Adriana Evans
Encyclopedia
Adriana Evans, is an American
R&B/soul singer-songwriter
. She was born 1974 in San Francisco, California and was one of the first neo soul
artists in the 1990's, along with Erykah Badu
, D'Angelo
and Maxwell
. Her debut album Adriana Evans
was released in 1997 and peaked to #33 on the Billboard
's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart.
who sang with jazz artists like Count Basie
, Dizzie Gillespie and her godfather
being jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders
. As such, Evans finds a great deal of her musical upbringing in jazz music. In addition to being immersed in the sounds of jazz and blues growing up, she also heard Afro Cuban music from her father's culture. And being a native of the musically rich city of San Francisco, she was exposed to soul, rock, hip hop, and everything in between.
At the age of 18, Adriana moved to Los Angeles where she planned to attend college. While living in the city, she met rapper
Dred Scott and the two quickly became friends. As their friendship grew, the two began working together in music. Because of this relationship, Adriana Evans appeared on Dred Scott's "Check the Vibe" in 1993 and Evans relied heavily on Scott for production on her debut album.
album.
Adriana's self-titled debut album featured two singles, "Love Is All Around" and "Seein' Is Believing." The two singles charted, with the former reaching #65 on the R&B charts and the latter reaching #50.
After the release of her debut record, Adriana became disillusioned with the music industry, took refuge in Brazil, and didn't record a follow-up until 2004's Nomadic
, an album that explored various genres, held together by a theme of what she described as "African music." The next year she released Kismet (a compilation album). In 2007 Evans released El Camino
, an album that, more than her previous records, was influenced by her stay in Brazil. Evans' fifth LP, Walking With the Night
, was released in 2010; "Weatherman" was the album's first single.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B/soul singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She was born 1974 in San Francisco, California and was one of the first neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
artists in the 1990's, along with Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
, D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
and Maxwell
Maxwell (musician)
Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:...
. Her debut album Adriana Evans
Adriana Evans (album)
- Personnel :* Duane Benjamin – trombone* Gary Bias – baritone sax* Kevin Brandon – bass* Sekou Bunch – bass* Bette Byers – viola* Rastine Calhoun III – flute, arranger, conductor, tenor sax, producer, arp...
was released in 1997 and peaked to #33 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart.
Background
Adriana Evans was born into music, both genetically and geographically. Her mother is jazz recording artist Mary StallingsMary Stallings
Mary Stallings is an American jazz vocalist and mother of R&B/soul singer Adriana Evans.-Biography:Mary Stallings was born in San Francisco, one of the eldest of 11 children in the Stallings family; saxophonist Ron Stallings is her first cousin...
who sang with jazz artists like Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Dizzie Gillespie and her godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
being jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders is a Grammy Award–winning American jazz saxophonist.Saxophonist Ornette Coleman once described him as "probably the best tenor player in the world." Emerging from John Coltrane's groups of the mid-60s Sanders is known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on...
. As such, Evans finds a great deal of her musical upbringing in jazz music. In addition to being immersed in the sounds of jazz and blues growing up, she also heard Afro Cuban music from her father's culture. And being a native of the musically rich city of San Francisco, she was exposed to soul, rock, hip hop, and everything in between.
At the age of 18, Adriana moved to Los Angeles where she planned to attend college. While living in the city, she met rapper
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
Dred Scott and the two quickly became friends. As their friendship grew, the two began working together in music. Because of this relationship, Adriana Evans appeared on Dred Scott's "Check the Vibe" in 1993 and Evans relied heavily on Scott for production on her debut album.
Music career
Paul Stewart, CEO of PMP records, played a crucial role in helping Adriana Evans get a deal with Capitol Records during the 1990s. Stewart was attracted to Evans after hearing a demo featuring her and having seen her in the video for Scott's "Check the Vibe." As Capitol Records folded, Stewart brought Evans onto his PMP Records where she released her self-titled debutAdriana Evans (album)
- Personnel :* Duane Benjamin – trombone* Gary Bias – baritone sax* Kevin Brandon – bass* Sekou Bunch – bass* Bette Byers – viola* Rastine Calhoun III – flute, arranger, conductor, tenor sax, producer, arp...
album.
Adriana's self-titled debut album featured two singles, "Love Is All Around" and "Seein' Is Believing." The two singles charted, with the former reaching #65 on the R&B charts and the latter reaching #50.
After the release of her debut record, Adriana became disillusioned with the music industry, took refuge in Brazil, and didn't record a follow-up until 2004's Nomadic
Nomadic (Adriana Evans album)
-External links:**.soulexpress...
, an album that explored various genres, held together by a theme of what she described as "African music." The next year she released Kismet (a compilation album). In 2007 Evans released El Camino
El Camino (Adriana Evans album)
-External links:**...
, an album that, more than her previous records, was influenced by her stay in Brazil. Evans' fifth LP, Walking With the Night
Walking with the Night
-External links:*...
, was released in 2010; "Weatherman" was the album's first single.
Albums
- Adriana EvansAdriana Evans (album)- Personnel :* Duane Benjamin – trombone* Gary Bias – baritone sax* Kevin Brandon – bass* Sekou Bunch – bass* Bette Byers – viola* Rastine Calhoun III – flute, arranger, conductor, tenor sax, producer, arp...
(1997) - NomadicNomadic (Adriana Evans album)-External links:**.soulexpress...
(2004) - KismetKismet (A. Evans album)Kismet is a compilation album by American neo soul/jazz artist Adriana Evans, released on April 4, 2005. The collection consists of hit songs from previous albums, alternate remixes as well as new songs....
(2005) - El CaminoEl Camino (Adriana Evans album)-External links:**...
(2007) - Walking With the NightWalking with the Night-External links:*...
(2010)
Singles
- "Love is All Around", 1997
- "Seein' is Believing", 1997
- "Remember the Love", 2005
- "7 Days", 2005
- "Hey Now", 2007
- "Weatherman", 2010