Joshua Redman

Few saxophonists of his generation enjoy as much respect and affection on today’s jazz scene as Joshua Redman. And it’s no wonder — with a portfolio full of outstanding music and an irresistible stage charisma.

Born in Berkeley, California, Redman is the son of legendary saxophonist Dewey Redman and unquestionably one of the most important figures in modern jazz over the past three decades. Yet things could have turned out quite differently. Redman was never one of those musicians who grew up surrounded only by scales, practice rooms, and smoky clubs. He’s an intellectual at heart: in 1991 he graduated summa cum laude in social studies from Harvard University and was immediately accepted to the law school of the equally prestigious Yale University. But he never finished it — music, which until then had been a passionate sideline, ultimately won out. That same year, still a student, he triumphed in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, defeating future stars Eric Alexander and Chris Potter.

Redman’s tenor saxophone style is marked by a rich, rounded tone and a natural phrasing that makes his playing deeply appealing to listeners. His approach is firmly rooted in the modern jazz tradition — one could call it Coltrane-meets-Rollins — yet he never lets tradition constrain him. Redman constantly seeks to fuse emotion and spontaneity with logic and structure, proving that jazz is not merely an intellectual exercise but also a profoundly free and joyful music. Perhaps that’s because, as a young man, he drew inspiration equally from jazz giants and rock icons like The Beatles, The Police, and Led Zeppelin.

Redman made an immediate impression with his self-titled debut album in 1993, where he appeared not only as a leader and saxophonist but also — in most of the material — as a composer. Equally crucial was the following year’s Moodswing, recorded with his then-quartet packed with future jazz superstars. His collaboration helped launch the global careers of Brad Mehldau (piano), Christian McBride (bass), and Brian Blade (drums). The group functioned as an “incubator” for the next generation of jazz leaders. When this very lineup reunited in 2020 — now a true “supergroup” — for the album RoundAgain, it became one of the events of the year. Two years later, their concert at Prague’s Lucerna as part of the Prague Sounds festival was hailed by critics as the jazz concert of the year.

Early in his career, Redman was occasionally accused of being too conservative — an assessment that couldn’t be further from the truth. His diverse projects prove otherwise, among them Elastic, driven by Sam Yahel’s array of synthesizers and electric keyboards, and Momentum, featuring four alternating guitarists and none other than Flea of the funk-rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers on bass. A different kind of modernity emerged from his collaboration with the celebrated trio The Bad Plus on the aptly, simply, and wittily titled album The Bad Plus Joshua Redman (2015).

The latest release from the ten-time Grammy-nominated artist, Words Fall Short, came out on Blue Note Records in June 2025. For this album, Redman assembled an entirely new and younger band — Paul Cornish, Philip Norris, and Nazir Ebo — giving his music a fresh and spontaneous energy. Critics have described the record more as a “conversation” than a solo monologue, highlighting its openness, collective chemistry, and effortless interplay. And in jazz, that’s the highest possible praise.