Joshua Redman & Gabrielle Cavassa - Where Are We

Styles: Saxofone Jazz, Vocal, Post Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:38
Size: 142,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:43) 1. After Minneapolis (face toward mo[u]rning)
(5:20) 2. Streets Of Philadelphia
(4:54) 3. Chicago Blues
(5:37) 4. Baltimore
(4:41) 5. By The Time I Get To Phoenix
(5:05) 6. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
(3:55) 7. Manhattan
(3:13) 8. My Heart In San Francisco (Holiday)
(4:47) 9. That’s New England
(0:16) 10. Alabama (intro)
(1:55) 11. Stars Fell On Alabama
(7:54) 12. Alabama
(5:10) 13. Where Are You?

After graduating from Berkeley High School in 1986, Joshua Redman (son of jazz legend Dewey Redman) won a full scholarship to Harvard, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1991. He was accepted at Yale Law School to become a lawyer. Instead, he embarked on a musical career which quickly turned luminous. He won the Thelonious Monk Institute's prestigious jazz saxophone competition in 1991, before moving to Brooklyn, becoming part of the thriving scene there. His debut album, Joshua Redman (Warner Brothers, 1993) was shortly followed by Wish (Warner Brothers, 1993), the latter with a band comprising Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins. Since then he has released over twenty albums in many different settings and is acknowledged as one of jazz's leading figures on tenor sax.

Where We Are is his debut on the Blue Note label. It is a thematic musical journey across the USA. Every track (except the title track which closes the record) references a city or geographic location. It also features vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa on nine of the album's twelve tracks.

The first stop is "After Minneapolis (face toward mo[u]rning)." On it, Redman begins by quoting the melody of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" before beginning a short exploration of the tune and ending with a long, sustained note which leads into the piano playing single chords on the downbeat. Cavassa starts singing the lyrics written by Redman which reference the George Floyd killing over a dirge-like melody. Three minutes in, the band explodes onto the scene and Redman explores the pain and chaos of that tragedy before returning to the melody.

The next destination is Bruce Springsteen's Oscar Award-winning lament "Streets Of Philadelphia" Guest Kurt Rosenwinkel adds his unique sound which introduces the song before Cavassa enters. The interplay between Redmond and Rosenwinkel is very effective as the tune later turns more bluesy.

At this point, the album turns problematic. The remaining seven vocal tracks continue to have a slow, sameness to them. They are all ballads sung in a similar, lilting manner. Cavassa sings them all in a style reminiscent of Melody Gardot with her rich, sultry tone. "Chicago Blues" adds the vibes of Joel Ross which only increases the softening effect. The band is always empathetic, trying to create the space for Cavassa's vocals. "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" is done even more slowly than the original. "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans" is also taken at a languid pace. Guest Nicholas Payton on trumpet, along with Redman, plays a coda where they jam together in a New Orleans style, adding a welcome change of pace.

"My Heart In San Francisco (Holiday)" is a mash-up of the Thelonious Monk tune and the standard Tony Bennett made famous. The twist with the Monk tune is very clever and works well but, once again, it is sung in the same manner as the others. "That's New England," "Stars Fell On Alabama" and "Where We Are" are more of the same. There is some differentiation in the arrangements of course, but not enough to change the overall vibe.

The saving grace of this album is the three instrumentals. "Baltimore" is a beautiful arrangement where Redman and pianist Aaron Parks get a chance to expound on the haunting melody in a post-bop manner. "Manhattan" by Rogers & Hart, is the swinging mid-tempo song on the album. Guest guitarist Peter Bernstein shows his bluesy skills before Redman turns it up a notch. It is the rare fun piece on the record. John Coltrane's classic "Alabama" is the album's standout track. Redman channels Coltrane by going inside out. He solos through the entire track, showing off his deep tone and intricate ideas.

In the liner notes, Redman explains, "On one level, this is an album 'about' America at once a celebration and a critique but it is also, to varying degrees, a ballads album, a standards album, an album of romantic longing, an album of social reflection, an album of melodic invention, an album of improvisational adventure, an album of mash-ups, perhaps even a tribute album of sorts."

The ironic thing is while all the titles refer to many of the various and diverse parts of the country, the songs selected for the vocals, along with Cavassa's singing style, are anything but. Taken individually, they are all lovely, well-sung and well-played performances. The contributions of the four guest stars add some sizzle to their respective tracks and Redman with his core quartet is always solid but, taken as a whole, this album is less than the sum of its parts. It could have been so much more. By Dave Linn
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/where-are-we-joshua-redman-blue-note-records

Personnel: Joshua Redman: saxophone; Gabrielle Cavassa: voice / vocals; Aaron Parks: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; Brian Blade: drums.

Additional Instrumentation: Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar (2); Peter Bernstein: guitar (7); Nicholas Payton: trumpet (6); Joel Ross: vibes: (3); Gabrielle Cavassa: guitar (13).

Where Are We

---

Joshua Redman, Brian Blade, Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau - LongGone

Styles: Saxophone, Piano Jazz, Post Bop

Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:16
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:21) 1. Long Gone
( 6:21) 2. Disco Ears
( 8:18) 3. Statuesque
( 6:00) 4. Kite Song
( 6:31) 5. Ship to Shore
(12:42) 6. Rejoice

The second album from Joshua Redman's reunited '90s quartet, 2022's LongGone is another warmly relaxed affair showcasing the group's seasoned sophistication. When they first debuted on 1994's Moodswing, they were a cadre of up-and-coming young lions. Almost 30 years later, the lineup of saxophonist Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade is essentially a supergroup of four of the most acclaimed and recognizable jazz musicians of their generation. It's not just that each of them are uber-talented improvisers, which is certainly true. It's that they've grown into four solo artists, primarily for their work as leaders, each with a distinctive and influential style of their own. All of which makes their decision to reunite (as they first did on 2020's RoundAgain) such a delightfully democratic surprise.

