Adriana Evans: Adriana Evans

Adriana Evans’ bloodline is reason enough to sample her self-titled debut (PMP/Loud/RCA 67509-2, 51:25). Pharaoh Sanders is her godfather, and her mother, Mary Stallings, sang with Basie and Gillespie. Fans of slept-on hip-hop (and there’s been plenty of that over the past few years) remember singer Adriana Evans from “Check the Vibe,” off Dred Scott’s Breakin’ Combs. Her solo release follows in that cut’s luminous footsteps; a breezy, buoyant trip that revisits-rather than expounds upon-the sounds of soul’s not so distant past. Evans’ attention to phrasing and timing separates her from the run of the mill hip-hop soulster; her work on the acoustic “Heaven” Scott’s electric keyboard and horn-spiced production returns the favor from Breakin’ Combs, leavening “Love is All Around” and “Hey Brother.” Though the soundscape can get monochromatic at times, it’s still a well-thought-out first effort for this rising vocal star.

Originally Published September 1, 1997