js When it comes to inspired performances captured with a natural unfiltered sound, Joshua Redman’s “Trios Live” is one of the better CDs to come out so far in 2014. This is about as non-pretentious as music can get, three guys improvising on tunes live with no phony compression or added reverb to kill the energy. Although this CD sounds like one gig, its actually two combined together, with tracks 1 and 5-7 recorded in 2009 at NY’s Jazz Standard and tracks 2-4 recorded in 2013 at DC’s Blues Alley. Matt Penman man’s the bass on the Jazz Standard cuts and Reuben Rogers on the others. The high energy Gregory Hutchinson handles the drums at both shows. As is usual with Redman, there is a nice diversity to this set which ranges from Louie Armstrong to Led Zeppelin, plus a couple of standards and three originals, but everything is played as if they were all Redman originals. Joshua’s approach to improvising does not treat his rhythm section as mere backdrops, but instead most of these jams work more as three way conversations with Redman always open to letting his sidemen lead the way. This conversational approach also affects the nature of the improvisations in that things don’t always follow a typical arch design of building, then waning intensity, instead Redman and his group feel free to wander in more unpredictable patterns.

Most of the tunes feature Redman on tenor, although there are two that feature soprano, but generally Redman sounds a bit stronger on the tenor. Joshua’s style on here is rooted in post bop that veers in and out of freer moments, somewhat along the lines of early 60's Coltrane or Ornette. Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins are also good references, but Redman’s eclecticism puts him right in the sound of today. Both bassists are great, but Gregory Hutchinson’s ambitious drumming almost makes him a co-star alongside Redman. Gregory’s sound is rooted in aggressive semi-free drummers like DeJohnette and Tony Williams, but with a bit of modern rock/fusion slam bang thrown in. He really seems to take to the cover of Led Zep’s “The Ocean”.

Every song on here is excellent, with the cover of “Mack the Knife” taking top honors. Who knew you get so much out of that well worn old tune. If there is one problem with this CD, it’s the volume of the drums. This is a live CD and the raw unfiltered sound is a real treat in this age of overly compressed digital dreariness, and the drums sound very real which is great, but it sounds like they are mixed a bit higher than the sax, but given Joshua and Gregory’s constant interplay, its not a big problem

js Josh Redman’s music has become eclectic enough over the years that I really don’t know what to expect when I pick up one of his CDs. Listening to “Walking Shadows’ for the first time I noticed the saxophone-with-strings sound and figured this was Redman’s ‘easy listening’ album and didn’t think much of it more than that. Although ‘Shadows’ could pass as an easy listening album, I’m glad I gave this album some more listens because it is so much more than mere pleasant background music. In many ways ‘Shadows’ recalls efforts from the 50s to 70s when artists such as Don Sebesky and Gil Evans would combine relaxed jazz with ambitious 3rd stream scores that were presented in an exotic easy listening environment. Les Baxter and Don Ellis also created music along these lines, and you could also include many works by the Ellington-Strayhorn team. In fact, its no big surprise that ’Shadows’ contains an excellent modernized and moody arrangement of Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”.

The music on here is a mix of modern pop tunes, some originals, a couple standards and even a number by JS Bach. Despite the disparate background of the tunes, almost everything on here flows together and is well blended through the creative arrangements. The strings are actually on only half of the tracks, but their comings and goings are so subtle that you don’t notice a huge difference between tracks with or without the orchestra. The rest of the band is made up of Brad Mehldau on piano and vibes, Larry Grenadier on acoustic bass and Brian Blade on drums. Having Brad on board is a nice touch as this sort of high brow dreamy art pop is right down his alley. He not only provides his unique piano fills, but also some arrangements and an original piece too.

Top tune honors goes to an excellent arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes”, followed closely by “Lush Life” and “Easy Living”. All of the original tunes are good, with Mehldau’s modern “Last Glimpse of Gotham” sounding like a good fit for a current concert hall program. The only clunker on here is the Beatles wore out “Let it Be”. The simple plaintive melody is no match for the sophistication of the other tunes, and although Redman does his best to change up the melody and make it fit, it still sticks out like a sore thumb. There are a couple of other tracks that aren’t quite up to the quality of this CD’s best numbers.

Redman came very close to creating a classic here, with a little editing, a slightly shorter but better album exists within “Walking Shadows”. On another note, the cover photography is very clever and it fits the music exactly.

Matt He could have been lawyer, would have made a lot more money as well but even though Joshua had graduated from Harvard and had been accepted into Yale things did not head in that direction because being the son of "Dewey Redman" music was in his veins. When he was around ten years old after a brief stint on clarinet he then took up Tenor Saxophone and has marvelled us all since with his talent. Joshua gets his influence from the greats ,"John Coltrane","Ornette Coleman","Cannonball Adderley" and of course his dad Dewey but he also has a rock,soul and funk side with a love for 'Aretha Franklin"',"Prince", "Beatles" and "Police" just to name a few. In 1991 after moving to New York he won the "Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition" and has not stopped working since. This is the second Quartet that "Joshua Redman" has formed and the band who particapted with him on this album is their first together,which is titled "Beyond". "Aaron Golberg" is on piano with that super touch that he has and what a joy to hear him play and of course he has chops after all he did play with "Freddie Hubbard" early in his career. "Reuben Rogers" is on bass and another one who has played with so many of the current players in jazz today but one of his standouts would have to be "Jackie McLean". They both have worked on over 60 albums to date with each other and alone.The drummer in the band is "Gregory Hutchinson" and the jazz giants that he has played with in the past are "Oscar Peterson with Benny Green" and "Joe Henderson". All of the band are fairly young and all with a contempary approach to the Jazz they play with a consumate skill throughout.

We start the album with "Courage (Asymetric Aria)" and bass with drums is the undercurrent with Joshua's tenor sax just floating over but things build and the composition keeps picking up and when Aaron gets his turn he is really moving along with great touch throughout."Belonging (Lopsided Lullaby)" with the title being a good description for the tune and again the muscians play superb throughout with some beautiful drums by Gregory with Joshua and Aaron inserting some great solos in a call and response form giving the composition a great build up. On track five "Balance" is Aaron coming in for the first solo on piano in this down tempo composition he has superb technique and with the tune being nine minutes in length he really gets to stretch out with some great touch. Joshua when his turn comes next builds throughout with a beautiful result."Twilight...And Beyond" which follows is a ballad and again nine minutes giving time for both Aaron and Joshua to really stretch out again with some fine low key but interesting solos. Reuben when he solos on bass the poor chap somebody is yelling "Boring" towards the end but that is not the case and after Joshua is back with some more great tenor. Back to a quicker time for "Stoic Revolutions" with Joshua first. The album has a nice mix for the compositions and one other interesting one is "Last Rites of Rock 'N' Roll" with one great low opening sax by Joshua where he also inserts high points and the Ornette Coleman influence is there with that intro but things get back to a great bop number which swings along with a great theme throughout.

Interesting and challenging music and what was yelled to Reuben is the opposite from boring as that call was only someone in the band joking with him. Great contemapray jazz and I will add the album was even better Live when I caught the band just before its release with some wonderful play from all the muscians and a real rip roaring night was had by all.