Joshua Redman
Freedom in the Groove
- Warner Brothers
In the liner notes to his latest album, Redman explains that his music is influenced by an eclectic assortment of musical genres and styles. Though the acclaimed contemporary jazz saxophonist keeps to his word on this recording, delving into the disparate worlds of funk, pop, soul as well as straight-ahead jazz, the album, unfortunately, is as varied in quality as it is in sound. Despite being backed by a solid group of musicians, especially Peter Bernstein on guitar and Peter Martin on piano, Redman fails to compose and play with much consistency. He reaches his nadir on tracks like “Hide and Seek” and “One Shining Soul,” where he's stiff and stale, without edge or energy. Redman salvages his good name, however, with bright moments. His “Invocation” and “Home Fries” are examples of lean compositions well rendered by all.
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