In 2019, the Joshua Redman Quartet of the 1990s reunited for RoundAgain. LongGone appears to be from the same sessions and features six originals by Redman.
The saxophonist says of his first group, which was founded in 1994 and lasted for 18 months: “I realised almost immediately that this band wouldn’t stay together for very long. They were without a doubt, for our generation, among the most accomplished and innovative on their respective instruments.” He’s absolutely right – and I recall MoodSwing as a superb album.
The compositions are stylistically in the area of the band’s earlier work – swinging, contemporary, state of the art post-bop. On the tricksy Disco Ears, Redman is on soprano sax, while Mehldau offers a characteristically inventive solo. I’m still intrigued by the stylistic relation of Joshua Redman to his father Dewey (and Chico and Von Freeman, Ravi and John Coltrane . . .). Dewey is the more original stylist, but Joshua is a very fine player.
None of the tracks on LongGone is quite as memorable as the band’s 1990s work, I’d say. An exception is Rejoice, which is in fact a long and involving live version of the vamp-based song from MoodSwing. Redman and the label were fully justified in including this older song. The leader contributes a long, furious and compelling solo that makes this track the highlight of a very fine album – it’s worth buying it for this performance alone.
Discography
LongGone; Disco Ears; Statuesque; Kite Song; Ship to Shore; Rejoice (47.13)
Redman (ts, ss); Brad Mehldau (p); Christian McBride (b); Brian Blade (d). New York, 10-12 September 2019; except Rejoice, San Francisco, 2007.
Nonesuch 0075597910032
