Orrin Evans: The Red Door album review — acoustic jazz with a twist

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Pianist Orrin Evans’s recorded output spans the fiery big-band jazz of Captain Black, hip-hop-shaded contemporary jazz and a recent stint with postmodern piano trio The Bad Plus. This new album, The Red Door, draws on the American’s stylistic roots in 1990s small-group jazz and celebrates key influences on the way. The rhythm section of bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith is exemplary and the album’s heavyweight cast give acoustic jazz a twist.

Two tracks, recorded in Pennsylvania just before lockdown, separately feature an early mentor and a late comrade-in-arms: saxophonist Larry McKenna, who guided the pianist’s early years, delivers the sultry “Good Life”; trumpeter Wallace Roney, an early Covid victim, romps through “All the Things You Are”.

The album opens with the title track, an Evans original from the 2019 Bad Plus album Activate Infinity. Both versions slow-burn on a jaunty theme; the first follows an orthodox arc, whereas here the quintet rumbles to a collective peak. “Weezy” comes next, named after Evans’ goddaughter Eloise. Muted Nicholas Payton trumpet and Gary Thomas flute capture the pensive mood while bustling rhythms drive the composition’s inner power. Then comes the funky “Phoebe’s Stroll”, the first of three piano-trio pieces, also composed with a goddaughter in mind.

Later in the album, the quintet tracks “Feed the Fire” and “Smoke Rings” play to the band’s collective strength. Thomas retains the angular thrust and biting tone that made him his generation’s standout saxophone voice. Hearing him on form is an album treat. Other highlights include vocalist Jazzmeia Horn celebrating womanhood with half-spoken poems and soulful vocalese on “Big Small” and Sy Smith’s soft soprano voice soaring serenely into the stratosphere on “Amazing Grace”.

But the fluid and flexible Evans is at the heart of the album, knitting horns and rhythm together and holding the listener tight. “I Have the Feeling I’ve Been Here Before” is the closer, a bittersweet ballad played by the trio with poise and finesse.

★★★★☆

‘The Red Door’ is released by Smoke Sessions Records