Joshua Redman feat. Gabrielle Cavassa - Where Are We

September 12, 2023

Label: Blue Note Records, 2023

Personnel - Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone; Gabrielle Cavassa: vocals, guitar (#13); Aaron Parks: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; Brian Blade: drums // Guests - Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar (#2); Joel Ross: vibraphone (#3); Nicholas Payton: trumpet (#6); Peter Bernstein: guitar (#7).

Esteemed American saxophonist Joshua Redman has harnessed significant inspiration during pandemic times and conceived his first album with vocals. Teaming up with New Orleans-based vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, one of the brightest new discoveries in vocal jazz, and bringing together a trusty new rhythm section of Aaron Parks on piano, Joe Sanders on bass and Brian Blade on drums, Redman creates an engrossing conceptual album that takes us on a journey across cities and regions of the US. On selected tracks, four jazz heavyweights join the core ensemble as guests to pay homage to their respective cities.

The ride begins brilliantly with “After Minneapolis”, the sole Redman composition, which contains excerpts of Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song “This Land is Your Land”. The saxist starts unaccompanied, squeezing notes with dramatic expression before Park's stealthy entrance. Then it’s Cavassa who injects warmth and vulnerability, having Sanders working in parallel. The hitherto composed atmosphere is shaken by rhythmic kicks followed by an irresistible harmonic flow over which Redman dishes out a scene-stealing solo packed with energy.

The following couple of tracks feature amazing guests. The firm rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia” is elevated by an unassisted preface by guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, who shows off his flexible fingers. Cavassa sings over Blade’s impeccable beat, with Parks and Sanders joining a minute later to generate a temperate propulsive funky groove. “Chicago Blues” is an expert assemblage of Count Basie’s smooth swing classic “Goin' to Chicago Blues” and several motifs drawn from “Chicago” by the indie pop multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens. With an emotional Moby-like piano pattern at the base, it highlights the always-to-the-point mallet work of vibraphonist Joel Ross.

The remaining two pieces with guests are “Do You Know What Means to Miss New Orleans”, a cool vehicle showcasing an expressive Nicholas Payton trumpet statement as well as Redman’s distinguished phraseology; and “Manhattan”, a wonderful tune that shines brightly with the presence of guitarist Peter Bernstein. He and the bandleader alternate sections of the main melody with gusto.

Heading Northeast, “That’s New England” keeps its airily sweet balladic tone even while instilling excerpts from 20th-century modernist composer Charles Ives’ “Three Places in New England”. The Southeastern state of Alabama is a required stop as a saxophone intro leads to the standard “Stars Fell on Alabama”, delivered as a sax/vocals duet, and then ends in John Coltrane’s “Alabama”, a soul-stirring escape that explores a bit more off the limits, into abstract modalism.

Where Are We is another compelling offering from a marvelous saxophonist who found the perfect singer to fly with.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - After Minneapolis ► 07 - Manhattan ► 12 - Alabama

Joshua Redman Quartet - LongGone

September 22, 2022

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2022

Personnel - Joshua Redman: tenor and soprano saxophone; Brad Mehldau: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

The album RoundAgain (Nonesuch, 2020) marked the first release from the quartet led by saxophonist Joshua Redman in 26 years. The heavyweights in question - pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade - loved the experience and were reconvened by Redman for a new outing, LongGone, which features six of his originals: five new compositions and a revisitation of a classic included in his acclaimed album MoodSwing (Warner, 1994).

The album opens with the title track, which, developing in a more traditional vein, doesn’t take the listeners long to realize that these joining forces really sound splendidly. With a nature that nods to the Great American Songbook, the piece showcases full-bodied tenor playing, the force of the bass drive, coruscating drumming, and elegant piano comping. Mehldau’s super-groovy solo ride is particularly ravishing.

The ensemble maintains the high levels on “Disco Ears”, with Redman blowing the main melody on soprano in parallel with Mehldau. The piece moves forward with an invigorating friction that results from their meaningful communion. Yes, you can feel the excitement of disco, but also the mightiness of groovy jazz. Yet, the band never loses its cool. Another song that ingrains deeply in our minds is “Rejoice”, an old spectacle professed live with exultation and joy. It sounds better than ever, combining blues-intoned pride and Americana-inspired groove. The opulent bass figure that marks the pace is immediately supported by Mehldau’s left hand, and the improvs - constructed on top of both hard swinging and funkified motions - are simply hair-raising. Redman excels, cleverly strolling outside and often playing with rhythmic figures.

The rhythm section is also superlative on “Kite Song”, a 7/8 effort introduced by sax alone before the lead lines catch up with pulsating chords and a searching melody. The music takes a turn for the pensive with the sculptural “Statuesque”, whose strong hints of classical are bookended by deep chordal amazement and a tad of arco bass; and it also touches the blues with the waltzing “Ship to Shore”, featuring a top-notch solo by McBride that is as much stimulating as it is logical.

