Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Adison Evans: Meridian

Adison Evans: Meridian

By Hrayr Attarian
August 8, 2018
View read count

On her second release as a leader, the buoyant Meridian, saxophonist

Adison Evans

saxophone, baritone
b.1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Adison Evans demonstrates remarkable maturity as both a composer and a performer. Evans drew inspiration from the idyllic Tuscan village where she retreated to pen the music that comprises this intriguing album.

The opening title-track sets the mood with the right balance of contemplative melancholy and vibrant poetry. Evans' serpentine duet with pianist

Silvano Monasterios

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Silvano Monasterios gracefully flows into the band's brighter, resonant group play.

The romantic and haunting "Two for the Road" is an elegant tango between Evans' breathy baritone and fellow saxophonist

Troy Roberts

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Troy Roberts' sinewy tenor. Evans and Roberts overlap their suave and colorful lines amid sashaying, effervescent rhythms. The percolating beats of percussionist

Jeremy Smith

trombone, bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeremy Smith and drummer

Roberto Giaquinto

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Roberto Giaquinto enhance the song's passionate edge. Out of this sensual backdrop emerges bassist

Joseph Lepore

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Joseph Lepore's superbly lyrical and agile solo.

Trumpeter

Mat Jodrell

trumpet
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Mat Jodrell demonstrates his burnished tone and warm sound on the up-tempo and boppish "Serpent's Tooth." Following his energetic improvisation Evans takes center stage with muscular and exuberant ad lib phrases embellishing the core melody with virtuosity. Giaquinto's thunderous polyrhythmic bursts punctuate Roberts' fiery extemporization.

Clarinetist

Vasko Dukovski

" data-original-title="" title="">Vasko Dukovski makes a guest appearance on "Prelude & Fugue in D Minor: The Plunge." The piece opens with a serene and angular woodwind trio stating the baroque theme. It seamlessly dovetails into the urbane second segment with its loose swinging sense and Evans' sophisticated swagger. Moasterio's crystalline cascade of ringing notes and reverberant chords mirror Evans' soulful baritone concluding the tune with excitement.

With this thematically unified, continuously engaging and intelligent work Evans demonstrates that she has developed a singular voice and a personal style. Meridian is a testament to her artistry and the proof that Evans is a talented musician to be reckoned with.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Meridian; Owl People; Prelude & Fugue in D Minor:The Plunge; Two For The Road; Komorebi; The Parking Song; Monkey Mind; Cote D'Azur; Serpent's Tooth.

Personnel

Adison Evans

saxophone, baritone

Adison Evans: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flute; Troy Roberts: tenor saxophone; Mat Jodrell: trumpet, flugelhorn; Silvano Monasterios: piano; Joseph Lepore: bass; Roberto Giaquinto: drums; Jeremy Smith: percussion (4, 5, 8); Vasko Dukovski: clarinet (3).

Album information

Title: Meridian | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Parallels
< Previous

Jazz & Poetry
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.