Joshua Redman (b. 1969) is
all-the-rage in
jazz circles today. His
innovative take on
jazz standards and
pop tunes
as well as his mastery of
improvisation
justify his
meteoric rise to
stardom as one of
the best
soprano and
tenor saxophone players around (
flute, too).
Maybe it is in the genes. He is the son of well-established
sax player Dewey Redman. Maybe it's the brains --
he graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University.
In any case, even in his early 30's he has recorded
over half a dozen albums as a leader, plus more
as a sideman. Although he is often compared to
his contemorary James Carter (and seemingly preferred
over Carter by the recording industry) their sounds and
ideas are quite different.
With regards to his musical choices, he says that he
is "Preserving his roots, while extending his branches."
*
I saw the young sapling four years ago in Boulder, CO
on a pre-date date with my future wife, and he gave a
very solid performance. I can't speak for all of his
original compositions, but at least the ones on his
album Freedom in the Groove are very fresh with ideas
and provide excellent platforms for his improvisation.
*Quote from Rough Guides biography at
amazon.com.