As with RoundAgain, there's a sense of jovial familiarity about LongGone, as if the quartet just picked up where they left off with MoodSwing. It's a vibe that's particularly apparent on "Kite Song," a rambling composition with a spindly Paul Desmond-esque melody that nicely evokes the title as Redman and Mehldau tumble as if through clouds, dipping into jaunty swing, folky asides, flourishes of atonal classicism. Also engaging, the opening title track is a tough midtempo swinger in which Redman dances with lithe athleticism over McBride and Blade's fat trampoline groove. We also get "Disco Ears," a wicked modal swinger in the late-'60s hard bop style, while the classical-inflected ballad "Statuesque" moves with spare, stentorian reverence as if the band are playing to a black-and-white slideshow of images from their past. Most of LongGone feels deeply organic, with Redman and his bandmates feeding off each other and working to build something cohesive and bigger than their individual contributions.By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/longgone-mw0003772896

Personnel: Joshua Redman (saxophone), Brad Mehldau (piano), Christian McBride (bass), and Brian Blade (drums)

LongGone

---

Dave Brubeck - Young Lions & Old Tigers

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:28
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. Roy Hargrove
(2:33)  2. How High the Moon
(4:57)  3. Michael Brecker Waltz
(3:27)  4. Here Comes McBride
(3:51)  5. Joe Lovano Tango
(7:52)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(6:22)  7. Joshua Redman
(5:43)  8. Together
(6:59)  9. Moody
(4:46) 10. Gerry-Go-Round
(6:43) 11. Ronnie Buttacavoli
(4:41) 12. Deep in a Dream

To celebrate his 75th birthday, Dave Brubeck recorded one number apiece with quite a variety of top jazz stars, both young and old. Some of the performances (which alternate duets with quartets) work better than others (eight are recent Brubeck compositions) but all of the musicians display mutual respect, and it is obvious that the guests are all fans of the still-masterful pianist. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove plays beautifully on his lyrical feature but Jon Hendricks, who sings "How High the Moon" as a ballad, takes it at such a slow tempo as to be dreary. Tenor-saxophonist Michael Brecker is fine on "Michael Brecker Waltz," although he sounds a bit restrained, the wittily-titled "Here Comes McBride" is a good-humored romp with bassist Christian McBride; Joe Lovano (on tenor) works well with Brubeck, and particularly memorable is the first meeting on record between Brubeck and fellow pianist George Shearing, with a chance-taking interpretation of "In Your Own Sweet Way." 

Joshua Redman performs fine hard bop on one song, "Together," is a well-conceived duet for baritonist Gerry Mulligan and Brubeck, James Moody plays tenor, sings, and yodels on the minor blues "Moody," Mulligan returns for the contrapuntal "Gerry-Go-Round," and, although the obscure flugelhornist Ronnie Buttacavoli sounds very out of place on his boring feature, the set closes with one of the strongest performances, a solo piano showcase for Brubeck on "Deep in a Dream." Overall, this is quite a mixed bag but, even with its occasional misses, the CD is a must for Dave Brubeck fans, because the pianist is consistently inventive throughout the unusual set. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/young-lions-old-tigers-mw0000176313

Personnel: Dave Brubeck (piano); James Moody (vocals, tenor saxophone); Jon Hendricks (vocals); Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Ronnie Buttacavoli (flugelhorn); George Shearing (piano); Chris Brubeck (electric bass); Christian McBride, Jack Six (bass); Randy Jones (drums).

Young Lions & Old Tigers

---

Ray Brown - Some of My Best Friends Are Sax Players

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:28
Size: 171,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. How High the Moon
(4:42) 2. Love Walked In
(6:36) 3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(3:48) 4. Crazeology
(6:18) 5. Port of Rico (Stanley Turrentine)
(5:23) 6. Moose the Mooche (Jesse Davis)
(6:14) 7. Easy Living
(4:09) 8. Just You, Just Me (Joshua Redman)
(5:31) 9. Fly Me to the Moon
(7:08) 10. (When it's) Sleepytime Down So
(5:59) 11. These Foolish Things
(6:59) 12. God Bless the Child (Stanley Turrentine)
(0:54) 13. In Conversation with Joe Lovano
(1:05) 14. In Conversation with Benny Carter
(0:31) 15. In Conversation with Stanley Turrentine
(0:27) 16. In Conversation with Jesse Davis
(0:28) 17. In Conversation with Joshua Redman
(0:43) 18. In Conversation with Ralph Moore

As a follow-up to bassist Ray Brown's previous record in which he collaborated with several of his favorite pianists, Some of My Best Friends Are...The Sax Players features six major saxophonists (tenors Joe Lovano, Ralph Moore, Joshua Redman and Stanley Turrentine plus altoists Benny Carter and Jesse Davis) on two songs apiece with his regular trio. Although more than 60 years separate the ageless Carter from Redman, each of the saxes originally developed their own voice in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. Highlights of the colorful set include Benny Carter's playful rendition of "Love Walked In," Moore's cooking solo on "Crazeology" (a Benny Harris bop classic which the record mistakenly lists as written by Bud Freeman), Davis ripping through "Moose the Mooche" and Turrentine's romp on the blues "Port of Rico."

Pianist Benny Green and drummer Gregory Hutchinson provide suitable accompaniment (Green's solos are consistently excellent) and all dozen of the songs are successful and swinging. As an extra bonus, on the latter part of the CD each of the saxophonists has a brief chat (between 26 seconds and a minute apiece) with Brown about their early influences. There is so much good feeling and obvious mutual respect shown that one wishes these talks were at least twice as long; the Benny Carter segment is most memorable.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/some-of-my-best-friends-arethe-sax-players-mw0000184898

PERSONNEL: RAY BROWN, bass; BENNY GREEN, piano; GREGORY HUTCHINSON, drums

With: BENNY CARTER & JESSE DAVIS, alto sax; JOE LOVANO, RALPH MOORE, JOSHUA REDMAN & STANLEY TURRENTINE, tenor sax

