Gabriel evan orchestra

Another Big, Little Band

A number of years ago, a contemporary played a recording of Dawn on the Desert (Charlie Shavers) for Gabriel, a staple from the overlooked Pre-bop/Bug group John Kirby & his Orchestra. He was blown away by its originality and a deep exploration into the sextet ensued. Many transcriptions later, combined with other early swing, early Calypso, original arrangements of classical music and original compositions, GEO’s repertoire is like no other jazz ensemble in the country.

From Tchaikovsky to Mancini and Chopin to Lecuona, the Gabriel Evan Orchestra takes a whimsical approach to hot jazz, vintage Caribbean and mid century Exotica. GEO recreates the feeling of when the vastness of the musical world shrank in the early-mid 20th century. The ensemble's major influences include John Kirby & his Orchestra, Sidney Bechet, Lecuona Cuban Boys, Lionel Belasco, Duke Ellington, among others.

Island Hopping (2024)

Gabriel Evan’s third album Island Hopping is a continuation of his exploration into Caribbean Jazz and folk music of the early-mid twentieth century that began on his last record Global Entry. The influences range from Cuba’s own Lecuona Cuban Boys down to Venezuela’s Lionel Belasco, and everywhere in between.

A welcomed batch of band hits on Pani Ti Moun, an early 1930’s beguine from the island of Martinique, sets the tone for the record, before settling into a danceable groove that will define much of Island Hopping. Carmencita (1933), one of two classic Lionel Belasco waltzes from the record (Venezuela the other), presents the more languid and delicate side of the record, with Gabriel Evan and trombonist Charlie Halloran trading passages back and forth. Charlie himself runs Charlie & the Tropicales, a New Orleans based 60’s-style Caribbean lounge band, so recruiting him as well as bandmates Jafet Perez (percussion) and Pete Olynciw (bass) on the record were a perfect fit.

Boychick Calypso, the first original track of the record, rings true to its title (Boychick in Yiddish translates to ‘young boy’), as the playful melody brings a child-like energy to the listeners’ ears. Jafet shows off with his fills and keeps the energy high throughout the track, all in support of the four soloists. Habana Hammock is the other original song, invoking the more delicate side of the record. The lazy island groove, established by Kris Tokarski (piano), and simple melody transport the listener to an isolated beach, lounging seaside without a care in the world. Guitarist Josh Dunn, who traveled down to the Crescent City from NYC to record with Gabriel, plays a calming and introspective solo, one of the best on the record.

The rest of the ambitious 15 track album, continues with the juxtaposition of higher octane numbers like Asi Parè, Lamoula Créole and Rumba Blanca, mixed in with more elegant tunes like Tes Yeux, Flor de Yumuri and Amor (Bolero). Island Hopping is the perfect summer album! Truly an early-mid century Caribbean revue that anyone, familiar or not with this music, needs to hear.

Global Entry (2021)

Gabriel Evan’s sophomore album Global Entry is a playful, skillful exploration of pre-war jazz, early chamber jazz, and bug music. With the John Kirby Sextet (Charlie Shavers, arranger) as its primary influence, the Gabriel Evan Orchestra takes you on a musical trip around the world. While bringing a fresh spin on traditional jazz classics, incorporating 1930s Cuban music and even mid-century exotica, Global Entry maintains the Kirby tradition of arranging classical music for jazz band.

A carefully constructed arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers opens the record, paying homage to the arranging style of trumpeter Charlie Shavers, reimagining the languid waltz into a fun, hot swing number, suitable for a Looney Tunes Nutcracker tribute. As a matter of fact, most of this record is suitable as cartoon music - so much so, that GEO’s frst two singles, Rumba Azul and Arabian Nightmare are released as cartoon music videos (Waikiki Wabbit [1943] & Chicken a la King [1937] respectively). Rumba Azul, as well as Rumba Tambah which closes the album, are timeless classics from the Lecuona Cuban Boys, one of the most famous early Caribbean ensembles.

Arabian Nightmare, one of three Charlie Shavers arrangements on the record, is a brilliant take on Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, echoing the haunting Dorian theme of the classic work before springing into swing. Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes is a hip pre-bop arrangement of a 1616 classic by English playwright Ben Jonson. Effervescent Blues, a Shavers original, is a slow swinger with standout solos from Joe Goldberg (clar.), John Zarsky (tmp.) and bluesman “Big” Joe Kennedy (p), before a horn soli brings it on home.

Jazz meccas New York City and New Orleans are both represented well too, with Duke Ellington’s red hot Jubilee Stomp, as well as two Gabriel Evan originals. Negotiations of South Williamsburg is a klezmer rollercoaster, featuring clarinetist Joe Goldberg shredding and wailing. South 5th Street, also written while Evan lived in South Williamsburg, is a high-energy, pseudo-Broadway show tune, with a stomping 2 & 4 heartbeat, paying an original tribute to the “biggest little band in the land.”