Customer Reviews

Back East

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A saxophone trio album can be tricky, since the saxophonist has to pretty much carry the entire load. If the sax playing isn't utter genius (think of Ornette Coleman's "At The Golden Circle"), then you can get a CD that seems to go on for too long (think of Branford Marsalis's "Bloomington"). Joshua Redman does a few things to avoid that pitfall. The first thing is call in three guest saxophonists, Chris Cheek, Joe Lovano, and Dewey Redman, to appear on three different songs. The two-sax songs are sprinkled through the CD. Another way to avoid monotony is to have three different rhythm sections. All three sections are top-notch, and you get the sense they're playing to the song and the saxophone, not to out-do the other bassists and drummers. Larry Grenadier and Ali Jackson play on most of the songs. Lastly, the songs are kept relatively short, so it isn't too long before a new melody or tempo is introduced.

Joshua Redman starts off with an old warhorse, "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and freshens it up a little by chopping up the rhythm. Most of the rest of the songs have an Asian reference in their title, and to a lesser extent in their music. I'm not sure how "I'm An Old Cowhand" and "Wagon Wheels" fit in with the theme, since they're western songs . At any rate, the standards are nicely played, and the new compositions are also good. It's simply a top-notch album, and is highly recommended. This will be one of the better CD's of 2007. The last song doesn't have Joshua on it, but has Dewey Redman playing for his granddaughter. It's interestingly free-jazzy, and perhaps a suitable capstone to Dewey's long and interesting career.

Nowhere is it written that expressing angst is in the sole dominion of the consternated pop/alt./rockers and their ilk. Joshua Redman makes that clear by bailing himself out of San Fran (temporarily), scooping up his little bambino, and coming "Back East" to bury his father. Josh has plenty of strong emotions to work out in front of us, and we should have no problem with that. This is healthy music-making. There's also the palpable sense that Redman was jonesing big-time to play again in a trio setting with Brian Blade, his musical alter-ego. Other drummers are on-board besides Blade, but it's not the first time, as some have suggested, that Brian and Josh have recorded in a trio. See Yaya3 for proof of that (with no bassist, but bass-end courtesy of B3-er Sam Yahel). This isn't even the first time that Josh has recorded with just the bare-bones sax-bass-drums thing going on (see isolated tracks on Joshua Redman, Wish, and Spirit Of The Moment: Live At The Village Vanguard). But an entire album of it? Yes, now we're talking "Back East" style. Before getting all caught up with this distinction, however, just watch those lines get blurred by some of these trios morphing into quartets with the addition of some very special guests.

It's impossible to write this review and not drop the name Sonny Rollins, since a full third of the tracks here are tunes that Newk explored within the very same trio constraints back in the late 50's, and you know that Josh loves his Newk. He doesn't try to sound like Rollins here - he just invokes Sonny's powerful visage. The name and the sound, both invoked and actually present, which "Back East" *is* suffused with is that of Joshua's late father, Dewey Redman. My first exposure to the music of Dewey Redman came in the mid 70's when he was part of Keith Jarrett's incendiary American combo that made recordings for Impulse!, but I have to confess that most of it went way over my head at the time. What really made me pay attention to Dewey was his significant contribution to Pat Metheny's ECM double-album 80/81, right there next to Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden (also a vet of that Jarrett unit), Metheny, and the late Michael Brecker. What a free-emotive ear-opening revelation Dewey was on those tunes! Next came my awareness of the outfit known as "Old And New Dreams" with Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, and Haden again, which really convinced me that it was Miles Davis who was "all messed up inside" and not Ornette Coleman. And in the midst of all this great music came a Dewey Redman album for the ages - 1983's "The Struggle Continues" on ECM. Search hard in used vinyl shops for it - or even harder for a CD copy.

So what does any of this have to do with Joshua Redman's new self-produced title on Nonesuch? The answer is: everything. Josh has some of the biggest ears on this planet - don't go thinking for a minute that any of this stuff from the late 70's and 80's was lost on him, even if he tells you that he had to "come back" for some of it (he grew up apart from his dad with his mother in the Bay Area). Once Josh made the commitment to music over law school, *all* the great tenors who came before him contributed something to his jurisprudence of jazz degree. And with this latest offering, Redman (the younger) continues to show off his very sponge-like abilities even further. If there were just a few more tracks like the Josh original "Indonesia" (which isn't exactly gamelan, but sure ain't no 12-bar blues either) or the Coltrane gem "India" (performed in 4tet with father Dewey), or the Shorter jewel "Indian Song" (4tet with Joe Lovano, tune lifted from Wayne's o.o.p. 1965 album "Etcetera") this review would be attached to a 5-star rating. But 4 stars is still pretty darned good, and "Back East" is worth extra spins just to reflect on the incredible musical legacy left to us by Dewey Redman, who not so incidentally gets the last dance all to himself (in a trio) for the set closer. Salaam, Dewey. Great album, Josh.

