Ani DiFranco-Evolve

Throughout her career, Ani has never shied from pursuing new musical directions. On Evolve the singer/songwriter/guitarist continues to grow, incorporating a wide spectrum of sounds and ideas with the restless energy of a born innovator. "I'm especially excited about this record," Ani said, "'cause it's a realization of all of the work put in with my band, of a vision that developed along the way." Ani's evolution as a producer and arranger is evident throughout; the record is a seamless blend of lush, vibrant textures, courtesy of the talented and versatile musicians who toured with her for several years before her recent return to performing solo: Julie Wolf on keyboards, Hans Teuber on flute and reeds, Jason Mercer on bass, Daren Hahn on drums and Todd Horton, Ravi Best and Shane Endsley on brass. Ani's as comfortable as ever with her fellow musicians, and vice versa - Evolve is a carefully-crafted studio creation that still possesses the loose spontaneity of a live show. "We devel