You might say that top-notch jazz pianist Orrin Evans has become a fixture here at SER. It all got started four years ago when we noted his participation in Robin Eubanks EB3 unit that made the phenomenal double-CD Live, Vol. 1 of 2007. Early last year we salivated over Evans Bobby Watson tribute Faith In Action, a Best of 2010 selection, and again later in same the year as part of the cooperative trio Tarbaby for the widely acclaimed The End of Fear. Nick took over the reins of praising Evans for a spell, as he found treasure in Evans big band project Captain Black Bad Band, followed up by a SER Sitdown with the man himself, depicted here and here. The productive streak for Evans continues with next week s issue of Freedom, a return back to the small combo format. With Dwayne Burno on bass and either Byron Landham or Anwar Marshall on drums, Evans plows through a program of nine tracks that s mostly covers and mostly trio format with his usual tasteful, tradition-minded style. This time he s not paying tribute to the songs of a particular mentor but he does dedicate the album to the forebears Charles Fambrough, Trudy Pitts and Sid Simmons, all fellow Philly jazz greats, all who have passed away just months after Evans recorded this album. While they were still alive when these tracks were being laid down, it s clear that Evans was already reflecting back, as Freedom pulls together many older tunes, not necessarily widely covered, but reflecting Orrin s personal favorites. It might be a little ironic that Fambrough s One For Honor is on here, since Evans didn t know the composer he so admired would be deceased before this record sees the light of day, but no sense of irony is needed to appreciate his discerning, controlled interpretation of the song. I also particularly like Shades of Green, Oasis and Herbie Hancock s Just Enough for similar reasons: Evans picked out some well conceived melodies, found the harmonic opportunities and exploited them in an efficient manner by modulating his tempo to fit the song. Dita is the lone Evans original, a ruminative piece that unfolds slowly, spare but impressionistic in the way Bill Evans could do so well. Burno s mournful bass solo adds gracefully to the somber mood. The inclusion of Philadelphia legend Larry McKenna is a real treat. His Dexter Gordon articulations is the sensitive, smooth old school style you rarely hear from the younger generations, but the fellow Philly homeboy Evans knows what McKenna can bring to a session. McKenna supplies vintage warmth and swing to the numbers Gray s Ferry and Time After Time (the Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne tune, folks, not the Cyndi Lauper one). As arguably one of the crown jewels of Posi-Tone Record s deep roster of jazz aces who makes nothing less than solid recordings, it looks like we re no where near done talking about Orrin Evans. --S. Victor Aaron - Something Else!Orrin Evans' first three Posi-Tone releases formed a diverse but high-quality trilogy: the piano trio (Faith In Action, 2010); the freer, more left-field small band (Tarbaby's End Of Fear, 2010); and the hard-blowing and exciting big band (Captain Black Big Band, 2011). Hot on their heels comes Freedom, Evans' fourth album in less than two years. The quality remains high. Freedom harks back to the lineup and style of Faith In Action. Evans' home town of Philadelphia looms large, with all of the band and most of the composers hailing from the city. If anything, the album's accent is more strongly on melody, its emotional tone more romantic and less frenetic than Faith In Action, although the trio's take on Chris Beck's "Hodge Podge" shows that it can crank up the tempo and the tension whenever it wants. Charles Fambrough's "One For Honor" showcases bassist Dwayne Burno's rich, fat-toned sound and the skittering, dynamic percussion of the impressive young drummer Anwar Marshall. Burno's own "Gray's Ferry" is a slinky blues, with a gently seductive swing courtesy of Byron Landham, who was also featured on Evans' first recording, 1994's self produced The Trio. Veteran saxophonist Larry McKenna adds a confident solo to this tune, while on Jule Styne's "Time After Time" he takes the lead role, playing the melody line with warmth before kicking things into a higher tempo. Evan's own "Dita," is a slow ballad characterized by his spacious and considered piano and Landham's inventive percussion. Evans' solo performance of Herbie Hancock's "Just Enough" is a beautiful valediction, a delicate and controlled approach that draws out the tune's romance and lyricism. Evans' body of recorded work is both extensive and impressive. His previous three Posi-Tone albums are among his most mature and rewarding works, with a breadth of imagination that few other contemporary jazz musicians can muster. Freedom is a beautiful creation, a work of great strength and musical perception. --Bruce Lindsay, All About JazzThe past year has been quite a musical ride for pianist/composer Orrin Evans, especially when it comes to his relationship to Posi-Tone Records. Early in 2010, the Los Angeles-based label released the pianist's tribute to saxophonist Bobby Watson, "Faith in Action" followed in late October by "The End of Fear" from Tarbaby, the "trio collective" with Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits (plus some fine guests.) 2011 has already seen the release of the Captain Black Big Band, arguably one of the 5 best CDs of this year.  Now, we have "Freedom", basically a trio date released under Evans' name, featuring bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Byron Landham with Anwar Marshall taking over the drum chair on 3 cuts (1 of which features Landham on persussion) and tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna on 2 tracks. While not as dramatic and forceful as the Big Band recording, this CD contains a multitude of pleasures. The project is dedicated to the memories of Trudy Pitts, Sid Simmons and Charles Fambrough, all who passed near the end of 2010 (Fambrough on New Years' Day 2011.) The first track on the CD is Fambrough's "One for Honor", a delightful romp that gives the musicians plenty of space to let loose - and they do play with fire. Burno is one of the more melodic contemporary bassists as well as being a strong foundation. He supplies "Gray's Ferry" ( a neighborhood in South Philadelphia), a medium tempo blues featuring a bluesy solo from McKenna, a veteran of the "Philly" jazz scene who has worked with Clark Terry, Tony Bennett and many others in his long career. Other highlights include "Shades of Green" from the pen of the late Philadelphia-based pianist, Eddie Green (he passed in 2004) and the classy, poly-rhythmic, "Hodge Podge", composed by Chris Beck, a drummer from Philly and featuring Marshall in the drum chair. Marshall and Landham lead the way into "Oasis", an atmospheric work from Shirley Scott. The only tune without an overt Philadelphia connection is Herbie Hancock's "Just Enough" that Evans plays sans accompaniment to close the CD. Filled with rich, resonant, chords, the pianist creates a fine musical tour-de-force as he works through the melody line into his excellent solo. In the shadow of the Big Band recording, "Freedom" may seem a bit low-key but pay attention. Like much of what Orrin Evans has been giving to the world lately, this CD pays tribute to his city, his influences and his contemporaries. It's mature music yet never loses its spirit and the joy of playing. It's yet another "winner' in a streak that stretches back to Evans' fine sextet of recordings for Criss Cross. --Richard B. Kamins, Step Tempest