Evans does Evans

William Evans

Pianist William Evans, who splits his year between Florida's Gulf Coast and teaching music in Switzerland, was at JD's Bistro in Port Charlotte on Thursday April 23, subbing in the piano chair in singer-drummer Patricia Dean's regular Thursday gig.


He's a piano modernist whose work is rooted in the masters and has developed his own exploratory style. It was particularly interesting to hear William Evans put his own stamp, without taking too many liberties, on late pianist Bill Evans' beautiful ballad "Some Time Ago." The band then touched other key jazz bases - performing Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" and Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good." 

Between sets, Detroit native Evans told me he flies back to Europe on Tuesday, April 28. He'll be back in the states in July for the summer season. Whenever he's here, he's a treat to hear.

William Evans, Dave Trefethen, Patricia Dean