"Back East" is Joshua Redman's first recording in an acoustic-trio setting and his first all-acoustic outing since his 2001 Warner Bros disc, "Passage of Time".

Recorded in New York City, it features the Berkeley, California-based Redman with three different, all-star rhythms sections, and a few carefully chosen guest players, most notably his father Dewey, who, unfortunately, passed away shortly after this album was completed.

Redman mixes originals with standards, selected in part to pay tribute to the great sax players who've inspired him, including John Coltrane ("India"), Wayne Shorter ("Indian Song") and Stan Getz ("East of the Sun", a tune associated with Getz).

Most significantly, he reinterprets two songs from Sonny Rollins' 1957 classic acoustic-trio set, "Way Out West".

The three distinct rhythm sections Redman cut these tracks with are old friends and frequent collaborators of Redman's, as well as marquee names in contemporary jazz: bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Ali Jackson, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Joe Lavano, whom Redman calls "one of the greatest saxophonists to emerge in the post-Coltrane generation," guests on "Indian Song"; Chris Cheek, whom Redman considers his biggest contemporary influence, sits in on Redman's own "Mantra #5".

Dewey Redman plays tenor on a version of Coltrane's "India", then performs alone on alto for the album's eloquent coda, an original Dewey Redman number called "GJ", written as a gift for Josh's infant son - a track that turned out to be the final session of Dewey's life.

Joshua is bravely measuring himself against the tenor titan in that album's signature mode: the pianoless trio, jazz's version of the net-free high-wire act. To say that Redman doesn't soar like Rollins would belabor the obvious - but he doesn't pull an "Icarus", either.

Only occasionally does he lapse into scales and rote riffing. Otherwise, he digs right in, finding melodic and harmonic beauty - along with a good deal of excitment - in every bar.

In general, I tend to find the sax/bass/drums trio setup rather challenging. I find the music a bit dry and monochromatic without keyboards and/or guitar to lend some life and colour. I decided to give this and Kenny Garrett's 1995 CD Triology a try though, as I wanted to try roaming beyond my comfort zone. I'd heard good things about both albums and besides - it's Joshua Redman and Kenny Garrett, right?

Well, Joshua Redman produces this CD and it features the trio formation with different cast members on different songs. Of particular personal interest are the tunes "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)", a barnstormer that features Redman on tenor and some really exciting drumming by Ali Jackson; the ballad "Zarafah", with Redman on soprano, accompanied by Christian McBride on bass (with a very interesting solo) and Brian Blade on drums; "Wagon Wheels", another ballad with Redman on soprano but this time accompanied by Reuben Rogers on bass and Eric Harland on drums; "Mantra #5", a duet with both Redman and Chris Cheek on soprano, backed by Larry Grenadier on bass and Ali Jackson on drums; the jaunty "Indonesia" with Redman back on tenor and joined by Grenadier and Jackson; (I'm sure I can hear percussion on this number but it's not credited) and last but not least, the Coltrane tune, "India" - another duet but this time with Dewey Redman, and with both men on tenor.

There's also an appearance by Joe Lovano on the Wayne Shorter tune "Indian Song", which I found interesting but not much else. Shame really, as I'm a huge Lovano fan.

So on the whole with regard to this particular CD, the let's-try-something-different experiment hasn't really worked and I remain underwhelmed by the sax/bass/drums trio format. I reiterate that it's a very personal thing but I still find it rather bland, cold and unemotional. That said, I do recognise the artistry on show here. I've already grown to love Joshua Redman's sound anyway and I have a feeling that the album could grow on me in time. I hope it does.

As a measure of enjoyment, I'd say three and a half stars. Four at a push, but only as an added mark of respect.

This album is very reminiscent of Timeless Tales (for Changing Times) released by Joshua Redman in 1998. The first two tracks are very tasteful and original interpretations of "Surry with the Fringe on Top" and "East of the Sun." The rest of the album is a mixture of lesser know standards as well as several original tunes by Redman. "Zarafah" is a very surreal experience, with Redman at his finest on soprano sax. The different duet tracks are interesting. To hear Redman interact with Joe Lovano and also Dewey Redman is a real treat. "Back East" is reminiscent of some Michael Brecker tunes, but in no way is a carbon copy of what Brecker was doing in the late 90's.

