Music Monday: Redman, Grubbs, and The Deslondes

This past week has been productive to the point where I’ve not had as much time to listen to music as I perhaps would have liked. I did, however, take some time to listen to some Dewey Redman on and around his May 17th birthday. I’ve always enjoyed his debut album, Look to the Black Star (1966) which showcased Redman’s bluesy and almost Rollinsesque tone. I started to listen to Redman more seriously as I grew to appreciate James Brandon Lewis’s style which like Redman before him anchors his avant guard leanings in the deep blues. Of course, anyone who likes Redman also probably finds a lot to like in Old and New Dreams where Redman plays with Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Eddie Blackwell. Although the 1979 album of that name is worth its accolades, I slightly prefer the rawer and more “exotic” edge to the 1977 album. Finally, I’ve been enjoying the recent resurgence of Philadelphia’s Grubbs brothers. They’re a pair of saxophone players related to John Coltrane via their cousin Naima…