Leader “...It Was Beauty” (2013) Criss Cross Jazz TARBABY “The Ballad Of Sam Langford” (2013) PosiTone “Flip The Script” (2012) PosiTone Records “Freedom” (2011) PosiTone Records “Captain Black Big Band” (2011) PosiTone Records “Faith In Action” (2010) PosiTone Records TARBABY “End of Fear” (2010) PosiTone Records Orrin Evans & Friends “Candlelight Live” (2010) TARBABY “TARBABY” (2009) Imani Records Orrin Evans “Trio Live-Mississippi” (2006) Imani Records Orrin Evans “Easy Now” (2005) Criss Cross Jazz LUVPARK “LUVPARK” (2004) Imani Records The Band “Live @ Widener University” (2004) Imani Orrin Evans “Meant to Shine” (2002) Palmetto Records Orrin Evans “Blessed Ones” (2001) Criss Cross Jazz Orrin Evans “Deja Vu” (2001) Imani Records SEED “SEED” (2000) Imani Records Orrin Evans “Listen to the Band” (1999) Criss Cross Jazz Orrin Evans “Grown Folks Bizness” (1998) Criss Cross Orrin Evans “Captain Black” (1997) Criss Cross Jazz Orrin Evans “Justin Time” (1996) Criss Cross Jazz Orrin Evans “The Trio” (1994) Black Entertainment WWW.IMANI-RECORDS.COM Brian McKenna ph: 917.748.4337 P.O.