The passionate Redman and his brilliant cohorts continue to seek out creative paths within the limitless possibilities of the jazz universe.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Disco Ears ► 04 - Kite Song ► 06 - Rejoice

Joshua Redman / Brad Mehldau / Christian McBride / Brian Blade - RoundAgain

July 30, 2020

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2020

Personnel - Joshua Redman: tenor and soprano saxophones; Brad Mehldau: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

The super-quartet put together by saxophonist Joshua Redman 26 years ago is back, not as the latter’s quartet, but as a collective effort to which every member contributes compositions. Moodswing (Warner Bros., 1994) had been the sole Redman release featuring this lineup with Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade on drums, but now, on the brand new RoundAgain, the musicians relate to one another more than ever, and the ideas blossom comfortably with expected maturity and wider vision.

Compositionally, these artists display distinct characteristics, which become noticeable as we hear the seven tracks on the record - three by Redman, two by Mehldau and one each by McBride and Blade.

The saxophonist, tremendously melodic and often eclectic in the way he composes, contributes “Undertow” - the album’s opener is delivered in six - whose relaxed theme statement is slightly shaken by a B section demanding intervallic agility; “Right Back Round Again”, a central groovy piece with an R&B inclination and whose round melody immediately sticks in the ear; and “Silly Little Song”, an amiable pop-ish tune whose thrills come exclusively from the solos. If the former two pieces feature Redman stirring up excitement with improvisations where it’s almost impossible not to get swept by his impetuous eloquence, the latter is buoyed by a tenacious, strongly articulated statement by McBride, followed by the soulful, bluesy sensitivity of Mehldau, who has demonstrated an excellent handle in the crossover genre throughout his career. Redman gets the final vamp to speak out.

Penned by the pianist, the polyrhythmic “Moe Honk” indubitably requires teamwork. Leaping confidently during the theme, Mehldau occasionally reproduces Redman’s motif, and then swings hard during the improvisations. Everybody is given an opportunity to stretch out, and we can detect subtle influences of Monk, Brubeck, classical music, and even stride.

McBride’s “Floppy Diss” is a post-bop haven that finds a winning compromise between cool and snappy vibes. It features Redman on the soprano, and his clear-cut moves draw precious reactions from Mehldau. The latter also infuses his own statement with both rhythmic and harmonic sophistication.

The record closes out with Blade’s “Your Part To Play”, a suave and comforting slow-burner whose energy comes from within. Here, one can indulge in the scintillating cymbal work and distinctive snare drum sensibility of the drummer. The tune climaxes as the intensity reaches a peak.

When technically adroit players like these explore possibilities and push boundaries, they usually get interesting outcomes. Even if that’s the case here, the latest recordings from each member of this quartet, as solo leaders, are a notch above this collective outing.

Favorite Tacks:
01 - Undertow ► 02 - Moe Honk ► 07 - Your Part to Play

Joshua Redman - Come What May

September 11, 2019

Label: Nonesuch, 2019

Personnel - Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; Reuben Rogers: bass; Gregory Hutchinson: drums.

Renowned American saxophonist Joshua Redman certainly knows how to make a quartet sound great. And he currently leads more than one. The recently formed Still Dreaming group - with cornetist Ron Miles, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade - made its debut last year with satisfying results, but what we have in hands now is the third outing (the first in nearly two decades) from his older quartet. Besides Redman, Come What May features Aaron Goldberg on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. It’s hard to say which of the quartets sounds better, but it’s not so difficult to conclude that none of them is a redundant entry in the saxophonist’s impressive discography.

The cleverly-written “Circle of Life” opens the record exhibiting meticulous bass-piano unisons before settling into a propulsive, spirited, and mesmerizing 3/4 groove. Redman’s compositional inspiration strikes in the form of colorful layers and ostinato-fueled interactions, and his vibrant solo benefits from the impeccable support of the tight-knit rhythm team.

Goldberg, in particular, approaches the music with a lot of heart, which seems to give extra motivation to his colleagues in the rhythm section. That’s perceivable on the gently funkified “I’ll Go Mine”, where his marvelously dissonant chords band together with Hutchinson’s cool backbeat. Expertise and enlightenment are important aspects in the improvisations from piano and sax, with the soloists putting extra effort into a thrilling vamp accentuated by Redman's bracing phrases and Goldberg’s wide capacity to counterpoint.

Also incorporating a vamp, yet not at its tail end, “DGAF” boasts an argumentative folk melody that manages to clear some space for the drummer’s conversational fills. Ambling with a similar energy, the rhythmically elaborated “What We Do” is melodically dependent on a candid bluesy riff subjected to parallel movements. This is pure post-bop elasticity with shifts in key and swinging demand.

By allying sheer muscle and elegance within a refined eclectic posture, “Stagger Bear” provides one of the most exciting moments on the album. It upholds punctilious bass movements hand-in-hand with the pianist’s fairly active left hand, variable drumming intensities with segmented rock muscle, a soulful hip-hop piano vibe, and sax-piano staccatos. Saxophonist and pianist alternate bars throughout, showing that they speak the same language.

Both the title track and the closing number, “Vast”, are ballads of different nature. Whereas the former is a typical brushed waltz, the latter uses the curved shape of its melody and arpeggiated piano texture to immerse us in a sublime spiritual mood. Redman’s piercing notes yields a musical epiphany to be revisited.

