Jon Evans (Tori Amos' Most Recent Bassist)

Jon lives here in the SF Bay Area. He is featured on a KILLER cd by L.A. pianist Michael Bluestein called "Ambient Soul." Jon plays great electric and upright bass and can be heard with saxist Mike Zilber, and singers Kitty Margolis and Jacqui Naylor, among many others.

 

I had to ressurect this thread. I really dug Jon's playing on Tori's "Scarlett's Walk album, and strongly urge you fellow TBers to buy the new Tori DVD "Welcome to Sunny Florida". Jon is amazing on this DVD and I believe he holds a place with the greats.

 

I really liked George Porter Jr on Boys for Pele, I've heard one of her live bassists overplaying, killing complete songs.

 

Really? Which era of Tori? Jutin Meldel Johnsan?

Jon Evans is a groove king if you ask me. I can't stand when a musician overplays myself.

 

Sethlow, I havn't seen the DVD. What bass does Jon play in it?

 

I met him once in SF. Seemed like a nice guy. He was playing in this band called Albino with my drummer. I think he was just doing it as a session player and wasn't permanently in the band. Though, nobody was ever permanently in that band. It recycled members constantly.

He has a recording studio in Berkeley, I think. My drummer recorded something there recently.

That's all I know.

- Dave

 

Jon Evans is the only bassist Tori has had at live shows, since she started touring with a band back in 1998 or so. So you must be talking about him.

I've been diggin on his groove for years now, being a big Tori fan myself. He and Matt Chamberlain make a killer team.

Jon Evans is or was also in a band called Redfish Bluefish. Some info here: http://www.racerrecords.com/RedfishBluefishBio.html

I've seen Jon playing a Tobias, Fender P fretless, and recently a Lakland 5 string. He also plays upright.

 

George Porter Jr., bass player for The Meters, was the bass player on Tori's album Boys for Pele but he never toured with her as far as I know. You can't beat George Porter though! He was great on that album.

 

Justin did tons of touring with her also IIRC.

Jon is playing a Lakland on the DVD...

 

Nope, he didn't. He appeared on a couple studio albums but has never toured with Tori. He was asked to do her first band tour in '98 and couldn't, so Jon Evans came in and has been her live bassist ever since.

 

I saw him play a Blue (quilt top?) Lakland on that VH1 performance a while back. I wonder if it's the same one.

A friend of mine lent a live concert he taped from Pay Per View, and Jon had 3 basses in rotation:

1. A fretless sunburst Fender Precision modified with a jazz bridge pickup.

2. A white Fender Jazz, looked newer, may have even been a deluxe model.

3. A 5 string Tobias, not sure of the model but it was the older style, not the MTD.

Sounded great no matter what he played. The opening groove the band was playing before Tori came out would have been worth the ticket price alone.

Oh yeah, his backline consisted of Eden and Acme cabinets, can't remember what amps.

I love all his bass lines on Tori's Venus double CD, both live and recorded.

 

he's recording with tori these days. i think.

 

Jon is playing a blue Lakland 5594, older tobias 5, and an eminence upright.

And there was someone that tori used before Jon that looked a lot like Justin. I am talking about the "boys for pele" era which involved some band shows and some touring. Like the shows she did on Letterman and Leno during that period around 96 97 NOT 98.

 

Pretty sure that was Justin.

Can you tell me if Jon's Lakland has a maple or a rosewood board? Thanks.

 

Very good player, I've seen him a couple times here in San Francisco with a Brazilian group called Boco Do Rio... they're playing tomorrow night at the Elbo Room, for anyone interested.

Played a Tobias 5-string, very nice phrasing and feel.

 

Ah. Well, a few TV appearances are one thing but a full-on tour is quite another! I remember seeing a couple shows, namely Leno and SNL in 1996 where there was a band with her. It was not her touring band though, because she didn't have one at the time. She only ever toured as a solo performer up until Choirgirl in '98. On the Pele ('96) tour she brought along guitarist Steve Caton to play some songs with her onstage. But there were no band shows. Trust me, I'm a Tori fanatic and I was one at that time too. when she was on Letterman she was solo.

Here she is on SNL in January '96. Looks like George Porter Jr. there.



This shot is from Jay Leno in Feb '96. Dunno who that is, maybe the guy from the house band.



Here's the first TV appearance she did in a year, on Letterman just prior to releasing and touring for Choirgirl Hotel in April '98 (Jon Evans on the left).



Anyway, I really dig Jon Evans! His playing on the live disc of To Venus And Back is simply wonderful.

 

I love Nordies and Laklands so thats pretty cool to see his Nordie. The FB on the Lakland is birdseye maple.

Lizzy, I like your website! I hope you find the footage of the possible Justin I am talking about. One of the times it was with a big ol upright I think.