Jazz virtuoso Norman Evans has played with a variety of well-known musicians, and it is a tribute to his own excellence as a performer and musician that he can produce albums like Retrospective. Although he plays all the instruments on the CD, Norman Evans’ Retrospective sounds like a full band, juicing and bopping along with lively interplay that you’d swear was coming from a full ensemble. That may sound like a toss-off comment, but there is some subtle intelligence at work when one player cannot only create every sound in the band, but can make those sounds seem to interact with one another. That kind of performing opens up whole new realms of genius. The CD is loaded with sounds reminiscent of Joe Sample and The Crusaders on such tunes as “Chapel West,” “Summer Heat,” “Conquistador” and “Wizard.” The melodies are catchy and the rhythms infectious on nearly every tune. With 14 songs jammed onto one CD, that’s a lot of good sound for your dollar. According to the bio at his site (www.diswho.com) Mr. Evans was born in Danbury, Connecticut and spent most of his formative years in New Haven, a city alive with all artistic disciplines flourishing. He says that “New York ‘cats’ would come up to jam, bringing promising musicians down to the city.” If you’re wondering as to his qualifications, Mr. Evans’ bonafides are in perfect order, having opened for a number of national artists—Spyro Gyra, George Howard, Pieces of a Dream, Gerald Alston, Miles Jaye. Exciting, energetic, blissful music possessed of a melodic soul, Retrospective is a CD worthy of adding to any jazz enthusiast’s collection.