Rick Evans
& The Masters of Jazz
Visit Rick's Website
Born in Harlem, New York in 1933, Rick began his singing career in church. He also sang in his school plays and musicals. He grew up a couple of blocks from the Cotton Club. Rick would hang around there and listen to the acts of Billie Eckstein, Joe Williams, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and many other performers appearing there. He would then go home and entertain his aunt and other family members with the same music he had listened to there.
While stationed in Korea, he performed with the USO troops and also with the base entertainment group. While there, he performed with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, Bob Hope Troupe, and the many USO shows. While in the Philippines, Rick performed with the USO shows and then in Thailand he performed with the "Malaysian Trio" and again entertained the troops as well as public audiences. Rick always had a group to perform with when he was stationed stateside. He performed in Officer's Clubs and NCO clubs throughout the United States.
Rick was given the nickname "Panama Jack". He earned the distinction of being named "Male Vocalist of the Year” 4 years at Jazz Central, were he performs regularly on Sunday nights. He has performed with the Jazz Central Big Band, Johnny Mack Super Big Band, and Gem City Jazz Big Band. Rick founded the Masters of Jazz nearly 6 years ago and he says without Jim and Vinnie he would never have made it.
Rick and his group are currently working on 2 other CD's and plan to release them in early September.
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