What happens when a band tours relentlessly across continents, honing their craft in sold-out spots like Zebulon in LA, Jazz em Agosto in Lisbon, and NYC's Winter Jazz Fest? For Peter Evans' Being & Becoming, the result is 'Ars Ludicra'—their third studio outing, captured raw and radiant at New Jersey's iconic Van Gelder Studios in 2024. Out now on Evans' More is More Records, this 2025 release pulses with the quartet's hard-won synergy: Evans unleashing trumpet wizardry, piano flourishes, and electronics; Joel Ross shimmering on vibraphone and synth; Nick Jozwiak anchoring with bass and synth depth; and Michael Shekwoaga Ode driving the drums with unyielding fire. Guest flutist Alice Teyssier weaves ethereal lines into the orchestral swirl of "Images."
From the stadium-shaking blasts of "Malibu" to the eerie musique concrète drifts of "Pulsar" and Brazilian-tinged symphonics in "Images," the album explodes stylistic boundaries far beyond the symphonic introspection of their 2022 predecessor 'Ars Memoria.' Meticulous post-production by engineer Mike Pride polishes these labyrinthine charts into a tapestry of explosive dynamics and intimate revelations. A standout surprise: a symphonic reimagining of Russian folk-punk icon Yanka Dyagileva's "My Sorrow is Luminous," ballooned from raw lament to transcendent roar.
Each player shines with fierce individuality—Evans' pinpoint precision trading blows with Ross' vibraphone glow, Jozwiak's elastic grooves locking in with Ode's propulsive swing—yet they navigate the twists with elegant unity. It's a radical leap that honors the group's DNA: a 2017 Evans brainchild blending vast influences, from jazz fusion to experimental frontiers, across their self-titled 2020 debut and beyond.
Fresh off 2023-2024 jaunts through Europe and the West Coast, Being & Becoming charged forward into 2025 by welcoming Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey on drums. This augmented lineup has already stormed major U.S. and European festivals, with ambitious tours locked for 2026 and further. 'Ars Ludicra' isn't just documentation—it's a manifesto for perpetual becoming. Dive in and let the evolution wash over you.
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