Joshua Redman, the place are we that includes Gabriella Cavassa
(Blue Observe 00602455253002. Album assessment by Mike Collins)

Joshua Redman’s newest launch chalks up a few firsts: His first launch on the Blue Observe label, and his first beneath his personal title working with a singer. For shut followers of Redman who soaked up the latest reunion of the Moodswing quartet that featured Mehldau, McBride and Blade, or the 2019 launch together with his longstanding quartet of Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers and Gregory Hutchinson, this Blue Observe debut might divide opinion.

The place are we is animated by the straightforward concept of linking every observe to a named place; Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Chicago and so forth. Acquainted songs or requirements are the beginning factors, with typically multiple woven into rigorously constructed preparations. References vary from Woody Guthrie, by means of Rely Basie, Bruce Springsteen, John Coltrane to Sufjan Stevens.

With a core quartet of Redman, Aaron Parks on piano, Joe Sanders on bass and Brian Blade behind the package supporting Gabrielle Cavassa on vocals, the sound is all the time tight, like a quietly swish thoroughbred, and the various character of the items completely rendered. Springsteen’s Streets of Philadelphia with Kurt Rosenwinkel guesting has a relaxed funky pulse to it; Chicago is a spacious cowl of the Sufijan Stevens tune, chiming vibes from visitor Joel Ross and Rely Basie references smuggled in; My Coronary heart in San Francisco segues from a Monk theme Fear Later, into I left my Coronary heart in SF. One other polished groove introduces Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans, this take graced by a tasteful solo from Nicholas Payton. A teasing trace of Coltrane’s Alabama offers method to swooning rendition of Stars Fell on Alabama, Redman weaving tasty traces round Cavassa’s vocal, earlier than the quartet return to make good on the intro and spool out a meditative model of the Coltrane basic on probably the most free-wheeling episode of the album.

Gabrielle Cavassa navigates the various types effortlessly, in a position to trace at a Holliday-like fragility at occasions, and sultry soul at others. The accompaniment and arranging are unfailingly elegant, this can be a targeted, polished and reined-in set. Redman admirers in search of exploration and edginess gained’t discover it right here. There’s no mistaking the standard although in a mellow, participating set.

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Mike Collins is a pianist and author primarily based in Bristol, who runs the jazzyblogman site . Twitter: @jazzyblogman