Some of My Best Friends Are Sax Players

---

Joe Lovano - Tenor Legacy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:34
Size: 154,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Miss Etna
(6:45)  2. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
(5:36)  3. Blackwell's Message
(4:34)  4. Laura
(9:07)  5. Introspection
(7:01)  6. In The Land Of Ephesus
(9:05)  7. To Her Ladyship
(5:54)  8. Web Of Fire
(8:21)  9. Rounder's Mood
(3:33) 10. Bread And Wine

Joe Lovano welcomes Joshua Redman to his sextet set (which also features pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Lewis Nash and percussionist Don Alias) and, rather than jam on standards, Joe Lovano composed five new originals, revived three obscurities and only chose to perform two familiar pieces. By varying the styles and instrumentation (for example "Bread and Wine" does not have piano or bass), Lovano has created a set with a great deal of variety and some surprising moments. The two tenors (who have distinctive sounds) work together fine and some chances are taken. This matchup works well.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tenor-legacy-mw0000109784

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Liner Notes – Joe Lovano;  Tenor Saxophone – Joshua Redman;  Bass – Christian McBride ; Drums – Lewis Nash;  Piano – Mulgrew Miller

Tenor Legacy

---

Aaron Goldberg - Turning Point

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:47
Size: 126,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. Fantasy in D
(7:37)  2. Turning Point
(6:23)  3. Turkish Moonrise
(6:13)  4. Jackson's Actions
(7:39)  5. The Shadow of Your Smile
(6:12)  6. Con Alma
(6:14)  7. Head Trip
(8:24)  8. Mom's Tune

A beautifully recorded session that really percolates. This is essentially a quartet date (Goldberg, Turner, Rogers, Harland) with Josh Redman sitting in for Turner on “The Shadow of Your Smile,” Cook adding wordless vocals on “Fantasy in D” and “Mom’s Tune,” and Kalé making it a quintet on “Jackson’s Actions.” There’s one trio track, Dizzy Gillespie’s luminous “Con Alma,” and Goldberg moves to Fender Rhodes on “Jackson’s Actions” and “Mom’s Tune.” Goldberg, a protégé of Betty Carter who turns 25 this month, plays with remarkable maturity and insight for one so relatively young. For comparison’s sake only, he reminds me of Benny Green, whereas Turner brings to mind Joe Henderson. One has the feeling when listening to Goldberg that while the building blocks are firmly in place, he’s flying by the seat of his pants, and it’s that sense of spontaneity and surprise which frames the core of Jazz, after all  that makes what he has to say so consistently absorbing. He’s a capable writer too, and that’s a good thing, as five of the selections on Turning Point are his including the lovely ballad “Turkish Moonrise,” the quirky “Head Trip” and easygoing “Mom’s Tune.” Johnny Mandel wrote “Shadow of Your Smile,” Cedar Walton the picturesque “Fantasy in D.” Rogers and Harland were new names to me, but they’re a solid yet unassuming duo, and based on this performance we should be hearing much more from them. Redman’s name, on the other hand, is well known in Jazz circles, his reputation is widening, and it says something for Goldberg’s talent that he’s now a member of Redman’s working quartet. But a more convincing snapshot of that blossoming talent is embodied within this album, which marks an impressive debut for an up and coming young Jazz artist. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/turning-point-aaron-goldberg-j-curve-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Aaron Goldberg: piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano (4, 8); Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (7); Reuben Rogers: acoustic bass; Eric Harland: drums; Carla Cook: vocals (1, 8); Karsh Kale: tablas (4).

Turning Point

---

Brad Mehldau - Highway Rider Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Highway Rider Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:17
Size: 95,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. John Boy
(8:40)  2. Don't Be Sad
(1:07)  3. At the Tollbooth
(7:45)  4. Highway Rider
(8:21)  5. The Falcon Will Fly Again
(4:05)  6. Now You Must Climb Alone
(8:00)  7. Walking the Peak

---

Album: Highway Rider Disc 2

Time: 62:52

Size: 144,5 MB

(12:28)  1. We'll Cross the River Together

( 5:20)  2. Capriccio

( 6:24)  3. Sky Turning Grey (For Elliott Smith)

( 7:36)  4. Into the City

( 8:28)  5. Old West

( 6:19)  6. Come with Me

( 6:20)  7. Always Departing

( 9:52)  8. Always Returning

For a pianist who not only demonstrated remarkable promise, but actually began delivering on it at a very early stage in his career with what would ultimately become his five-part Art of the Trio (Warner Bros.) series, Brad Mehldau's side projects have with the exception of the solo Live in Tokyo (Nonesuch, 2004) met with mixed reactions. Perhaps it's because of his emergence as one of modern jazz's most distinctive and popular interpreters of both contemporary song and standard material in a trio setting, that placed unfair expectations on seemingly tangential projects like the concept-based Places (Warner Bros, 2000). The unexpected diversion of Largo (Warner Bros., 2002), in particular, was met with some curiosity as, for the first time, Mehldau expanded into larger musical environs electrified territories, even with acclaimed producer/multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion (Kanye West, Robyn Hitchcock, Aimee Mann). Highway Rider reunites Mehldau with Brion for an album that's even more ambitious than Largo and, despite their first collaboration's many strong points, a far more successful one. Mehldau's recent work writing for orchestra The Brady Bunch Variations for Orchestre Natonal D'Îsle-de-France, and the song-cycle Love Sublime (Nonesuch, 2006), with soprano René Fleming, amongst others has clearly given Mehldau the confidence to find, with Highway Rider, a nexus point where form-based improvisation and through-composition meet. Based around the preexisting chemistry of his regular trio with bassist FLY and drummer Jeff Ballard, but expanding to a quintet with longtime friend Joshua Redman on saxophones and, back from Largo, drummer Matt Chamberlain, Highway Rider is a double-disc suite that's as much a soundtrack to an imaginary film as anything Mehldau's ever done. It's also the most fully realized original music the pianist has written to date, as unequivocally American as Aaron Copland, Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, despite citing the influence of European Romantics like Strauss, Brahms and Tchaikovsky, in addition to more eclectic sources. Mehldau's voice as a composer has been gradually emerging with original music contributed to trio recordings like Live (Nonesuch, 2008) and House on Hill (Nonesuch, 2006), but with Highway Rider, Mehldau the composer has clearly arrived. What distances Highway Rider from stereotypical (and often saccharine) "jazz with strings" projects with Dan Coleman leading a chamber orchestra on much of the disc is the sense of immediacy that Brion has achieved by recording the orchestra and jazz quintet together one of Mehldau's original goals for the project. This isn't a jazz quintet blowing and an orchestra then layered over top; this is fully integrated music, where the soloing is as spontaneous as it needs to be, even when the orchestra creates a firm and fixed foundation. Mehldau's solo on the first half of "We'll Cross the River Together" builds to an idiosyncratic, block chord-driven climax, but it's his orchestration which turns this relatively simple, repeating set of eight chords into a masterful tour de force that's not only one of Highway Rider's most dramatic moments, but one that then resolves into one of its most tender interludes. A second half, with gradually building tension from the strings and the turbulent double-drumming of Ballard and Chamberlain, leads to a second climax of equal strength, this time courtesy of Redman.

