US Store | 
8-panel Digipak Album
#1 JazzWeek chart — 2 & 9 November, 2015
“Evans has established, over a career, that his music cannot be compartmentalized. Where he once displayed his range over multiple albums and groups, here he does it all in one session.”
— Mark Corrroto, All About Jazz, 27 October 2015
Some jazz pairings seem all but inevitable until they prove stubbornly elusive. So it’s great to see two of Philly’s best, pianist Orrin Evans and bassist Christian McBride, finally collaborate on a CD-and an audacious one at that, featuring drummer Karriem Riggins in an equally prominent role. – Mike Joyce, JazzTimes, 25 April 2019 (updated)
“A fascinating programme in which three of the finest ‘young Turks’ – Orrin Evans, Christian McBride and Karriem Riggins – come together to play the works (mostly) of one of the most talented pianists today: Orrin Evans.”
— Raul Da Gama, JazzdaGama, 14 September 2015
Pianist Orrin Evans takes listeners on a deeply personal journey that touches on jazz, folk, country, neo-soul, and hip hop with his album THE EVOLUTION OF ONESELF. He also introduces an extraordinary new piano trio—featuring Christian McBride and Karriem Riggins. Evan explains, “This album is about personal evolution. The journey, the trip, and all the people you meet along the way. The people I’ve learned from and the people that have helped me. It’s a conscious musical list to remind me of the things and people that wake my mind, encourage the expansion of the full picture, always force me to embrace my emotions and search for new personality traits. That’s what this record is all about.”
Conceived and developed over the past several years, it was recorded live in the studio and includes recurring themes that bind the music together. The album opens and closes with three contrasting arrangements of the jazz standard “All the Things You Are” including the penultimate track featuring his wife Dawn Warren Evans and a haunting album concluding version with vocalist JD Walter. Marvin Sewell’s ethereal guitar powers a moving interpretation of the folk song “Wildwood Flower” made famous by the Carter Family and dedicated here to the memory of Matt Wilson’s wife, Felicia. Sewell also appears on Grover Washington’s soulful “A Secret Place.” Orrin contributes several surprising new compositions including three “interludes” remixed by his son Matthew that are woven throughout the record. From start to finish, this arresting artistic odyssey reveals new layers of meaning with each listen.
released September 4, 2015
Recorded Live at Sear Sound, Studio C,
New York City on December 17, 2014
Produced by Paul Stache
Associate Producer: Damon Smith
Recorded by Teddy Tuthill
Studio Assistant: Grant Valentine
Mixed at Smoke Sessions Studio, Duke Ellington Mansion, NYC
by Roman Klun & Paul Stache
Mastered by Roman Klun
Photography by Jimmy Katz
Liner Notes by John Murph
Design by Damon Smith & Paul Stache
Christian McBride appears courtesy of Mack Avenue Records
Executive Producers: Frank Christopher & Paul Stache
