BY SEAN EGAN | “When I got into music, honestly, everyone was doing the Monk contest — so many, it was basically like the NBA finals for us,” recalled jazz pianist Orrin Evans of his experience as a finalist at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. In the years following that 1999 edition of the venerated jazz contest, Evans participated in numerous ensembles, amassed an impressive discography, and today enjoys a busy gig schedule. Why take the time for recollection then?
February marks the beginning of the annual Monk in Motion: The Next Face of Jazz series — a concert program run by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, which usually highlights the finalists of the most recent edition of their Competition. This year, however, the Institute is taking a bit of a stroll down memory lane, turning the reins over to Competition alums who’ve gone on to find success beyond the contest — hence Evans’ involvement.
Following his Feb. 4 opening salvo, 2010 contest finalist Charenee Wade and 2003 finalist David Gibson are set to take the spotlight on Feb. 18 and March 4, respectively. Coming off the heels of her 2016 effort “Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,” vocalist Wade promises to bring her own smooth arrangements and soulful singing to the stage. Trombonist Gibson — who has performed with Evans’ own Captain Black Big Band — will be accompanied by a quartet of musicians for his set.
For his part, Evans has decided to prepare a set full of Thelonious Monk arrangements with his sidemen — a program they usually reserve only to mark Monk’s birthday.
“It’s something that I’ve needed to do, not something that I always wanted to do,” explained Evans, noting that they often twist their arrangements to sound “totally different from Monk,” while still maintaining his spirit. “I would hope that what [the audience will] hear and what they expect to hear, is a representation of freedom and openness, and with a respect to the history and culture and all of the people and the forefathers that created this music,” he elaborated, expressing hope that his playing (while not imitative) will help “keep [Monk’s] essence alive.”
“An opportunity to play is always special, but with it being based on the Monk contest — I guess that’s an extra special little treat,” he continued, citing the Monk Institute’s ongoing educational efforts as an admirable resource. “I love that I’m a part of it.”
Monk in Motion isn’t the only jazz game in town this winter. Just a short jaunt north, the “Sound It Out” series runs concurrently. The year-round program, founded and curated by music journalist Bradley Bambarger, has gained acclaim for its high-quality, if idiosyncratic, lineups of stylistically diverse artists.
“I think it’s a really cool series — I like the type of stuff [Bambarger] programs, so I was actually pretty stoked when he wrote to me to ask me to play,” said Nick Millevoi, a guitarist scheduled for a set on Feb. 11, noting Bambarger keeps the series “carefully curated,” and highlights music from across the jazz spectrum.
Indeed, for just the next month or so, Bambarger has lined up an eclectic mix of artists. The week before Millevoi takes the stage, classical pianist Taka Kigawa will take jazz-influenced pieces by composers like Stravinsky out for a spin, followed by a set from Color Wheel, a new quartet featuring pianist Sebastian Ammann. The week after Millevoi’s gig will find European piano/cello duo Anja Lechner and Francois Couturier bringing their moody and meditative stylings stateside to play a set in support of their newest album together, “Nuit Blanche.” And that’s just the beginning — Sound It Out already has acts booked through June 29.
As for where Millevoi fits in, he’ll be playing with his Desertion Trio, which has found its footing at the crossroads of classic rock and free jazz. The trio’s named after his latest LP, an instrumental disc with sprawling soundscapes, alternately melodic and proggy, gentle and aggressive. While the group is still evolving, it represents a synthesis of Millevoi’s far-flung musical influences — spanning everything from Neil Young records to harsh-and-noisy jazz/punk — with his own unique playing at the center.
“Sometimes it’s more like a free jazz spin on there, sometimes it’s more of like an open free rock kind of vibe that we’re taking to approach the material,” said Millevoi, describing the group’s distinctive tonal palette. “Any sound that I’m working with is just something that feels personal. So to jump around never feels like that crazy of a thing, as much as it might be aesthetically crazy.”
Millevoi is confident that audiences will stay along for (and enjoy) the sonic ride they’ll take them on, due to their faith in Bambarger and the Sound It Out brand.
“When it’s a carefully curated experience by somebody who’s really passionate, those are always the most meaningful experiences,” Millevoi asserted. “That’s the best way to reach the audience that’s most interested or, often, most open-minded to what you’re doing.”
Monk in Motion plays Saturdays: Feb. 4, 18, & Mar. 4, at 7:30pm. At the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers St., btw. Greenwich & West Sts.). For tickets ($30; $20 students/seniors) and info, visit tribecapac.org. Get info on the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at monkinstitute.org. Sound It Out takes place at Greenwich House Music School (46 Barrow St., btw. Bedford & Bleecker Sts.). Dates, times and ticket prices vary. For tickets and info, visit facebook.com/sounditoutnyc or greenwichhouse.org.