As lush as Mehldau's orchestration is throughout Highway Rider, he knows how to create a narrative arc through dynamics and breaking the ensemble down. "Capriccio" starts with nothing more than piano though, as ever, Mehldau's virtuosity leads to the belief that it's being played by two hands until an emergent melody makes it clear he's playing it with only one. Hand percussion quite literally, with clapping driving much of the tune and Redman's soprano develop the theme until Mehldau takes over for a brief but quirky solo, sounding not unlike Oregon in instrumentation, but absolutely unlike it in Mehldau's voicings, which turn another deceptively simple, descending four-chord structure into something else entirely. Similarly, "The Falcon Will Fly Again," a longer piece but, again, with drastically reduced instrumentation, leads from lengthy piano and saxophone solos to a theme sung by members of the group and The Fleurettes, and an ending that dissolves into some relaxed banter amongst the group that makes it clear that as serious as much of this music sounds, it's being made by a group of people who are having fun. Sonically, Highway Rider bears some resemblance to Largo, in particular Mehldau's use of pump organ, synth and orchestral bells on certain tracks, but it feels somehow more natural and better integrated this time around. Perhaps the more focused compositional approach of the album makes its expanded use of texture work more naturally. Despite breaks between songs, the music flows and feels like a continuous suite, and is certainly best experienced as such. The folkloric piano solo, "At the Tollbooth," acts as a brief interlude between the slower-tempo of "Don't Be Sad," with hints of gospel driving its form, and the title track, a more propulsive trio tune with subtle aural enhancements creating a soft cushion beneath Mehldau's extended solo. "Into the City" also narrows the focus down to Mehldau's trio, with Grenadier doubling, alternately, the pianist's left and right hands on a knotty, riff-based tune that may reduce the album's broader textural expanse, but demonstrates just how vibrant and progressive this working trio is, with Ballard almost literally on fire. As Mehldau combines in-the-moment playing with carefully structured form, and repeated chordal and melodic motifs that continue to resurface throughout Highway Rider's 100 minutes, the album builds to a climax on "Always Returning," before ending on a softer, tone-poem note that incorporates Mehldau's inherent classicism and somehow, on repeated listens, brings Highway Rider full circle. The music may bear no real resemblance to it, but in scope Highway Rider is Mehldau's Secret Story (Nonesuch, 1992), a fan favorite for Pat Metheny and a milestone in terms of ambition and scope until the guitarist reached a new level with The Way Up (Nonesuch, 2005) and, most recently, Orchestrion (Nonesuch, 2010). It's no coincidence, then, that Mehldau and his trio collaborated with Metheny on Metheny Mehldau (Nonesuch, 2006) and Quartet (Nonesuch, 2007). That the pianist's overall career choice focusing largely as he has on solo and trio works has been almost diametrically opposed to Metheny's greater compositional ambitions and orchestrations seems somehow less so now, with the release of Highway Rider. In its almost perfect mix of form and freedom, Highway Rider manages to be both Mehldau's most personal and most broad-scoped album to date, and surely one that will remain a classic amongst his discography, no matter what's to come. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brad-mehldau-highway-rider-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Brad Mehldau (piano); Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone); Jeff Ballard , Matt Chamberlain (drums).

Highway Rider Disc 1 And Disc 2

---

Sam Yahel Trio - Truth And Beauty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:10
Size: 137.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[7:57] 1. Truth And Beauty
[7:24] 2. Man O' War
[5:00] 3. Check Up
[6:55] 4. Bend The Leaves
[7:52] 5. Saba
[4:46] 6. Night Game
[8:14] 7. Child Watching
[4:26] 8. A Paz
[7:31] 9. Festinhas

Drums – Brian Blade; Electric Organ [Hammond B3] – Sam Yahel; Tenor Saxophone – Joshua Redman.

Besides showcasing organist Sam Yahel's talents as a composer, "Truth And Beauty" highlights the easy rapport Sam, saxophonist Joshua Redman and drummer Brian Blade have developed over the last six years. Compositions by Paul Simon, Ornette Coleman and Gilberto Gil round out the project beautifully, helping to expand the frontiers of the classic organ trio. Yahel has played and/or recorded with Benny Golson, Maceo Parker, Lou Donaldson, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Joe Lovano and many others. He performed and was a producer on Joshua Redman's Grammy nominated recording "Momentum." He has three recordings out as a leader and recently won Downbeat's poll of "Rising Star" on the organ for the third straight year.

Truth And Beauty mc
Truth And Beauty zippy

---

Joshua Redman - Still Dreaming (Feat. Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade)

Size: 93,0 MB
Time: 39:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. New Year (6:36)
02. Unanimity (5:08)
03. Haze And Aspirations (5:57)
04. It's Not The Same (2:44)
05. Blues For Charlie (6:50)
06. Playing (3:17)
07. Comme Il Faut (3:26)
08. The Rest (5:55)

Joshua Redman is one of the greatest saxophonists of our time. He has guested Norway on several occasions, collaborated with Norwegian musicians, and played sell-out concerts at Oslo Jazz Festival and at Victoria – most recently in 2013. This year you can see him here performing in several different line-ups during the festival season, but if you wish to see him playing on this particular project together with Brian Blade, Ron Miles and Scott Colley, you’ll need to look in at the Oslo Jazz Festival.

