Review: Peter Evans - Being & Becoming - Ars Ludicra (More Is More Records)

Acclaimed trumpet player, improvisor, and composer based in New York City, Peter Evans 'Ars Ludicra' as the best jazz avant-garde experimental out-there  album of the the year!

This time last year, Evans made his debut on We Jazz records with an album called 'Extra' (see review HERE) so is 'Ars Ludicra' the "extra mile"?  We'll, we should say that this is the 'extra Miles (Davis) in his fusion era ludicrous extremes!  Possibly in the relm of 'Panthalassa' as re-imagined, not by Bill Laswell, but as a live jazz band trio plus Evans.

Recorded in the Van Gelder Studios, Evans in joined in the band by Joel Ross (vibraphone, synth), Nick Jozwiak (bass, synth) and Michael Shekwoaga Ode (drums) and it's fantastic; and hats off to the mixing/mastering/production as the sound is so pure it's like being there.

Of the top of my head, trumpet and vibes albums? Dizzy and Cal Tajder but nothing near this. Donald Ayler and?  No, this is definitive. And Nick and Michael as a drum and bass unit are superb.  And to top it off, added synth features is a further bit more.

Every track sounds better than the last so I'm not going to mention whether one is better than another but if you a fan of previous single, 'Pulsar' for it's full on attack of trumpet in a musique concrète setting of blending synths, you're going to love 'My Sorrow Is Luminous' (that features a guest appearance of Alice Teyssier on flute).

It's not all battering you senses as 'Images' is a gentle at dawn and contradictory, closes the album.

It might only be a five track album but it takes 'Jazz Not Jazz' over the 'More Is More' threshold and this was captured after a period of extensive touring so if you have seen them at any of their sell-out show this year, you will not be disappointed.

A great follow-up to 'Extra' as Evans' style of Davis' fusion is pushed further in to relm of "controlled abandom" and fans from  BBC 6 Music New Music Fix, Bandcamp Weekly, Jazz FM, New York City Jazz Record and Peter Margasak's Nowhere Street will be please to hear that there's rumours of a follow-up too!  Don't mis out.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER (Vinyl): Ars Ludicra | Peter Evans, Being & Becoming | Peter Evans

Artist: Pete Evans - Being & Becoming 

Title: Ars Ludicra

Release date: 17th October, 2025

Label :More Is More Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: LP /  Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Peter Evans - Extra (We Jazz Records)

Acclaimed trumpet player, improvisor, and composer based in New York City Peter Evans makes his We Jazz Records debut with 'Extra'.

The band formation includes Evans on trumpet, Petter Eldh (Koma Saxo / Post Koma) on bass and Jim Black on drums

The Amercican trumpeter is very well know in the world of free jazz improvisations but he's nothing less than full of surprises on 'Extra' as this "gutsy new band that gets right to work with his eight new compositions". Recorded at the Namouche Studio in Lisbon all the tracks have an ingrained feeling "where all musicians are pushing for the new together with great excitement".

And you'd expect nothing less from We Jazz, but hang on, the opener 'Freaks' has a genuine 100 mph jazzdance vibe with the bass running away with the drums and Evans on blistering form. Take a breather and rewind.  And go again with 'In See' as they're still at it with Evans sounding like Don Cherry playing Albert Ayler; love the touch of echo that's reflected in the album artwork - not sure about the oranges.

'Boom' is a start towards more experimental,'Nova' is a haunting gamelan-esque (with Evans adding sparing piano') and by the time you get to 'Movement 56' this trio is out-there Ra-synthical (stick with it, it's a grower of some apocalytical proportion).

Normal service is resumed with 'Underworld', 'Fully Born' with a jazz-BRUK drum style and Evans' flamboyance and ending with a minimal track, 'The Lighthouse'.

Evans' style has previously been compared to Miles Davis' fusion of controlled abandom and he's got that here in buckets so no surprise that there's early support has been recieved from BBC 6 Music New Music Fix, Bandcamp Weekly, Jazz FM, New York City Jazz Record and Peter Margasak's Nowhere Street amongst others.

So if you want fireworks, it's 'Freaks', it it's freaks, its 'Movement 56' and there's loads inbetween -  another great album on We Jazz Records.

Artist: Pete Evans

Title: Extra

Release date: 25th October, 2024

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : WJLP73 

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp