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Rob Reddy
Since forming his first ensemble in 1989 featuring legendary bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Pheeroan akLaff, Reddy has worked almost exclusively as a leader, with the exception of brief stints with Workman's ensemble and Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society.
He founded the Reddy Music label in 2006, and released “A Hundred Jumping Devils,” which earned him a Chamber Music America commission. His second release, “The Book of the Storm,” featured an all-star 19-piece ensemble performing the hour-long title piece, commissioned by NYSCA and the Jerome Foundation, at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Reddy has also been awarded commissions and grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Composers Forum, Meet the Composer, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the American Music Center and received two residencies at TPAC.
His seventh recording, “Bechet: Our Contemporary,” was released on September 11, 2015. The recording of the album is the subject of a full-length documentary by filmmaker David Castillo. Reddy used Sidney Bechet's original compositions as a point of departure to create this work, intertwining four Bechet compositions with four of his own. Reddy sees this project as an honest and respectful attempt at honoring Bechet’s place in history as a seriously forward-thinking, avant-garde artist of his time, while also putting his work into conversation with our own, present-day sociopolitical landscape.
Reddy's current projects include “Where’s Marilyn?”, which is a 2015 New York State Council on the Arts Individual Artist commission. This piece delves into Reddy's experiences growing up in Kings Park, a small Long Island town that supported one of the largest state psychiatric facilities for over 100 years, and explores themes of memory, community, and the politics of mental healthcare.
Reddy returned to the recording studio in July 2016 to record new music for his Citizen Quintet which features longtime collaborators John Carlson - trumpet, Brandon Ross - guitars, Dom Richards - double bass and Pheeroan akLaff - drums. This recording was released on September 30th, 2016.
In October 2016 Reddy premiered new music for his Bechet: Our Contemporary ensemble for which he received a 2015 Chamber Music America New Works Jazz Commission. This new music was recorded live and will be released on his Reddy Music label in Spring 2017.
As well as the aforementioned projects, Reddy is also undertaking his most ambitious work to date over the course of 2016. INTERRUPTION! is a live performance piece composed for a 14 piece ensemble with music by Reddy and libretto written and performed by saxophonist, composer, poet, visual artist and all around renaissance man, Oliver Lake.
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Rob Reddy: Citizen Quintet
by Alberto Bazzurro
Allievo di Ken McIntyre e Dave Liebman, attivo sulla scena jazzistica alla testa di propri gruppi a partire dalla fine degli anni Ottanta, e in parallelo in seno a formazioni dirette da Reggie Workman e Ronald Shannon Jackson, il sopranista Rob Reddy ha maturato nel corso degli anni una visione alquanto personale del fare jazz, come questo bell'album in quintetto, registrato nel luglio 2016 con dentro musicisti del calibro di Pheeroan akLaff, altro suo sodale di lunga data, e Brandon ...
read moreRob Reddy: Bechet: Our Contemporary
by Alberto Bazzurro
Omaggiando Bechet ma attraverso una lente in più frangenti memore della lezione mingusiana, oltre che attenta a esperienze decisamente più contemporanee, attorniato da un organico di primo piano, il quarantanovenne sopranista, compositore (suo metà del materiale tematico del disco) e arrangiatore (tutto il resto, ovviamente griffato Bechet) newyorchese Rob Reddy firma un lavoro capace di emanciparsi brillantemente dalla classica sintassi del mero jazz revival (pur tutt'altro che assente in diversi passaggi, o interi episodi, dell'album), confezionando un prodotto di estrema ...
read moreRob Reddy: Bechet: Our Contemporary
by Glenn Astarita
Prominent New York City progressive saxophonist and composer, Rob Reddy contemporizes innovative soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet's artistic persona with his large ensemble, featuring several longtime associates, violinist Charles Burnham, bassist Dom Richards and drummer Pheeroan Aklaff. Reddy doesn't simply restate the past, but more importantly intertwines the trad jazz component with a scintillating and upbeat commingling of nouveau applications. Bechet's wide vibrato technique, full-bodied and animated improvisational acumen extended conventional norms into the upper strata during his heyday ...
read moreRob Reddy: Bechet: Our Contemporary
by Troy Collins
With so much history to explore, tribute albums to jazz greats have become an established custom, regularly issued by artists of varying experience, from neophytes to masters. The most efficacious of these homages provide a fresh perspective on longstanding traditions, tracing the lineage of current concepts to past advances. A salient example of this phenomenon is Bechet: Our Contemporary, Rob Reddy's inspired ode to fellow soprano saxophonist and legendary innovator Sidney Bechet. Reddy has been active in the New York ...
read moreRob Reddy's Small Town: The Book of the Storm
by Donald Elfman
This “Small Town --Reddy's large ensemble--has created a massive statement that shows just where jazz composition, new music, collective improvisation and individual expression meet. The leader, though a vital and engaging instrumentalist, envisioned this four-part suite as a situation where he would not play his saxophones. What took shape, instead, was a huge structure that revolved around a core of musicians with whom Reddy has been regularly involved. It's a maelstrom of sound in which players disappear into the storm ...
read moreRob Reddy's Small Town: The Book of the Storm
by Nic Jones
This is a break with precedent for saxophonist and composer Reddy, as it's the first time he's recorded an extended composition for a large ensemble of which he's not a performing member. His role here is that of both composer and conductor, and he's fortunate indeed to have a group so clearly capable of making his music come to life.
