Gabe's Wrong Jazz Waltz

Gabe's Wrong Jazz Waltz

Bruce Von Stiers

Gabe Evens is a pianist and a professor in the Jazz Studies program at the University of Louisville. But he is also a composer and band leader. Gabe currently heads up the Gabe Evens Trio. They have recently released an album titled The Wrong Waltz.

This is the sixth album of original material that Gabe has recorded. It is an interesting cross section of jazz, from fusion to bop to modal. Gabe is self-releasing the album.

Gabe wrote all of the compositions on the album. There are ten songs on the album and it has a play-time of fifty minutes.

For the trio Gabe plays piano. He is joined on bass by Lynn Seaton and on drums by Ed Soph. Ed has worked with Clark Terry and Randy Becker among other notables and recorded albums with people such as Joe Henderson. The list of people that Lynn has played with and recorded with would fill an entire paragraph.

Tease Me is a fast paced song with a lot of piano. It is the first song you hear on the album.

The title track, The Wrong Waltz, is an interesting piece. You might think it would be a waltz with some jazz thrown in. But no, it is a solid jazz song with some pretty tough bass and head bopping piano.

About the first twenty seconds of Stand at the Front of Your Mat is a cool drum solo. Then things kick into a laid back groove with great piano. I think that this is my favorite song of the album.

Over a minute at the front of the song Something Like Love is dedicated to a bass solo. The song has a fairly slow pace and features all three of the players.

Loud, Quiet, Loud in Blue is a toe tapping piano based tune.

Keep You Head Down is kind of moody, with strong piano and bass with symbols from the drummer.

Yoko and the Spotless, Spotless Clan is sort of a bossa nova styled song, but a touch bit darker.

Soft and gentle, Billy Strayhorn is a great song to memorialize its namesake.

The Goodbye Hug is a nice medium paced piece.

Closing out the album is Untrained, Untrodden, Untrue. It showcases Gabe's piano well, along with the

great bass and drums.

With a title like The Wrong Waltz I expected some waltz music with sideways jazz. What I got was a very solid jazz album. Gabe's piano playing is great and is complemented extremely well by Lynn's bass and Ed's drumming.

You can grab a copy of The Wrong Waltz on CD Baby.

You will find the official site for Gabe Evens and the Gabe Evens Trio at http://www.gabeevens.com/

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