Redman has managed to meet the high expectations that have long surrounded the Ivy League graduate and progeny of late tenor sax legend Dewey Redman. Raised in the Bay Area by his mother, dancer Rene Shedroff, young Joshua seldom saw his famous father, yet was enveloped in a wide range of music and exposed to the eclectic arts of the area around Berkeley. He listened to his mother’s recordings of the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and John Coltrane, and from age nine, he attended performances at Keystone Korner—Rashan Roland Kirk and Pat Metheney, whose band included none other than Dewey Redman. At age ten he started on the saxophone, and went on to play in the award-winning Berkely High School Band. What next? An honors degree from Harvard in 1991, a decision to forgo Yale Law School, and winning the Thelonious Monk International Sax Competition. Over the next decade, Redman—living in New York― recorded a string of acclaimed sets for Warner Brothers and repeatedly topped Readers’ and Critics’ polls.  

Relocated to the Bay Area and signed to Nonesuch, Redman led the acclaimed SF Jazz Collective through its first three seasons (2004-2007) and released the Grammy-nominated Momemtum with his organ trio in 2005. In 2006, he began touring with an all-acoustic trio, leading to the spring 2007 release of Back East. Noted Ben Ratliffe in the New York Times, “Mr. Redman has been a flexible record maker since he emerged, almost 15 years ago; he can play with almost anyone, and with almost any stylistic intent. But here his simplest record is also his least facile and his clearest of purpose.” Wrote Peter Watrous in the New York Times, "There's only a handful of naturally gifted musicians, and Joshua's one of them. Every time you hear him, he's at a higher level." 

That higher level is reflected in the dazzling music of Compass, featuring a double trio (two bassists, two drummers) on several tracks, quartet tracks with two bassists, and trio tracks in varying combinations. Continuing his explorations of piano-less ensembles, Compass offers a sheaf of Redman tunes as well as contributions from Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade (one of the two trios represented) and one unusual presentation of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” (Twin Cities audiences who enjoy the piano-less trio, Fat Kid Wednesdays, will note a similar spontaneity in these improvisations!) On either tenor or soprano sax, Redman is songful, playful, introspective, and confident in leading the conversations among his cohorts; the interactions are comfortably loose and flexible. Whether Compass attains the stature of Saxophone Colossus is merely conjecture, but with this release, Redman surely finds himself at the highest peak of his career thus far. And at only 40, he has plenty of opportunities ahead to explore the stratosphere. 

A native of the Virgin Islands, Reuben Rogers grew up hearing Calypso, Reggae, Gospel and Jazz. His musical journey included clarinet, piano, drums and guitar before he found his true calling as a bassist at age 14. Ultimately landing at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, he’s become one of the busiest musicians on the jazz scene, with stints with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Marcus Roberts, Mulgrew Miller, Charles Lloyd and Dianne Reeves. 

An alum of the Ray Brown Trio, drummer Gregory Hutchinson is a native of Brooklyn. His first pro gig was with Red Rodney at the Village Vanguard when he was just 17, and by the time he was 20 he had played with George Adams, Frank Wess and more. Soon he joined Betty Carter, and then recorded with icon Joe Henderson on Lush Life. His next major partner was Roy Hargrove, which lead to his tenure with the late Ray Brown. More recently, Hutchinson has played or recorded with Eric Reed, Christian McBride, Dianna Krall and Dianne Reeves, as well as Joshua Redman. 

For a great evening of modern jazz, point your “compass” to Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music (March 1, shows at 6 and 8:30 pm) or to the Dakota in downtown Minneapolis (March 2–3, sets at 7 and 9:30 pm). 

The Old Town School of Folk Music (Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall) is located at 4544 North Lincoln Ave in Chicago; http://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/. The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; www.dakotacooks.com. More on Joshua Redman at www.joshuaredman.com