Also this issue:

Ghost in the Machine
Japanese psychedelia invades brains, raises spirits.
-A.D. Amorosi

Family Fugue
Orchestra 2001 puts the Crumbs back together.
-Peter Burwasser

The Gig

Jon Langford
-Paul Burress

Jello Biafra
-Patrick Rapa

Ryan Adams
-A.D. Amorosi

The Blind Boys of Alabama/ The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
-Sam Adams

The Chameleons
-Sam Adams

October 3- 9, 2002

music

Originators of the Species

The progenitors of progressive house sprout legs, go on tour.

by Sean O’Neal

Manchester duo Evolution have stayed true to their name. Jon Sutton and Barry Jamieson, best known for pumpin’ out innovative remixes of artists like John Digweed and BT, have been evolving together in the club world for about 13 years (sometimes under monikers like Arrakis, Bluefish, Escape and JB), with ambitions leaning more toward stylish than fashionable.

When asked why critics have deemed the veterans "originators of progressive house," Sutton replies with a chuckle. "We've been around a long time. I suppose the word Œprogressive' means Œto progress.' We don't like to think that we stand still. As the music changes, we like to change with it. Obviously, if you set yourself up with a name like ŒEvolution,' you have to do that."

In 1989, the twosome formed their first record label, Positive Vinyl, and released Sasha's first remix ever, "Came Out of Nowhere." By 1996, they launched the still-flourishing Fluid Recordings -- currently with over 40 releases by artists like Jimmy Van M, Taylor, Andy Ling, Cajun and Christian West. On Evolution's latest, the Unnatural Selection LP (Nettwerk America), they dish out a collage of euphoric, mesmerizing, energy-fused house cuts.

"We've written about 25 or 30 tracks," asserts Sutton. "We tried to put them together so you can listen to it in your car, or at home, or if you had a party at your house -- trying to get the right balance.... So we wanted that groove from one level, then just went through different levels to showcase different types of music that me and Barry are into and wanna put across as ŒEvolution' -- which is something you cannot do in a club."

It's tough for any electronic musician to keep up with the fast-changing pace of dance music, but Evolution welcomes the challenge. "We have to think about our career, our future, where music is, and I think you have to grow with your audience," says Sutton, who asserts the importance of not being short-sighted. "We just want to evolve with the music and the scene, and we want to still be making music like this in another 15 years."

Evolution, with Jimmy Van M and Tantrum residents, Wed., Oct. 9, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $10, Fluid, 613 S. Fourth St., 215-629-3686.