A homage to both past and future, Joshua Redman’s Still Dreaming is a tribute to this father, the saxophonist Dewey Redman. The songs are inspired by his father’s Old and New Dreams quartet featuring Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell. To perform these numbers Redman has put together a veritable dream team consisting of Brian Blade on drums, Scott Colley on bass and Ron Miles on trumpet.

Still Dreaming

---

John Hicks - Friends Old and New

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:11
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:54)  1. Hicks Tone
(5:56)  2. I Want to Talk About You
(5:00)  3. Bop Scotch
(6:32)  4. True Blue
(6:43)  5. It Don't Mean a Thing
(7:29)  6. Nutty
(6:25)  7. Makin' Whoopee
(5:08)  8. Rosetta

'92 session with pianist John Hicks playing in various combo settings with some excellent musical associates. Bassist Ron Carter, tenor saxophone dynamo Joshua Redman, trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Al Grey, and drummer/vocalist Grady Tate are among the friends who join Hicks for some powerhouse numbers.~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/friends-old-and-new-mw0000611938  

Personnel:  John Hicks – piano;  Greg Gisbert – trumpet;  Clark Terry – trumpet;  Al Grey – trombone;  Joshua Redman – tenor sax;   Ron Carter – bass;  Grady Tate – drums

Friends Old and New

---

Roy Haynes - Love Letters

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. The Best Thing For You
(6:28)  2. That Old Feeling
(7:15)  3. Afro Blue
(7:31)  4. Que Pasa?
(6:33)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(7:42)  6. Love Letters
(5:46)  7. My Shining Hour
(7:13)  8. Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:18)  9. Shades Of Senegal 2

At 77, Roy Haynes is agile, active and still draws a stellar cast of musicians. Those represented on this recording span a generation, and each one endows the music with his own vivid imprint. The division between the players as partners in the adventure of music draws on their strengths and their pliability within the working environ. The chemistry gets going, bonds are forged and a song is given a whole new dynamic. The end result is a veritable feast for the senses. Guitarist John Scofield settles comfortably in the mainstream as he gets into "That Old Feeling," his notes falling in gentle beauty before Dave Holland come in speaking his own language and turning down the tempo slightly. Scofield comes back, picking up the sway with straight ahead explorations before handing things over to Kikoski. Here is a pianist who is completely focused, his playing without fuss yet chockfull of endearing ideas. Haynes, Holland and Scofield etch quite a different picture on "Afro Blue." Scofield spins rhythmic complexities that are invigorated by Holland. The momentum builds and when the tune has been fully essayed, the experience is riveting. Kenny Barron is an elegant and eloquent pianist. He is perfectly cast in the mould, scintillating in the denouement of "The Best Thing For You," with Redman essaying a liquid tenor study in shaded dynamics. The trade-offs between the two on "My Shining Hour" are something to yearn for; McBride, who opens in harmonic closeness on the arco with Redman, gets his say with a lyrical essay in the synthesis of time. Haynes has it all to himself on the last track. His use of timbre, his shading, the accents forge his vision. His control, now as ever, is absolute.~ Jerry D'Souza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-letters-roy-haynes-eighty-eights-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Roy Haynes: drums; Kenny Barron: piano (1, 4, 5, 7); Dave Holland: bass (2, 3, 6, 8); Dave Kikoski: piano (2, 8); Christian McBride: bass (1, 4, 5, 7); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (1, 4, 7); John Scofield: guitar (2, 3, 6, 8).

Love Letters

---

Yo-Yo Ma - Songs Of Joy & Peace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 79:41

Size: 182.4 MB

Styles: Classical crossover

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Dona Nobis Pacem

[3:29] 2. You Couldn't Be Cuter (Feat. Diana Krall)

[3:43] 3. Joy To The World (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[2:50] 4. Here Comes The Sun (Feat. James Taylor)

[2:57] 5. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)

[2:37] 6. The Wassail Song All Through The Night

[3:47] 7. A Christmas Jig Mouth Of The Tobique Reel (Feat. Natalie Macmaster)

[4:20] 8. The Wexford Carol (Feat. Alison Krauss)

[3:06] 9. Panxoliña A Galician Carol (Feat. Cristina Pato)

[0:58] 10. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Sergio Assad)

[3:25] 11. Vassourinhas

[2:32] 12. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:53] 13. Invitación Al Danzón (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:07] 14. My One And Only Love (Feat. Joshua Redman)

[3:57] 15. Familia

[4:31] 16. Concordia (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[6:30] 17. My Favorite Things (Feat. Chris Botti)

[4:36] 18. Touch The Hand Of Love (Feat. Renée Fleming)

[3:26] 19. Kuai Le

[5:02] 20. This Little Light Of Mine (Feat. Amelia Zirin-Brown)

[4:46] 21. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

[1:58] 22. Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) Auld Lang Syne (Feat. Chris Botti)

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long been a giant in the classical world, though he has also made a number of recordings with musicians who play other styles. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite Dona nobis pacem (Give Us Peace), playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure "You Couldn't Be Cuter," adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of Joy to the World features pianist Dave Brubeck, cellist Matt Brubeck (his son), and clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera in a playful setting that works in The Christmas Song and On the Trail. The senior Brubeck's Concordia is filled with spirit in a lively performance with the two cellists. Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of My Favorite Things, playing both open and muted trumpet, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Billy Kilson, and guitarist Romero Lubambo. Ma has previously collaborated with bassist Edgar Meyer (who is equally at home in jazz and classical music), though this is the cellist's first meeting with mandolinist Chris Thile. Together they make an impressive trio, especially in the enticing medley of The Wassail Song and All Through the Night. Soprano Renée Fleming's rich voice is beautifully complemented by Ma, Meyer, and Thile. Having worked with onetime bluegrass fiddler Mark O'Connor, Ma is very much at home with Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster in the lively medley of A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel. Among the other friends featured on this disc are the Assad Family, Wu Tong & the Silk Road Ensemble, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, plus Alison Krauss with piper Christina Pato. One track doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of this CD. The Beatles' bland "Here Comes the Sun" has a warm vocal by James Taylor, but it is hampered by its weak lyrics. ~Ken Dryden

