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Frank Evans - Guitarist 1930-2007
Jazz guitarist, Frank Evans, died on February 6th 2007 at the age of 76. A
former member of Tubby Hayes
Quartet, Frank performed and recorded most often as a solo guitarist. Since the
mid-sixties, Frank generally shunned the London scene, preferring to operate
from his home in Bristol. He took up the guitar at the age of eleven and
learned his craft, without formal tuition, through a lengthy apprenticeship in
jazz clubs, ballrooms and restaurants around the world.
Frank Evans' debut album was recorded at a concert in 1968 with Tubby Hayes and
Tony Coe ('77 Records, Doug Dobell). After further albums on the 'Saydisc'
label, Frank set up his own label 'Blue Bag' to release his solo album 'Noctuary'
(BB101)Although today countless musicians have set up their own label and are
able to distribute their music digitally, this was an unusual move at the time.
“I was fed up with being mucked about by record companies and that whole hassle
of the music business. Someone in London said I'd be lucky to sell 500
altogether. But I sold 500 in the first two weeks." Frank said at the time. The
album went on to top the UK jazz charts.
He made hundreds of appearances on BBC and ITV television, including the
'Michael Parkinson Show' several times and his own ITV programme 'Frank Evans
and Friends' featuring guests, Georgie Fame and Marion Williams. He wrote scores
for film and television, particularly for BBC's 'World About Us' series.
His earliest influence was Django Reinhardt,
but other favourites were Jim Hall, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery and
Laurindo Almeida, with whom he
recorded an album on the 'Blue Bag' label.
In recent years, with his health declining, Frank's performances became rarer
and much anticipated, particularly in his beloved West Country.
Frank shared an affinity with the music of his
namesake Bill Evans as does Sid Jacobs the American guitarist.
- Everybody digs Bill Evans
I was playing clubs parties
and variety shows but wanted to play better that led me to top jazz player Frank
Evans, he taught me about the guitar and how to read music. - Alan Britten
“Mark Twain Suite” by Bristol guitarist Frank
Evans (1969)
Blue Bag Records, 2 Tower Villas, College Rd, Westbury
On Trym, Bristol BS9 3EH
"Noctuary" (Blue Bag BB101) by
our own Frank Evans. This is the third Evans album I have received for review
and it is the best so far; recorded late one night in Bristol it captures the
intimate 'after hours' atmosphere and Contains some beautiful music in the shape
of Thad Jones's A child is born, Stephen Sondheim's Send in the Clowns and
Monk's 'Round about midnight. This is on Evans' own label..
George Benson
was appearing at the Colston Hall Bristol one day and decided to jam with Frank
who was appearing at the Dragonara Hotel near the Centre. After these two
guitarists thrilled the crowd Benson said that he knew who was the Master and it
wasn't him. George felt that Franks fingers were much quicker and more fluent
than his own. What a compliment and how different would Franks future have been
if he had not refused to fly or travel far from home. It is a tribute to a fine
British jazz guitarist
Jazz Guitarist, Jazz Guitar, Jazz Recordings,
Jazz Arrangements, Guitar Tablature,
A Book of Twenty Two Great Jazz Standards. Ballade
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PAUL
VERNON CHESTER