Bill Evans
b. 9 February 1958, Clarendon Hills, nr Chicago, Illinois, USA. Jazz's third famous Bill Evans (the others being the splendid modern jazz pianist and the gifted reedsman who changed his name to Yusef Lateef) this Evans is the fusion tenor and soprano saxophonist. A student of Dave Liebman, it was on Liebman's recommendation that he joined the great trumpeter Miles Davis' jazz/rock band, and was thus catapulted into the spotlight. By 1983 he was recording as a leader, and when he left Davis' band a year later, he was quickly snapped up by guitarist John McLaughlin for his revived Mahavishnu Orchestra, and also began working with Herbie Hancock. A lyrical, gentler voice than is common in the action packed world of fusion, he has a soft tone, and a penchant for fast, precise tonguing in place of the more common headlong, legato style. His own recordings include MOODS UNLIMITED, a fine trio session, with the veteran piano and bass team of pianist Hank Jones and bassist Red Mitchell; THE ALTERNATIVE MAN, a star-studded Blue Note Records session that should appeal to fusion enthusiasts for the presence of guitarist John McLaughlin, keyboardist Mitch Forman, bassist Marcus Miller and drummers Al Foster and Danny Gottlieb; and the more recent PUSH, a funky, breakbeat- orientated session with contributions by Marcus Miller, keyboardist Bob James, pianist Bruce Hornsby and assorted rappers.