Songs Of Joy & Peace

---

                                                                                   

Joshua Redman Quartet - MoodSwing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 160,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:43)  1. Sweet Sorrow
( 7:43)  2. Chill
(11:12)  3. Rejoice
( 4:33)  4. Faith
( 5:05)  5. Alone In The Morning
( 5:50)  6. Mischief
( 5:43)  7. Dialogue
( 5:12)  8. The Oneness Of Two (In Three)
( 4:53)  9. Past In The Present
( 6:54) 10. Obsession
( 4:05) 11. Headin' Home

In the extensive liner notes of this CD, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman writes that the main problem with jazz at the time was not the music but the public perception of it as forbidding and overly intellectual; that in reality jazz is quite fun and emotional. Those descriptions can certainly be applied to Redman's music, which, while pulling at the boundaries of modern hard bop, is also fairly easy to grab on to. Joined by his regular bandmembers of the period (pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade), Redman performs a full set of originals which, although not derivative, do fit into the straight-ahead tradition. At this point in time, Redman was growing from album to album, having already started at a high level. A fine outing. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/moodswing-mw0000117047

Joshua Redman Quartet: Joshua Redman (tenor & soprano saxophone); Brad Mehldau (piano); Christian McBride (acoustic bass); Brian Blade (drums).   

MoodSwing

---

Sir Simon Rattle - Duke Ellington Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:58
Size: 180.8 MB
Styles: Big band, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[ 9:05] 1. Take The 'A' Train
[ 2:56] 2. You're The One (with Joshua Redman)
[ 5:12] 3. Sophisticated Lady (With Bobby Watson)
[14:09] 4. Harlem (A Tone Parallel To Harlem)
[ 4:50] 5. Isfahan (With Peter Walden)
[ 8:56] 6. Ad Lib On Nippon (Part 2) (With Colin Parr)
[ 9:04] 7. That Doo-Wah Thing From 'it Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing' Part 2, Duet Fugue (With Joe Lovano)
[ 4:33] 8. Something To Live For
[ 5:30] 9. Come Sunday (With Regina Carter)
[ 4:38] 10. Solitude In Transblucency (With Richard Simpson)
[ 2:44] 11. Maybe
[ 7:15] 12. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (With Regina Carter)

Clark Terry, John Barclay, Simon Gardner- trumpet; Joshua Redman, Joe Lovano- tenor saxophone; Bobby Watson- alto saxophone; Regina Carter- violin; Andrew Barnell- bassoon; Colin Parr- clarinet; Peter Walden- English horn; Richard Simpson- oboe; Geri Allen, Mike Renzi- piano; Peter Washington, Mark Goodchild- double bass; Lewis Nash- drums; Lena Horne- vocals; City of Birmingham [England] Symphony Orchestra.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in a celebration of Duke Ellington’s music. Each impressive orchestration has been reworked by Luther Henderson to provide a full sound. The orchestra performs admirably with accurate interpretations of classic Ellington songs. Along the way, we find Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Joe Lovano, Regina Carter, Lewis Nash and Josh Redman trading solos with the ensemble. They work together on three tracks, recalling the personal spirit of Ellington’s music and how it was created to fit his individual band members.

Some time ago, Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson discussed what would some day become this particular project. Ellington asked Henderson to arrange “Harlem” (from “Far East Suite”) for performance by a symphony orchestra, combined with his band in concerto grosso form. The two gentlemen agreed that it would represent a blending of two cultural traditions: Western European and African.

Lena Horne sings three songs. Her vocal lines, however, were prerecorded. Thus, there’s a distinct separation in sound between vocalist and accompaniment. Horne’s features appear cold and distant, while Lovano, Watson, Nash, Geri Allen and Peter Washington attempt to make things appear more convincing. Watson has a feature on “Isfahan” and Allen has a feature on “Ad Lib on Nippon,” while Carter and Terry take center stage for a lovely arrangement of “Come Sunday.” Much of the 80-minute album remains focused on celebrating Ellington’s music through full orchestral colors and carefully interwoven instrumental voices. As if to remind us of the balance achieved here between jazz and classical, Clark Terry takes over the closing number with a classic mumbles and wah-wah trumpet routine. The program makes a fine tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and presents these treasured pieces in a slightly different light. ~Jim Santella

Duke Ellington Album

---

Nicholas Payton - Payton's Place

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:27
Size: 164,2 MB
Art: Jazz

(5:54)  1. Zigaboogaloo
(5:26)  2. The Three Trumpeteers
(6:29)  3. Back To The Source
(5:13)  4. A Touch Of Silver
(7:09)  5. Concentric Circles
(5:07)  6. Li'l Duke's Strut
(5:39)  7. Time Traveling
(5:38)  8. With A Song In My Heart
(9:40)  9. Paraphernalia
(4:18) 10. Brownie A La Mode
(5:23) 11. People Make The World Go Round
(5:25) 12. The Last Goodbye

