When Soulive drummer Alan Evans decided to strike out on his own, he didn't stray too far from the sound that made his main gig so beloved of jazz hounds and jam-band connoisseurs. Like Soulive, the Alan Evans Trio mines the rich territory of the organ trio, with Beau Sasser manning the Hammond B3 and Danny Mayer on guitar. On the trio's debut, Drop Hop, Mayer's quick-wristed style evokes Bobby Womack's fluid style and John Scofield's tonal colorings. Sasser has studied the B3 gods, from Jimmy Smith to Richard "Groove" Holmes and beyond, and can make the console scream and percolate. Evans stays on top of it all, his effortless cool leaving room for the soloists with kinetic grace.
Check the Tape: The trio was in town in early May, making a stop at KDHX (88.1 FM)'s studios for an in-studio, video of which is worth studying via the station's YouTube channel.
