
Tag: Philadelphia

When you’re Orrin Evans, Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, bandleader, label executive, teacher, husband and dad, there’s only one thing that can slow you down, as I found out when I asked him how much time he had for our phone interview: tires. “I’m literally sitting here waiting for my tires,” he told me as air wrenches shuddered in the background. “So I got at least 30 to 40 minutes.” It wasn’t enough, such is the man’s skill as a raconteur.
Evans will turn 50 on Friday, and new tires notwithstanding, he’s not coasting into middle age. He’s doing what he loves most: making music, on a tour he calls “50 Shades of O” that motors into BOP STOP Wednesday night.
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At Ari Hoenig’s website, you’ll find several items of apparel for sale. One of them is a t-shirt, black, of course, with a photo of Hoenig at the drum kit and the legend, “I’m not angry. That’s just my face!”
Intensity has been a hallmark of Hoenig’s career. For the New York Times in 2009, Ben Ratliff wrote, “Ari Hoenig has a slightly compulsive relationship with his drum set.” If you’ve seen him play, you’ll know what Ratliff meant, and if you haven’t, Hoenig’s weekend appearance at Bop Stop offers a fine introduction to his imaginative, highly interactive and yes, intensely committed style.
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