This formidable body of work not only shows how mature this quartet grew throughout the years, but also how Redman strengthened and deepened his sound and style.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - I’ll Go Mine ► 06 - Stagger Bear ► 07 - Vast

Joshua Redman - Still Dreaming

July 11, 2018

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2018

Personnel - Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone; Ron Miles: cornet; Scott Colley: double bass; Brian Blade: drums.

After fruitful collaborations with The Bad Plus (2015) and Brad Mehldau (2016), virtuoso saxophonist/composer Joshua Redman releases his long-awaited studio album in the company of established cohorts Ron Miles on cornet, Scott Colley on bass, and his first choice drummer, Brian Blade.

Redman’s inspirations for Still Dreaming were his father and the avant-garde jazz quartet Old and New Dreams, whose members included Dewey Redman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell, all former sidemen of groundbreaking altoist Ornette Coleman. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the two covers on the album, Ornette’s “Comme Il Faut” and Haden’s untrammeled “Playing”, give us a wonderful taste of that generation. The former is tackled with reverence, unity, and a new feel, while the latter features impromptu interchanges between saxophone and cornet, a productive dialogue underpinned by the bowed bass. Once the drummer becomes active, the tune falls into a combustible pulse driven by a great sense of locomotion.

Colley contributes two compositions: the elated opener, “New Year”, is evocative of the band they got inspiration from, providing a disrupted folk-inflected melody in the A section and an ephemeral swinging flow in the B, as well as eight-bar trades between the bassist and the drummer, consolidating their unpretentious rhythmic communication. In turn, “Haze And Aspirations” is an affable, rhythmically brushed 3/4 piece introduced by unaccompanied bass and suffused with parallel moves, occasional counterpoint, and melodious statements.

Redman’s “Blues For Charlie” may be considered a chant, whose melody, first expressed by a solitary saxophone, is gradually thickened with bass and cornet in crescent unisons. With greater dynamics comes “Unanimity”, a grooving enchantment conceived by the bandleader who dives eloquently into his neo-bop versatility. On the contrary, Miles is never rushed, often using easy melody and notable motifs to give a clear-cut testimony.

Culminating the colorful sonic mosaic is the “The Rest”, initially a folkish, rubato piece that veers to a frank, emotional dialogue before invoking Ornette’s “Lonely Woman” in a razor-sharped finale. Built with earnestness, the foundation has Colley plucking and bowing while Blade mixes brushes and mallets for a wider tonality.

Simple structures, complex emotions; Still Dreaming emanates passion for another musical era and Redman, besides talking from the heart in his ear-catching improvisations, strengths the repertoire with an indefatigable sense of collectivity.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Unanimity ► 03 - Haze And Aspirations ► 06 - Playing

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau - Nearness

November 23, 2016

Joshua Redman: saxophone; Brad Mehldau: piano.

Only wonderful things could happen when the saxophonist Joshua Redman and the pianist Brad Mehldau, two longtime friends and creative minds of equal caliber, joined forces and let it out what their musical souls contain.
Recorded live during their European tour, Nearness touches an absolute emotional richness and its six duets - three originals and three covers - are to be cherished as real treasures.

This memorable celebration starts with Parker’s “Ornithology”, here transformed into a stylish neo-bop stretch that brings the flavors of the past mixed with a contemporary vision presented in the form of a superior musical wit.
The mood changes with Mehldau’s “Always August”, a beautiful tune that went straight under my skin, aiming to the heart with all its influential assertiveness. Heavenly piano chords carry a vital, soulful pulse from which is impossible to stay indifferent. Redman is an unconditional giver, fulfilling the spaces with clever melodic delineations while Mehldau is better than ever, lighting up a consistent fire that lasts from the first to the last minute.

If still among us, Thelonious Monk would be certainly grateful for the fantastic rendition of his tune “In Walked Bud”, which boasts distinguished variations. Sporadically, the improvisers throw in fragments of the original’s main theme, permitting us to recognize the tune without falling in the obvious. Mehldau’s piano work attains a perfect balance through the inspiring and complementary sounds extracted by his left and right hands. By the end, the duo embarks on trades of eight, and then four bars, letting me more and more speechless with the coherence of their conversations.

The melancholy insinuated in the title “Mehlsancholy Mode” is only true until a certain point. In truth, I felt more alert than ever, in an attempt to absorb every idea suggested and the prompt responses that arrived from the other side.
Following “The Nearness of You”, a renowned jazz standard played with tasteful intimacy, we have Mehldau’s “Old West” whose pop music connotations are totally appropriate to conclude. This tune insists in cyclic harmonic sequences and unobscured melodies, evolving to irresistible solos that sweep the sky, whether as soft breezes or controlled wind gusts.

Mature, freeing and sophisticated, Nearness is a colossal record that will spin for a long time around here. I hope you can also feel this vibrant nearness that Redman and Mehldau are now sharing with the world.

Favorite Tracks:
02 – Always August ► 03 – In Walked Bud ► 06 – Old West