MP3 George Evans - From Moment To Moment
"George Evans sings with knowledge, skill, artistic sensibility, and a willingness to get up there and take chances. I can''t think of the last time I heard a new album by a young male jazz/pop/standards singer that I enjoyed so much." Will Friedwald
12 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, EASY LISTENING: Crooners/Vocals
Details:
From Moment To Moment
MSW-G025 [2001]
"I have this friend who claims - in all seriousness - that a good vocal album is largely a matter of pre-recording decisions: hire the right musicians, get an arranger who knows what he''s doing, and pick out 12 great but not overdone songs (I especially applaud the choice of "When She Makes Music," or, for that matter, anything by the great Marvin Fisher), and you''re in like Flint. If that were all there were to it, of course, then anybody, even he (or, Heaven help us, I) could make great vocal records. George Evans, contrastingly, shows us that talent is a major factor. I know he knows his stuff, and probably knows a lot more great jazz and pop vocal records inside and out than I, but that doesn''t explain why he''s so good at singing it. It''s a combination, obviously, of knowledge and skill and artistic sensibility - the willingness to get up there and take chances. I started to try to think of the last time I heard a new album by a young male jazz - pop - standards singer that I enjoyed so much, and then I figured, the hell with it, I''d rather take that same amount of time and do something productive with it - like listen to the music again." Will Friedwald (Author of "Jazz Singing")
Artist Overview:
Recognized as one of the foremost vocal interpreters of jazz and standards on the Canadian scene since surfacing in Montreal in the early-1990s, George Evans has been nominated National Jazz Awards Vocalist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He has been celebrated diversely as "a ballad''s best friend" by All-Canadian Jazz Festival, and "an agile voice and always swinging" by the National Post. George tours actively, and has been praised for his lively, polished performances in major clubs in cities such as New York, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. He has recorded a current total of six projects as a leader, and his latest album, "Bewitched" can be heard on all the major jazz outlets.
George Evans first thrilled Toronto jazz audiences in 1999 when he launched his second album "I''m All Smiles" at the Top o'' the Senator. He went on to appear there with regularity through the launch of his fifth album "Movie Songs'' in 2005. Over the years George became familiar to audiences at home through frequent appearances on TVO, Bravo, and CoolTV, and through his many sessions and concerts for the CBC. George Evans was the founding member of The Three Crooners, and in 2004 he selected, sequenced, and produced the successful "Here Come The Boys: a Canadian Crooner Collection" for Maximum Jazz and Universal Music Canada.
The musicians:
Dave Restivo - piano, Jerry Fuller - drums, Neil Swainson - bass, Reg Schwager - guitar, Fred Raulston - percussion, and Michael Stuart - tenor sax
Reviews:
"George Evans’ ''From Moment to Moment'' is a welcome surprise. Just when it looked like young male jazz singers were a threatened species, Evans proves there’s life out there. The Toronto-based vocalist is a retro-style crooner with a resonant voice, a playful bounce in his delivery and a superb set of songs. From his opening note, he makes you wonder, “Who is this guy?” and “Where’s he been?” His singing recalls Mel Tormé. He has a great set of pipes and a good amount of style...there’s not a bad number on the 12-song CD. This is a stellar effort. " Donna Kimura - Jazz Review
"...(George Evans has an) almost physical relationship to the songs he sings, so heavy in his commitment to them such as the lovely "When She Makes Music". Evans also sets each word out there for the listener to taste and savor, like tasting a good wine, as on "All My Tomorrows"... (Evans has) a swinging manner with excellent imaginative phrasing, unbeatable diction more than a passing acquaintance with the beat and a daub of falsetto now and then for emphasis..." Dave Nathan - All About Jazz
"...His voice has a honeyed, smoothly athletic timbre; athletic in that he achieves his clear phrasing with a grace and ease only long practice and natural talent provide... Evans brings to this recording that ineffable sense of ownership of the music. There is a difference between merely singing or playing music, as opposed to performing, particularly with jazz. Evans’ New York musical theatre experience has contributed to his ability here – in particular, the actorly imperative to be the role... The CD is consistently fine throughout and each tune has its own moment... After happily experiencing the vitality of ''From Moment to Moment'', I very much look forward to his fourth recording … and beyond." Hal Schipper - Planet Jazz
"Toronto''s George Evans is a real Jazz Singer who is not afraid of some vocal embellishing. He gets a slick bluesy coolness going on "Born To Be Blue" and "Lullaby Of The Leaves" and does some restrained but fun uptempo swing on "All Or Nothing At All" and "It''s Bad For Me". The instrumental backing is as relaxed and sly as Evans'' singing and Michael Stuart''s cool tenor sax fits right in." Jerome Wilson - Cadence Magazine
"This nifty, uncompromising CD by Canadian George Evans captures much of the quality of a dozen seldom-sung songs. He is a totally original-sounding singer; like no one that I''ve ever heard before. George has a knack for uplifting and exposing the intricacies of the material at hand. Gershwin''s happy "Love walked in" shines. Robin and Rainger''s "June in January" captures the joy most remarkably. On the other hand, Tormé and Wells'' "Born to be blue" gets right down to it in all it''s sad losers tale of woe. Then there''s a remarkable six minute emotion coated "All my tomorrows" which will leave you remembering amorous times. George has a great deal to say, and he''s only just begun." Dan Singer - In Tune International
"Effortless singing by one of the best! Intelligent and well researched choices. Respectful of those that came before him, of songwriters and musicians. He''s a living encyclopedia of song. A singer taken seriously by musicians, which is rare. Great, great CD! "Lullaby of the leaves" is the definitive version in my book! " a jazz fan - https://www.tradebit.com
"George Evans'' latest CD has, as usual, a song selection to die for." Stefano Nuzzo, Songbirds - Italy
"George Evans'' stylish new CD features some of the best vocal accompaniment available in Toronto." Katie Malloch - Jazz Beat on CBC
"Popular jazz singer George Evans is at the Senator tomorrow through Sunday, supporting his new, sophisticated CD release. American-born Evans moved to Toronto two years ago after a busy career singing in cabarets and clubs in New York, Ottawa and Montreal. He''ll have a slick band behind him, with pianist Gary Williamson, guitarist Reg Schwager, saxist Michael Stuart, bass Neil Swainson and drums Jerry Fuller." Geoff Chapman - The Toronto Star