"Charles Evans is an American baritone saxophonist based in New York, who specializes in chromatic improvisation/composition and traditional jazz. Evans has been a member of the New York City creative music community since 2002, when he moved to the city after graduation from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He then went on to earn a Master's in Jazz Performance from Queens College, as well as NYS teacher certification. He has studied with David Liebman, Julian Sparacino, Jim Buckley, the late Bill Zaccagni, Chris Farr, Ron Kerber, John Swana, Tony Miceli, George Garzone, Hamiet Bluiett, and Antonio Hart.

Charles has received rave reviews with five albums as a leader, including an all-baritone multi-layered record entitled, "The King of All Instruments," which received a 5 star review in Downbeat Magazine. He has also been included in both the Critics' and Readers' polls in the aforementioned magazine, in both the Rising Star and Baritone Saxophone categories. Live at St. Stephens received "Best New Release 2010 - Honorable Mention," in All About Jazz magazine. His upcoming CD will feature an original composition written for collaboration with his mentor David Liebman.

The baritonist has worked diligently to broaden the expressive range of his instrument, with specific care towards the difficult altissimo register as well as the application of chromatic improvisation/composition on the big horn. Musical projects include a chromatic/improvisational quartet with his mentor David Liebman, Ron Stabinsky, and Tony Marino; micro-tonal bebop in The Language Of with Peter Evans, Moppa Elliott, and Jan Roth, (It Needs It, No Relation) introspective duos with Neil Shah (Live at St. Stephens,) Erik Dutko (Ballads,) and Ron Stabinsky; and straight-ahead jazz with a former prized student in The David Jimenez Quintet.

Evans has been steadfast in his commitment to non-compromising music. To solve the obvious financial burden, he started a highly successful high school band program in Queens, NY. He places his teaching on equal footing with his artistic pursuits, and has learned that sharing his passion is just as meaningful as expressing personal music."

"A short biography from the artist:

I was born on September 13, 1978, the first son of David and Carolyn Elliott in Scranton, Pa. Incidentally, they named me Matthew Thomas Elliott, not Moppa. My parents are both college instructors and intense music lovers, so I was able to hear a lot of music growing up. After a brief introduction to the piano, I started to play the trombone in the sixth grade, and after deciding a few years later that I wanted to also play an instrument with strings, I was given an electric bass. When I was about 17, I fixed up my father's old acoustic bass in order to audition for a summer program. I then began to study the bass seriously with Pocono resident Tony Marino. In the fall of 1997, I enrolled in both Oberlin College and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music majoring in biology and Jazz bass performance in Oberlin's double-degree program. While there I was able to record my first CD, Pinpoint and to gain some experience playing in Cleveland OH for about 3 years. I was also fortunate enough to teach at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts for four summers. I finished school in the winter of 2001, and moved to New York City the following summer. Here in New York, I have been able to play and record with some great musicians and to continue teaching at St. Mary's High School."