Think of all the great jazz quintets over the years that have used trumpet, tenor saxophone, piano, bass, and drums. They're at the core of the answer to the "What is Jazz?" question, and Nicholas Payton's fourth release as leader honors that tradition. Along with tenor saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Adonis Rose, the young trumpeter weaves his modern mainstream compositions around echoes of jazz legends; nine of these twelve pieces are Payton's originals. The trumpeter's father, New Orleans bassist Walter Payton, saw to it that his son was exposed to good music from his earliest years. Receiving his first trumpet at age four, sitting in on his father's rehearsals at the house, and performing with his father's jazz ensemble while still in grammar school, Payton had encouragement to suit his talent. Payton attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and the University of New Orleans, but it's the encouragement from family and friends such as Clark Terry, Ellis and Wynton Marsalis, and Doc Cheatham, that seems to have made its mark on the talented youngster; Payton turns 25 this year. Guest Joshua Redman replaces Warfield on "A Touch of Silver" alongside the walking bass, swinging drummer and loping piano accompaniment. He and Payton work well together as a team. The effect is smooth and relaxed, yet they offer the listener just enough spice to keep it interesting. Wynton Marsalis assumes Warfield's chair on "Brownie a la Mode" as the two trumpeters engage in a good-natured cutting contest. "With a Song in my Heart" is performed up-tempo with guest Roy Hargrove sharing the spotlight. "The Three Trumpeters" brings the three together in an easy-going exchange. 

While Marsalis and Payton have distinctively brassy tones, Hargrove's contrasts and serves to round off the edges. Each trumpeter uses a gentle vibrato; they approach accented figures differently, and Marsalis supplies a few 1/2-valve phrases. Payton is in good "trumpet-tooting" company, good mainstream quintet company, and has already made quite a mark on the jazz world. Highly recommended. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/paytons-place-nicholas-payton-verve-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php?width=1920

Personnel: Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Joshua Redman, Tim Warfield (tenor saxophone); Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Anthony Wonsey (piano); Adonis Rose (drums).

Payton's Place

---

Joshua Redman - Beyond

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:38
Size: 169,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:34)  1. Courage (Asymmetric Aria)
( 5:50)  2. Belonging (Lopsided Lullaby)
( 4:27)  3. Neverend
( 9:06)  4. Leap Of Faith
( 9:05)  5. Balance
(11:00)  6. Twilight ... And Beyond
( 6:13)  7. Stoic Revolutions
( 6:22)  8. Suspended Emanations
( 7:05)  9. Last Rites Of Rock 'N' Roll
( 6:52) 10. A Life?

Joshua Redman debuts a new quartet on this formidable set of originals. Pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson quickly establish themselves as a killer unit on "Courage (Asymmetric Aria)" and "Belonging (Lopsided Lullaby)", two fast and busy odd-metered romps. Interestingly, Redman plays alto on the latter, as well as on the gripping "Stoic Revolutions." Goldberg's solos are sparkling throughout, especially on "Courage" and the medium-fast "Last Rites of Rock 'n' Roll." Fellow tenor man Mark Turner sits in for the lively "Leap of Faith." The remaining tracks range from the inspired balladry of "Neverend" to the ineffable hipness of "Suspended Emanations." Although it is probably Redman's finest album to date, Beyond still doesn't rise to the level of true greatness in the field of composition. It would be hard for even a genius to measure up to the industry hype that has surrounded Redman for nearly a decade. But this makes it even more essential that critics evaluate Redman's work just as they would that of any other brilliant and hard-working, yet far more obscure, figure on the scene. This is not to take anything away from Redman, but rather to keep matters in their proper perspective. We might see Redman's face on far more magazine covers, but is his writing better than, say, Reid Anderson's or Patrick Zimmerli's? Redman himself would likely be the first to say no.~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/beyond-joshua-redman-warner-bros-review-by-david-adler.php

Personnel: Joshua Redman (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Aaron Goldberg (piano); Reuben Rogers (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Beyond

---

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau - Nearness

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:32
Size: 168,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:38)  1. Ornithology
(10:55)  2. Always August
( 9:56)  3. In Walked Bud
(12:36)  4. Mehlsancholy Mode
(16:44)  5. The Nearness of You
(14:40)  6. Old West

Nearness finds acclaimed jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau teaming up for a set of loose yet heartfelt duo performances. Collaborators since they first began playing together in Redman's quartet in the early '90s, Mehldau and Redman have forged their own distinct solo careers. While they have continued to work together in various settings, the duo put a spotlight on their creative friendship with their 2011 tour. Nearness features live performances captured during the European leg of that tour, including tapings in Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway. These are dazzlingly collaborative performances that reveal Redman and Mehldau to be a highly intuitive and harmonically adroit team. While there are a handful of original compositions here, the pair also tackle several jazz standards, including a brisk, kinetic reading of Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" and a laid-back if no less invigorating take on Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud." Elsewhere, they take a similarly inventive approach on several originals, including Redman's warmly burnished "Mehlsancholy Mode" and Mehldau's skipping, bluesy "Old West." What makes these recordings so engaging is the way Mehldau and Redman play off each other, dancing around the melody, weaving in and out of the harmony like rambunctious birds sparring over scattered seed. It's a conversational style that comes off as both a game of hot potato and let's finish each other's sentences. Sometimes, as on "Ornithology," it almost sounds as if Redman starts a song one way and then Mehldau switches up the conversation, taking them down a wholly alternate route. Other times, as in Mehldau's poignantly rendered "Always August," they build a detailed musical architecture, their nuanced improvisational lines forming ascending and descending stairways, grandly domed halls, and hidden dulcet nooks. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/nearness-mw0002959309

Personnel:  Joshua Redman (saxophone)  Brad Mehldau (piano)

Nearness

---

Elvin Jones - Youngblood

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:23
Size: 145.1 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Not Yet
[7:39] 2. Have You Seen Elveen
[8:43] 3. Angel Eyes
[7:17] 4. Ding-A-Ling-A-Ding
[9:27] 5. Lady Luck
[3:56] 6. The Biscuit Man
[6:11] 7. Body And Soul
[4:12] 8. Strange
[6:12] 9. My Romance
[5:51] 10. Youngblood

Bass – George Mraz (tracks: 1 to 3,5 to 10); Drums – Elvin Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson (tracks: 1,2,5,6,8,10), Joshua Redman (tracks: 1 to 3,5,6,8,10); Trumpet – Nicholas Payton (tracks: 1,2,5 to 8,10). Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. on April 20&21, 1992.

