First Avenue co-founder Oliver Smallman is off to a strong start with his new venture Evolve Records after striking a licensing deal with Serious/Universal for its first release, Andrea Brown's Trippin'.

The new company is a partnership between Smallman, who split with First Avenue co-founder Dennis Ingoldsby at the beginning of this year, and veteran artist manager Trenton Harrison.

"Trenton and I have been friends for years throughout the life of First Avenue and both share a common love of ...