Mike Wofford, piano
Rob Thorsen, bass
Duncan Moore, drums (1,3,6,9,10)
Harold Mason, drums (2,5,7,8)
Chuck Manning, saxophone (1,3,4,9)
Holly Hofmann, flute (6)
Kamau Kenyatta, soprano saxophone (8)

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Evolution

Rob Thorsen Quartet

1. Would You? 5:50Audio Sample
Rob Thorsen
2. Besame mucho 6:44
Consuelo Velasquez
3. Let's Fall in Love 5:50
Harold Arlen
4. Disarray 1:22
Rob Thorsen
5. Intimacy of the Blues 6:47
Billy Strayhorn
6. Mohave 7:47
Antonio Carlos Jobim
7. Drawing Room Blues 4:35
Billy Strayhorn
8. Evidence 4:51
Thelonius Monk
9. Blues Clues 7:15
Rob Thorsen
10. Sad Guy 5:47
Rob Thorsen

As a musician, it brings me great pleasure to hear the interaction
and progress this group of artists developed with each other during
the recording of this CD. The talents of my musical cohorts was the
inspiration that made this happen. You will hear an ever changing
musical palette of creative ideas, the players feeding off one
another to make their own unique performance. This recording
captures much of the spontaneity that we strive to capture as
musicians.
Wood You? is a bebop line based on the chord changes of Dizzy
Gillespie's composition "Woody n' You" and includes an extended solo
by tenor saxophonist Chuck Manning.
The second piece, Consuelo Velasquez's beautiful Besame Mucho
features the bowed bass on the melody. This has always been one of
my favorite songs and the melody lends itself well to the vocal
qualities possible with the bow.
Let's Fall in Love began life as a show tune in the 1930's
written by Harold Arlen. This is my latin version of the song
complete with an interlude added to provide some harmonic alteration.
Disarray is a tone poem I wrote for bass and tenor saxophone.
Originally intended as an introduction for another song it evolved
into a simple yet complete composition. Although the title suggests
cacophony or discontent, the piece is actually intended as a
contrast to chaotic events going on in life at the time.
Next up is Intimacy of the Blues, a classic blues from one of my
all time favorite composers, Billy Strayhorn, who worked in
conjunction with Duke Ellington to create many of 21st century's most
memorable jazz compositions.
Mojave is a latin 3/4 feel from Brazilian Antonio Carlos Jobim.
This features the wonderful flute of Holly Hofmann with some very
creative trading with drummer Duncan Moore at the end.
Drawing Room Blues features bass on the formidable melody and
was also recorded by saxophone great Joe Henderson on his Lush Life
CD. This song was originally a piano duet performed by Billy
Strayhorn and Duke Ellington in 1949.
Thelonius Monk's Evidence has always challenged musicians with
it's quirky rhythmic placement. This version skirts back and forth
between 3/4 and 4/4 and highlights the soprano saxophone of Kamau
Kenyatta and Harold Mason on the drums.
Blues Clues includes a wonderful unaccompanied solo by pianist
Mike Wofford. Mike is a great friend and constant source of
inspiration.
The final composition, Sad Guy is an upbeat 6/8 that
superimposes major and minor key centers over one another. The
somewhat paradoxical title comes care of my daughter Virginia who was
4 years old at the the time.
I'd like to thank all of the fine musicians who performed on the
CD and give special thanks to Holly Hofmann, Mike Wofford and Bruce
Egre at AZICA RECORDS for making this CD a reality. Enjoy the music !


Rob Thorsen

Product Number AJD-72223
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