One of the signs of a true artist is that he keeps on growing, and throughout 30+ years tenor saxist Joshua Redman has been coming to play at Catalina’s, it’s always been with a different sound, band and aspect. This time around, the sax titan has stretched out his ideas by bringing in vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, with the 90 minute set consisting of songs (mostly) from his latest release Where We Are that focused on songs with lyrics attentive to various locations in the world. The evening was not only a travelogue of words, but of the trek that Redman has musically taken as he climbs his musical summit.
The statuesque Cavassa was a brilliant choice as vocalist, as she carries with her both the emotional nuance of a Billy Holiday, but imputed with a clarity and flexibility akin to Rosemary Clooney, the lyrics have an emotional dry ice that soothes and yet draws you in.
Redman opened the evening up with a soft and fluffy solo intro that rolled in like a fog before the delicate ripples from pianist Paul Cornish joined in with bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo. Cavassa floated in with a graceful hue on a dreamy mix of “Going To Chicago/Chicago Blues” that gave shades like Picasso’s blue period. Cornish then gave a playful and introspective into to a slinky “Streets of Philadelphia” that glided into a glorious prismatic read of “Hotel California” that had Cavassa floating like a cirrus cloud over the dug in rivulet created by the teamwork of Redman and Cornish as well as Norris’ penetrating solo.
It was Norris’ turn to open things up, before sublime softness was painted with Cavassa’s watercolors around Redman’s smoky Cubano cigar rings as she coo’d sensuality with glorious restraint on a reflective “That’s New England” and the team then got cozy around Ebo’s brushes on a coy and bouncy “Rhode Island Is Famous For You”.
But best was saved for the end of the evening, as Redman spoke about the medley of “Stars Fell On Alabama/Alabama” reflected the complexities of America’s glorious history. His opening solo was like a gasping cry of a slave’s field holler before going into subdued subtones. The Tin Pan Alley song had Cavassa in a comfy back porch swing before the Coltrane classic went to back breaking again with Redman’s glissando’s, wide range of emotional dynamics and a tonal range from low A to altissimo A an emotional tour deforce before he landed the plane in a thick rolling fog.
Closing with a winsome “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans”, Redman showed not only his majestic mastery of his instrument, but of his musical path and growth. His technical as well as emotional control is something rarely seen in this days of either cacophonic navel gazing or emotions without feelings.
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include Freda Payne 09/22, David Garfield 09/25, Steve Tyrell 09/27-28 and Janis Siegel 10/05