Baritone saxophone virtuoso Charles Evans’ seventh album titled, On Beauty, which was released May 12 on More is More Records, is also his second album written for and featuring the talented soprano saxophonist David Liebman. Rounding out this quartet of musical aptitude is pianist Ron Stabinsky and bassist Tony Marino. On the album, Evans formulated ways of merging chromatic harmony with improvisation. All of the compositions on the album were written for Liebman’s instrumental voice, using certain devices, which have been improved upon and polished recently by Liebman himself. In addition, according to the album’s liner notes, “several polychord progressions are featured and thematic melodies are thoroughly exhausted throughout the album and reimagined.”
The opening track, appropriately titled “Introduction,” has Evans’ masterful baritone saxophone play with varying tempos and volume of the notes he chooses.
“Movement II,” the fourth track on the album, opens with Evans’ baritone sax combined with Stabinsky’s piano work. Listeners could envision hearing it in a relaxed, laid-back jazz club filled with beatniks just going with the flow.
The album’s second track, “Movement I,” starts off with Evans’ baritone sax and Liebman’s soprano sax harmonizing beautifully with Marino’s expressive bass in the background. Later in the track, Stabinsky’s tickling of the ivories enters bringing a slow, classical rhythm. According to the album’s liner notes, “both thematic melodies and polychord progressions are present.”
“Movement III,” the fifth track on the album, which begins with somewhat somber sounding piano play from Stabinsky, but then the melody livens up considerably becoming much more frenzied. Listeners might picture hearing this song in a movie where the lead character is trying to accomplish something swiftly that he or she probably shouldn’t be doing in the first place.
Finally, the ninth and final track on On Beauty, is fittingly titled, “Ending Beauty.” It includes soulful baritone sax work from Evans in its intro along with Stabinsky’s piano and Marino’s bass as ideal accompaniment. The affecting pace of the track could make listeners envision hearing it in a motion picture where the lead character is lamenting the loss of their true love and is now mentally reviewing every moment of their relationship. In addition, the track’s denouement includes an up-tempo trading section with Evans’ baritone sax and Liebman’s soprano sax as a duo shows off each’s immense aptitude on their specific instrument.
In conclusion, Charles Evans’ latest album, On Beauty is a wonderful example of another brilliant saxophone player’s vision mixed with brilliant with planned music compositions that include brilliant improvisations from four truly gifted musicians.