Peter Evans Quintet - Ghosts

(Self Released, 2011)

I am always talking about, whenever I'm talking about jazz, about how I don't know anything about jazz (though, I did watch all ten episodes (they're long episodes) of Ken Burns' Jazz). And it's true, I really am a know-nothing. Still, I know what I like--mostly free and discordant styles when we're talking about contemporary jazz, but Ghosts by the Peter Evans Quintet, this is different. I mean--for example--I could actually, conceivably, present this to my father-in-law ("Hi, John.") and call it music. And, though he'd probably argue me over the quality of the music, he'd have to concede to at least that point. And, if you follow Forest Gospel, if you have any sense of overlapping taste with what is, I'll admit, an ofttimes wildly disparate sound palate--and, with Ghosts, an interest in jazz helps--I'm making an quality evaluation about this one here: exceptionally high. I can't really lay out the specifics of the trumpet/bass/piano/drums/electronics interplay--I can't even name the other players--but I do know what I think is good when it hits my ears, and this is more than good (more than more than good).

"One to Ninety-Two"

"323"

"Stardust"