Although this superior set features three of the top Young Lions (tenors Joshua Redman and Javon Jackson and trumpeter Nicholas Payton), along with the fine bassist George Mraz, drummer Elvin Jones, 64 at the time, sounds like the youngest member of the group. The well-rounded CD has individual features for Redman ("Angel Eyes"), Payton ("Body and Soul") and Mraz ("My Romance"), along with the leader (the unaccompanied drum solo "Ding-A-Ling-A-Ling"), and has consistently inspired playing from all of the musicians. An excellent effort. ~Scott Yanow

Youngblood

---

Joshua Redman - Wish

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:44
Size: 142,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:25)  1. Turnaround
( 6:32)  2. Soul Dance
( 5:26)  3. Make Sure You're Sure
( 5:40)  4. The Deserving Many
( 5:47)  5. We Had A Sister
( 3:32)  6. Moose The Mooche
( 3:23)  7. Tears In Heaven
( 5:22)  8. Whittlin'
( 7:24)  9. Wish (Live)
(12:08) 10. Blues For Pat (Live)

Joshua Redman's sophomore effort found him leading a piano-less quartet that also included guitar great Pat Metheny and half of Ornette Coleman's trailblazing late-'50s/early-'60s quartet: acoustic bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins. With such company, Redman could have delivered a strong avant-garde or free jazz album; Haden and Higgins had played an important role in jazz's avant-garde because of their association with Coleman, and Metheny had himself joined forces with Coleman on their thrilling Song X session of 1985. But Wish isn't avant-garde; instead, it's a mostly inside post-bop date that emphasizes the lyrical and the introspective. The musicians swing hard and fast on Charlie Parker's "Moose the Mooche," but things become very reflective on pieces like Redman's "The Undeserving Many" and Metheny's "We Had a Sister." One of the nice things about Redman is his ability to provide jazz interpretations of rock and R&B songs. While neo-conservatives ignore them and many NAC artists simply provide boring, predictable, note-for-note covers, Redman isn't afraid to dig into them and show their jazz potential. In Redman's hands, Stevie Wonder's "Make Sure You're Sure" becomes a haunting jazz-noir statement, while Eric Clapton's ballad "Tears in Heaven" is changed from moving pop/rock to moving pop-jazz. The latter, in fact, could be called "smooth jazz with substance." Some of bop's neo-conservatives disliked the fact that Redman was playing with two of Coleman's former sidemen and a fusion icon like Metheny, but then, Redman never claimed to be a purist. Although Wish isn't innovative, it's an appealing CD from an improviser who is willing to enter a variety of musical situations.~Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/wish-mw0000104577

Personnel:  Joshua Redman – tenor saxophone;  Pat Metheny – guitar;  Charlie Haden – bass;  Billy Higgins – drums

Wish

---

Joshua Redman - Back East

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:23

Size: 146,1 MB

Art: Front

(5:13)  1. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

(5:36)  2. East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

(7:58)  3. Zarafah

(6:12)  4. Indian Song

(6:06)  5. I'm an Old Cowhand

(5:58)  6. Wagon Wheels

(6:43)  7. Back East

(6:12)  8. Mantra #5

(4:43)  9. Indonesia

(4:57) 10. India

(3:40) 11. GJ

For Back East, his first all-acoustic album in six years, saxophonist Joshua Redman returns from the west coast to the Big Apple, collaborating with a group of largely New York-based musicians. But the album's title refers to more than geographic relocation. A series of songs original and otherwise reflect an interest in Eastern harmonies and rhythms, with a fresh look at two tunes from seminal influence Sonny Rollins' Way Out West (Contemporary/OJC, 1957) and a couple of standards are thrown in for good measure. The result is an album that could be polarized especially considering Redman employs three different rhythm sections for this largely trio-based outing but surprisingly, is not. Instead, Redman creates a kind of aural travelogue that comfortably travels between two worlds. Opening with the often-covered "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" and a fiery "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)," both featuring bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Ali Jackson, Redman treads the line between reverence and experimentation.

Redman switches to soprano, bringing in bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade for the original "Zarafah" and Wayne Shorter's "Indian Song." The eastern references are subtle on the former, with Blade's nuanced drumming and McBride's strummed bass providing a gentle pulse. Saxophonist Joe Lovano fleshes things out to a quartet for the latter, the two tenors constantly intersecting and interacting over McBride and Blade's dramatic flourishes. Redman updates "I'm an Old Cowhand" and "Wagon Wheels," from Way Out West, demonstrating just how far he's come from his early-1990s emergence. Confident, modernistic and capable of implying so much with so little, he's spurred on by bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland one of the hottest young rhythm sections around. Redman goes head-to-head with guest Chris Cheek on his own "Mantra #5," an Eastern-tinged piece where the two sopranos trade-off the melody over a simple set of changes made all the more ethnic by Jackson's playing the kit with his hands.

But the album's greatest and most bittersweet moments are saved for last, when Redman's father Dewey who passed away in September, 2006 guests on what would be one of his last sessions. The younger Redman never seemed to come much out of his father's approach, but the solo trade-offs at the beginning of a brief but simmering take on John Coltrane's "India" tell another story. The elder Redman then goes it alone for his rubato "GJ." It becomes increasingly abstract, until Grenadier and Jackson leave him to close the album a capella. It may be Joshua Redman's album, but by leaving his father with the final word, Back East becomes more than just a fine trio outing that shows a side to the young saxophonist that's only been heard in performance until now. It becomes a spiritual tribute to an artist whose influence will continue to be felt for years to come.~John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/back-east-joshua-redman-nonesuch-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10); soprano saxophone (3, 6, 8); Larry Grenadier: bass (1, 2, 8-11); Ali Jackson: drums (1, 2, 8-11); Christian McBride: bass (3, 4); Brian Blade: drums (3, 4); Reuben Rogers: bass (5-7); Eric Harland: drums (5-7); Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone (4); Chris Cheek: soprano saxophone (8); Dewey Redman: tenor saxophone (10), alto saxophone (11).

Back East

---