Photo by Dino Perrucci

Bill Evans Soulgrass
The Blockley
Philadelphia, PA
August 8

Saxophonist Bill Evans burst on the music scene in the early eighties as a near-teenage prodigy, joining Miles Davis’ band at the ripe age of 22. In more recent years, Evans has become a familiar face on the jamband and festival scene, regularly sitting in with Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers Band, while also chasing the improvisational spirit with his own band Soulgrass. Though Evans and his talented bandmates perform with an exploratory jazz training and approach, the use of banjo and acoustic guitar give them a unique bluegrass edge at times. Demonstrating Evans’ increasingly strong ties to the jamband scene, Gov’t Mule keyboardist Danny Louis joined the band for their show at The Blockley, Philadelphia’s loyal jamband dive bar.

Louis, a long time collaborator with Evans, sounded perfectly comfortable on Bill’s original material, adding fluent organ solos and groovy electric piano. Opening with a loose funk jam, the band warmed up by passing solos around before easing into heavy blues accented by Ryan Cavanaugh’s banjo picking. Though their instrumental prowess was unquestionably the music’s driving force, drummer Josh Dion’s vocals were a pleasant surprise on a handful of originals and one familiar cover. As the bearded drummer jubilantly pounded away and sang on a cover of “The Weight,” he evoked a favorite singing drummer of the past while each band member traded solos. Though “The Weight” was a fun cover with flashy solos, the band fared better on originals that featured more unique musical landscapes and group improvisation.

“Time” and “Kings And Queens,” both from Soulgrass’ 2012 album Dragonfly, were standouts, with Dion’s soulful vocals leading the way on each song. “Time,” fueled by Cavanaugh’s galloping banjo line, featured dizzying solos from Louis and Evans before they slammed back into the chorus. The catchy funk of “Kings And Queens” found Evans following Dion’s howling vocals with a wailing solo of his own, swaying back and forth as he played from the very edge of the stage. Combining an Americana touch with the instrumental wizardry and spontaneous risk taking of Evans, Louis and guitarist Mitch Stein, Soulgrass throw a curveball at both jazz and rock.