With his seventh and latest Warner Bros. CD, Beyond, 31-year-old Joshua Redman offers further proof that he's dedicated to exploring new musical territory. "My career has been an adventure," he says. "But this album represents a new stage in the journey. It's definitely an extension of what I've done, but it's deeper, more patient, more mature, more personal than the other records."
On Beyond, Redman unveils ten originals that are both compelling in their complexity (including odd time signatures and polymetric structures) and alluring in their unadorned beauty (from catchy grooves to indelible melodies). His quartet delivers upbeat tunes that burst with dynamics, gently swinging numbers with reflective interludes, and lyrical gems teeming with passion. Highlights include the double tenor jaunt with guest saxist Mark Turner through "Leap of Faith" and the moving romantic ballad, "Neverend," that Redman sings on his saxophone.
"Just as always, the music here is performed with honest expression," he notes. "I'm not deliberately trying to write material that's difficult to play.... There's a balance between complexity and simplicity, between formal sophistication and emotional directness."
Key to Beyond's success is the "wish-list" quartet Redman has assembled: pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. "We found a common ground to express ourselves as individuals within a group," says Redman. "It's all about camaraderie, chemistry, creativity and commitment.... It was my goal to make this album a statement of our collective identity. I conceived all these songs with Aaron, Reuben and Greg in mind."
Reflecting on his life in jazz so far, Joshua notes, "Jazz is all about the search, not so much about the achievement. The achievements happen in the moment. You attain certain things and then you move on. But the search, that's constant." Given these sentiments, Beyond proves to be a fitting title for a remarkable album that finds Joshua Redman once again reaching, then finding his footing and playing at the top of his game.