Captain Black Big Band

If it takes a village to raise a child, as the proverb says, then it certainly takes at least that much to nurture a big band. Pianist and bandleader Orrin Evans has long used “The Village” to refer not only to his family-like cohort of fellow musicians in the Captain Black Big Band, but also to the extended family of fans, supporters and inspirations that have carried the ensemble to a pair of Grammy Award nominations and its status as one of the most thrilling and revered ensembles in modern jazz.

Guided by Evans’ embracing, instigative leadership, the Captain Black Big Band boasts a bold, vigorous sound, a raucous, unpredictable vibe, and a communal spirit convening a membership that ranges from revered elders to rising stars. Nowhere is that more evident than in the ensemble’s communal fifth release, Walk a Mile in My Shoe, which features appearances by Nicholas Payton and Jesse Fischer and vocal turns by longtime collaborators Bilal, Joanna Pascale and Paul Jost, along with special guest Lisa Fischer.

The singular variation on the familiar saying is not a typo; the title refers to a malformation of the left foot that Evans has lived with from birth. “I walk with a cane because I was born with neurofibromatosis,” he states. “This is what the ‘Elephant Man’ had, but luckily it only affected my left leg/foot. I had several surgeries, the last one when I was eight. I don’t have the neurological issues anymore, but I’ve had several reconstructive surgeries since then. My musical journey is closely connected to my medical journey, and this record is me opening the door into what I’ve lived with for years.”

Pictured on the album are some of the special shoes Evans needed to wear, each a vivid reminder of his condition and its impact on his early childhood. But there’s a larger point with Walk a Mile in My Shoe: it’s about feeling worthy, about taking ownership of the journey and doing things without waiting for the “perfect” time. Such was the motivation to release the album, sooner rather than later, on Imani Records, Evans’ own flagship label since the early 2000s.

That spirit of self-discovery and motivation vividly captures the exploratory urge that has propelled the big band since its founding in late 2009, conceived as a vehicle for Evans to combine the power and scale of a big band with the freedom and spontaneity of a small group. From its beginnings at Chris’ Jazz Café in Evans’ native Philadelphia through its long-running Monday night residency at New York’s Smoke Jazz & Supper Club, the band evolved into just that – a flexible and dauntless unit whose daring approach lends the music an exhilarating edge.

That vibrant evolution has led Captain Black to countless accolades and honors, culminating in two Grammy Award nominations in the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” category. The first came in 2018 for the band’s third album, Presence (Smoke Sessions), recognizing the concept embodied by its title – eschewing polish to fervidly document what it was like to be present, in the moment, on the occasions when it was recorded, bustling with lively crowds, the clinking of drinks, and playful interactions between the musicians and the audience. The second nomination followed two years later for its follow-up, also released by Smoke Sessions. The Intangible Between is an album that vividly captures the sense of stepping off a ledge into the unknown that comes with taking risks and setting a new course.

Those albums’ predecessors were both equally critically acclaimed. Captain Black made its debut with a 2011 self-titled release, followed by 2014’s Mother’s Touch (both Posi-Tone). The band was named Rising Star Big Band of the Year in the 61st annual DownBeat Critics Poll, and has placed in the top five for Big Band of the Year on multiple occasions. Those accolades were accompanied by Evans’ own rising profile, which included topping the “Rising Star” category for pianists in the DownBeat Critics Poll and garnering his first New York Times feature.

The band has also undertaken several ambitious projects, including two high-profile commissions: a suite honoring the centennial year of cosmic bandleader Sun Ra, premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center; and another inspired by Thomas Hart Benton’s mural “America Today,” performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art accompanied by scrolling photos of the artwork.

Captain Black’s origins can be traced back to 2007, when Evans was invited to lead a big band at Portugal’s Guimaraes Jazz Festival. As a longtime member of the Mingus Big Band, he had years of experience performing with a large ensemble, but the success of that concert convinced him to try to lead his own big band, despite the obvious financial and logistical obstacles. It was christened for Evans’ father’s preferred brand of tobacco, which had previously lent its name to Evans’ 1998 Criss Cross release Captain Black.

Over time the Captain Black line-up has included such notable names as saxophonists Tia Fuller, Wayne Escoffery, Stacy Dillard, Tim Warfield, Marcus Strickland, and Jaleel Shaw; trumpeters Sean Jones, Duane Eubanks and Jack Walrath; trombonists Frank Lacy and Conrad Herwig; bassists Eric Revis, Mike Boone and Luques Curtis; and drummers Ralph Peterson, Donald Edwards and Gene Jackson.

The core band has become more compact and streamlined over time, reduced from 17 to 11 pieces, without losing its forceful identity. It features a rotating cast of brilliantly skilled talent, most of them leaders in their own right – including drummers Anwar Marshall and Mark Whitfield Jr., saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins, Troy Roberts and Caleb Wheeler Curtis, and bassist Luques Curtis, among others. David Gibson, Josh Lawrence, Todd Bashore and Stafford Hunter have all been key lieutenants in the band from its early days, supplying arrangements or stepping up to fill leadership roles as they arise.

“It really matters when you know you have a tight-knit circle, and that you can rely on your circle for whatever you need,” Evans says. “The Village is a unit of people that you can trust and that love you. It’s an open door to the possibilities of knowing that you’re part of something for the greater good.”