Peter Evans (musician)
Encyclopedia
Peter Evans is an American trumpet
player based in New York, who specializes in improvisation
and avant-garde music
. Evans has been a member of the New York City
musical community since 2003, when he moved to the city after graduating from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Peter currently works in a wide variety of areas, including solo performance, chamber orchestras, performance art
, free improvised settings, electro acoustic music and composition. In addition, he performs regularly as part of the Festival of New Trumpet Music
, which is held annually in New York City.
Evans has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Italy, and England. His solo trumpet album, More Is More was released on Evan Parker
's psi label in 2006, and his debut album as a leader, titled simply The Peter Evans Quartet, was released by Firehouse 12 in 2007.
He performs often with his quartet (with Brandon Seabrook, Tom Blancarte, and Kevin Shea
), Moppa Elliot's quartet Mostly Other People Do the Killing
, the hyperactive free-improvisation duo Sparks (with Tom Blancarte), the Histrionics, the free-jazz quintet Carnival Skin (with Klaus Kugel, Perry Robinson
, Hilliard Greene and Bruce Eisenbeil), the Language Of with Charles Evans, the "Christmas Duo" with trombonist Sam Kulik, as well as a sustained interest in solo performance.
In New York, Peter also performs contemporary notated music with groups such as the International Contemporary Ensemble
, Alarm Will Sound
, Continuum, and Ensemble 21. He has continued to perform on piccolo trumpet
in Baroque
settings, performing Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 at the Bargemusic
series, and in Bach
’s Mass in B Minor at St. Peter’s Church. Other recent collaborators include: Mary Halvorson
, Dave Taylor, Mark Gould, Perry Robinson
, Fred Frith
, Brian Chase
(drummer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
), Nate Wooley, Zach Hill
(drummer for Hella
), Stefan Tcherepnin, Chris McCintyre, Dave Reminick, Ned Rothenberg
, Okkyung Lee, Briggan Krauss, Chris Speed
, Weasel Walter
, and Andrew Drury.
With Evan Parker
's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player based in New York, who specializes in improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
and avant-garde music
Avant-garde music
Avant-garde music is a term used to characterize music which is thought to be ahead of its time, i.e. containing innovative elements or fusing different genres....
. Evans has been a member of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
musical community since 2003, when he moved to the city after graduating from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Peter currently works in a wide variety of areas, including solo performance, chamber orchestras, performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
, free improvised settings, electro acoustic music and composition. In addition, he performs regularly as part of the Festival of New Trumpet Music
Festival of New Trumpet Music
The Festival of New Trumpet Music supports new trumpet music in all forms, and provides a platform for emerging artists and creative pioneers. Its primary goal is to celebrate the excellence of the current music scene by hosting a broad array of new trumpet music performances...
, which is held annually in New York City.
Evans has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Italy, and England. His solo trumpet album, More Is More was released on Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
's psi label in 2006, and his debut album as a leader, titled simply The Peter Evans Quartet, was released by Firehouse 12 in 2007.
He performs often with his quartet (with Brandon Seabrook, Tom Blancarte, and Kevin Shea
Kevin Shea
Kevin Shea is a jazz drummer. He is most well known for playing in the New York City improv and experimental music scenes...
), Moppa Elliot's quartet Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Mostly Other People Do the Killing is a jazz quartet based in New York City including trumpeter Peter Evans, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist Moppa Elliott, and drummer Kevin Shea. The group formed in 2003 and has released three albums to date on Elliott's label including an eponymous debut,...
, the hyperactive free-improvisation duo Sparks (with Tom Blancarte), the Histrionics, the free-jazz quintet Carnival Skin (with Klaus Kugel, Perry Robinson
Perry Robinson
Perry Morris Robinson is an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He is the son of the noted composer Earl Robinson. -Biography:...
, Hilliard Greene and Bruce Eisenbeil), the Language Of with Charles Evans, the "Christmas Duo" with trombonist Sam Kulik, as well as a sustained interest in solo performance.
In New York, Peter also performs contemporary notated music with groups such as the International Contemporary Ensemble
International Contemporary Ensemble
The International Contemporary Ensemble is a contemporary classical music ensemble of thirty chamber musicians, including strings, woodwinds, piano, percussion, voice and composers, which enables great flexibility of programming...
, Alarm Will Sound
Alarm Will Sound
Alarm Will Sound is a 20-member chamber orchestra that focuses on recordings and performances of contemporary music. Its performances have been described as "equal parts exuberance, nonchalance, and virtuosity" by the Financial Times and as "a triumph of ensemble playing" by the San Francisco...
, Continuum, and Ensemble 21. He has continued to perform on piccolo trumpet
Piccolo trumpet
The smallest of the trumpet family is the piccolo trumpet, pitched one octave higher than the standard B trumpet. Most piccolo trumpets are built to play in either B or A, using a separate leadpipe for each key. The tubing in the B piccolo trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard B...
in Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
settings, performing Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 at the Bargemusic
Bargemusic
Bargemusic, formally known as Bargemusic, Ltd. is a classical music venue and cultural icon in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1977, it is housed on a converted coffee barge moored at Fulton Ferry Landing on the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge....
series, and in Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
’s Mass in B Minor at St. Peter’s Church. Other recent collaborators include: Mary Halvorson
Mary Halvorson
Mary Halvorson is a guitarist from Boston, Massachusetts, currently living in Brooklyn, NY. She is a 2002 graduate of Wesleyan University. She has performed with many artists, including Anthony Braxton, Jessica Pavone, Taylor Ho Bynum and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant. As of 2008, she leads a trio...
, Dave Taylor, Mark Gould, Perry Robinson
Perry Robinson
Perry Morris Robinson is an American jazz clarinetist and composer. He is the son of the noted composer Earl Robinson. -Biography:...
, Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
, Brian Chase
Brian Chase
Brian Chase is an American drummer playing in the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He was ranked at #50 in Gigwise's list of The Greatest Drummers of All Time. He plays drums with traditional grip.-Early life:...
(drummer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
), Nate Wooley, Zach Hill
Zach Hill
Zach Hill is a musician residing in Sacramento, California. Primarily known for his drumming, he performs/has performed in numerous Pacific Coast based groups, including his primary group, Hella, as well as Holy Smokes, Nervous Cop, and a diverse range of others including El Grupo Nuevo de Omar...
(drummer for Hella
Hella (band)
Hella is an American band from Sacramento, California. They play a technical blend of math rock, noise rock, and experimental rock. The primary members of the band are Spencer Seim on electric guitar and Zach Hill on drums...
), Stefan Tcherepnin, Chris McCintyre, Dave Reminick, Ned Rothenberg
Ned Rothenberg
Ned Rothenberg is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He specializes in woodwind instruments, including the alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi...
, Okkyung Lee, Briggan Krauss, Chris Speed
Chris Speed
Chris Speed is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He studied classical piano from the age of five, and began clarinet at eleven. In high school he took up the tenor saxophone and began studying jazz...
, Weasel Walter
Weasel Walter
Weasel Walter is a composer and instrumentalist who founded the band The Flying Luttenbachers in Chicago in 1991 with late jazz cult figure Hal Russell and is a current member of Cellular Chaos and Behold...The Arctopus...
, and Andrew Drury.
Discography
- More Is More
- The Peter Evans Quartet
- Ghosts (2011)
With Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble
- The Moment's EnergyThe Moment's EnergyThe Moment's Energy is an album by British saxophonist and improvisor Evan Parker's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble recorded at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in 2007 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 2007)