Joshua Redman Trio Electrifies Crowd

Anticipation ran high among Boston's jazz community as the all-star trio led by saxophonist Joshua Redman arrived for a series of performances at the Charles Hotel's Regattabar. So high, in fact, that an additional show was added Sunday afternoon, making for a total of eight performances over four days--all sold out. For such renowned players to perform in a cozy venue like the Regattabar meant that many were unable to witness some spectacular music making, but the fortunate got what they wanted...and more. This combination of three of the brightest young stars in jazz today--tenor saxophonist Redman, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade--fulfilled all expectations with verve and style.

All three musicians shared equal billing and are respected individually, although McBride and Blade have both played as Redman's sidemen over the past few years. McBride in particular has led his own distinguished group, and is one of the most sought-after sidemen on the scene today. The show at the Regattabar--an intimate, classy jazz club--was distinguished not only for the caliber of the individual musicians, but for the ability of all three musicians to assume the role of leader. With the ample time each had to solo, all demonstrated a remarkable combination of technical ability, musical depth and pure energy.

The trio seemed to recognize the enthusiasm of the audience as they began the additional show, the first of three to come that day. Their confident swaggers and wide grins as they took the stage were a clear signal that they wanted to establish a good rapport with the audience, who were ready to hang on every note. After a congenial introduction, Redman uncapped the mouthpiece of his tenor saxophone, counted off and launched into an animated rendition of "Surrey With The Fringe On Top," a familiar tune from the Rodgers-Hammerstein musical Oklahoma!

"Surrey" was given an original, rhythmically complex reading that offered a good opportunity for the trio to show that they were a cohesive group, not just a haphazard all-star assembly. The ease with which McBride navigates his hulking instrument was immediately apparent. He laid a solid foundation for the tune as Blade tastefully used brushes on his kit alongside. Redman then hung on a high note and slid upward to mark the beginning of his solo, in which he demonstrated his full, thick tone in all registers of the instrument. It was an apt starter for the show--giving audience members a hook to appreciate the band's stylings in a midtempo format before blowing them away with virtuosic displays in "Off Center."

"I'll get it right one of these days," McBride said of the intricate new Redman original, conceding its difficulty. "Off Center" is marked by a relatively simple melody repeated over a complex, busy rhythm figure, which combine to make the time signature of the head of the piece somewhat unclear. While the band had been tastefully restrained up till then, the solo section of "Off Center" gave the band members, particularly Blade, a chance to really come alive. Redman saw fit to change the timbre of his playing and force honks and cries from his horn. Blade got his first solo, and his rhythms seemed to pulsate through his wiry body as he manipulated his resonant and tight-sounding drum kit.

The band made an abrupt transition in tempo and mood as Redman began a long cadenza to preface the ballad, "What's New?" Here his very slow, almost imperceptible vibrato and airy, floating tone were vividly apparent. He played several motifs in different octaves, never once hinting that he might be performing at the extreme registers of his instrument. After the drums made a discreet entrance, and the delicate melody had been presented, McBride picked up a bow and displayed a facet of his amazing versatility as he coaxed a lush, sustained solo from his instrument.

Next up was "Youthful Bliss," a McBride original from his recent album as leader, Number Two Express. McBride took great liberties with his solo section, quadruple-timing figures in a way that seemed impossible on such a cumber-some instrument. Throughout it all, the bassist made it look effortless, never belying the technical hurdles he had to overcome in order to play such difficult intervals in such awkward positions. McBride was very much in a groove--toward the end of his solo, Redman interjected with a few notes, as if to indicate it was his turn. Through it all, the musicians were cheering each other on, yelling encouragement and flashing grins at each other.

Though these musicians are heralded as some of the foremost exponents of neotraditionalist jazz, drawing from the influential hard bop artists of the fifties and sixties, they defy such categorization. The tune "Twenty-Seven Summers," in which McBride played a five-string, electric fretted bass, marked a dramatic shift in style. This was the least well-received tune of the set: the audience seemed taken aback by the ethereal, echoing sound of the electric bass and the fusion elements of the medium-tempo arrangement.

To the relief of some listeners, McBride picked up his upright bass immediately after finishing "Twenty-Seven Summers," and the trio launched into a swinging, up-tempo 12-bar blues. With McBride walking up and down his bass and Redman offering some bluesy riffs, the audience got right back into it and afterwards applauded enthusiastically as the trio took a collective bow, arms over each others' shoulders.

They came back out for an encore, and played what was undeniably the most fun piece of the set: "Brown Funk," which McBride wrote for a collaboration with legendary bassist Ray Brown. McBride took up his electric bass once again, and this time the choice worked perfectly. The group traded fills and tossed riffs back and forth for this bluesy, funky tune, clearly having a good time. After an intense climax that ended with a flourish, the audience got to its feet and cheered wildly as the trio retreated back-stage. Clearly, everyone in the audience was asking themselves how soon they could see this dynamic trio perform again.