Bill Evans (saxophonist)

For other uses see: Bill Evans (disambiguation).

Bill Evans in Warsaw, July 24, 2004

Bill Evans (born February 9, 1958 in Clarendon Hills, Illinois) is an American jazz saxophonist. His father was a classical piano prodigy and until junior high school Evans studied classical clarinet. Early in his studies he was able to hear such artists as Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz live at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago.

He plays primarily tenor and soprano saxophones. Evans attended North Texas State University and William Paterson University, where he studied with Dave Liebman, a Miles Davis alumnus. Moving to NYC in 1979 he spent countless hours in lofts playing jazz standards and perfecting his improvisational style. At the age of 22 he joined Miles Davis. In the early to mid-1980s, Evans played with Davis and was instrumental in his musical comeback. Notable albums recorded with Miles include The Man With The Horn, We Want Miles, and Decoy. In addition to playing with Miles Davis he has played, toured and recorded with artists such as Herbie Hancock, John Mclaughlin, Michael Franks, Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Les McCann, Mark Egan, Danny Gottlieb, Ian Anderson and Randy Brecker, among others. He is featured on the Petite Blonde album with Victor Bailey, Dennis Chambers, Mitch Forman, and Chuck Loeb. Two of his most recent albums Soul Insider and Soulgrass were nominated for Grammy awards. Soulgrass was a ground breaking bluegrass jazz fusion concept involving such musicians as Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Bruce Hornsby, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Although his latest projects are musically eclectic, his stylistic roots remain in the history of jazz saxophone, influenced by such players as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Stan Getz, Steve Grossman, etc.

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