Hearing this whole album without piano is great. I feel like it really gives Redman the chance to stretch his legs out even more than he already has. It reminds me of the pianoless quartet that Sonny Rollins was working with in the late 50's (listen to A Night at the Village Vanguard and you'll see what I mean). This album is a departure from Redman's previous work with his Elastic band, but it is a very refreshing departure. The evolution of jazz continues...

I've noticed that the jazz records that end up being jewels in my collection have one thing in common: rarely did I like any of them on my first listen.

Such is the case with "Back East," which begins as if it will disappoint, but turns into a truly masterful record, filled with subtle nuance and a mature and sophisticated style.

On first listen, the jazz trio sound is tough to digest and fully enjoy. Especially given the exotic scales that permeate this record, I felt myself yearning to hear a master of subtle harmonies like Frank Kimbrough slip into the background on the keys, providing a rich and dense harmonic soup for the frontman to swim in. However, by the second listen the artful melodic nuance and tasty bass-sax counterpoint begins to come out, and this record can be appreciated for what it truly is: a maturation of Joshua Redman's style.

Compare this to 2005's "Momentum," and the frontman's artistic development becomes apparent. The previous album featured a kicking band, a rich and thick sound, complex rhythms and barn-burning tracks; yet it doesn't come near to the mature and artful style that "Back East" achieves. This is smoky club jazz at its best: jammy yet well-crafted, artfully conceived yet raw, complex yet palatable. This album is a masterpiece.

Take for example "Zarafah," composed by Redman himself. The lush, Eastern-influenced scales give the overarching implied harmonies its character, while Redman's effortless solos make the assymetrical 5/4 meter feel as easy as breathing. While at first I was dying to hear a piano or guitar player subtly sustaining the harmonic framework, as the piece progresses the implied harmonies begin to materialize out of nothingness to create a background that is, yet isn't, there.

Other highlights include the jammy "East of the Sun," the Redman-composed "Back East," and the exuberant "I'm an Old Cowhand," which features some brilliant interplay between the members of the trio. "Mantra #5" creeps into form through the communique between Redman and Chris Cheek, sitting in on sax.

One of the best tracks on the record is "Indonesia," another Redman original, which is clearly derived from the Lydian-sounding modes typical of Balinese gamelan (which greatly influenced Debussy and other 20th-century composers), adding to the exotic flavor of the album. True to the scaled-back and nuanced style, Ali Jackson brilliantly ditches the drum kit and plays almost entirely on merely a tambourine for the entire track.

All in all, this record far surpasses "Momentum" in terms of its artistic creativity and mature style. "Momentum" is barn-burning and catchy but it tires easily; "Back East" will be a mainstay.

Joshua Redman is hit or miss with me. I'm not really a fan of his elastic band stuff, so hearing him return to an acoustic format in a trio setting was a nice change for me. Each trio is unique and showcases each member in a different way - it's amazing how this stripped down format can stay interesting throughout the entire album. Recommended.

I have never purchased a Joshua Redman cd before. I've heard his playing and been an admirer for some time. Without going into a full blown dissertation on every song I can tell you this. The playing is stellar, the melodies are great. The interplay is wonderful, the duet with his dad is almost haunting. I reccomend this for anyone looking for a really great contemporary jazz record.

I mostly listen to Jazz from the 1930s through the 1960s and had not previously purchased any CDs from Joshua Redman before getting "Back East". I bought it after hearing one tune on Sirius "Pure Jazz" and learning that the album was inspired by Rollins' "Way Out West" album which I like very much.

Other reviewers who obviously know a lot more about contemporary Jazz and Joshua Redman than I do have already done a good job documenting the musicians and tunes on this album. So, I'll just say that I like it very much, finding it fresh and imaginative.

I'd also like to note that Redman plays both tenor and soprano on this CD which Wayne Shorter has also done on his recent CDs such as "Footprints Live!", "Alegria", and "Beyond the Sound Barrier", all of which are outstanding. Also, don't forget that Sonny Rollins is still alive and kicking; his "Sonny Please" album from 2006 was also very good.

I own every single Joshua Redman album and I think that Back East is the album I'm most impressed with. Simply put, Redman's improve prowess is off the charts. Redman has always been good, even great, but now I think he is on another planet planet.