A note of caution needs to be sounded, however. Any listener of a reactionary frame of mind is going to ...
read moreRob Reddy's Small Town: The Book of the Storm
by Jerry D'Souza
Rob Reddy puts his saxophone aside to concentrate on composition for The Book of the Storm. Reddy has already shown that he has germane ideas and brings that facet into prominence once more.
The idea for a large ensemble came to him in 2001. Reddy could not contain the ideas that went through his imagination in a single narrative, so he parlayed that into a process that finally evolved into a four-part suite. The poet Tomas Tranströmer provides the next ...
read moreRob Reddy's Gift Horse to Perform at NYC's Tribeca Performing Arts Center November 28th-29th
Source:
Improvised Communications
On Wednesday, November 28th and Thursday, November 29th at 8:00 p.m., Brooklyn- based saxophonist/composer Rob Reddy will return to the Tribeca Performing Arts Center to present the world premiere of a new book of music for his sextet, Rob Reddy's Gift Horse, commissioned by Chamber Music America. The group, which recorded last year's A Hundred Jumping Devils (Reddy Music), currently features frequent Reddy collaborators French hornist Mark Taylor, violinist Charles Burnham, guitarist Brandon Ross and bassist Dom Richards, with tabla ...
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Rob Reddy's New CD Released Today
Source:
Improvised Communications
Reddy Music is proud to announce the September 18th release of The Book of the Storm (RED-002), a live concert recording documenting the March 2007 world premiere of saxophonist/composer Rob Reddy's hour-long piece of the same name at New York's Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
The four-movement work was performed by a 19-piece ensemble called Rob Reddy's Small Town, which featured some of the most respected performer/improvisers in New York, including Pheeroan akLaff, Guillermo E. Brown, Charles Burnham, Curtis Hasselbring, Oscar ...
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Rob Reddy to Unveil New Work, Ensemble in October
Source:
Improvised Communications
Saxophonist/composer Rob Reddy and his new ensemble, Rob Reddy's Tenfold, will be in residence at Brooklyn's Jalopy Theater every Friday night in October to perform his latest and most ambitious extended work, Episodes and Antinomies. The world premiere of this ten-movement suite, commissioned by the American Composers Forum, will happen Friday, October 5th at 9:00 p.m. Three other performances will follow on October 12th, 19th and 26th respectively, further exploring the nuances and possibilities of this diverse music. The opening ...
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Mark Taylor and Rob Reddy This Saturday at Brooklyn's Jalopy Theater
Source:
Improvised Communications
On Saturday, July 28th, the Reddy Music Concert Series will present the double-bill of Mark Taylor's Nameless Quartet and the Rob Reddy Quintet at Brooklyn's Jalopy Theater. This is the fourth event in the ongoing monthly concert series, which saxophonist/ composer Rob Reddy curates as an extension of his label, Reddy Music.
Mark Taylor is a veteran performer, composer and arranger whose multi-faceted, two-decade career includes work with Muhal Richard Abrams, Lester Bowie, Alan Silva, Henry Threadgill and McCoy Tyner ...
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Jef Lee Johnson and Rob Reddy Trio at Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn May
Source:
Improvised Communications
25On Friday, May 25th at 9:00 p.m., the Reddy Music Concert Series will present The Jef Lee Johnson Group and the Rob Reddy Trio at Brooklyn's Jalopy Theater. This will be the second event presented by this new monthly series, which is curated by saxophonist/ composer Rob Reddy as an extension of his label, Reddy Music.
Philadelphia-based guitarist/composer Jef Lee Johnson has appeared on more than 115 recordings, working with everyone from Billy Joel to The Roots to Ronald Shannon ...
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Reddy Music Concert Series Presents Rob Reddy Quintet and Brandon Ross Intention April 28th
Source:
Improvised Communications
Saturday, April 28th at 9:00 p.m. The Reddy Music Concert Series presents: Rob Reddy Quintet Brandon Ross Intention Jalopy Theater 315 Columbia Street in Brooklyn, NY
Rob Reddy, alto and soprano saxophones; Charles Burnham, violin and mandolin; Jef Lee Johnson, guitars; Dom Richards, double bass; Pheeroan akLaff, drums
Brandon Ross, guitar, banjo and vocals; Will Martina, cello; JT Lewis, drums
On Saturday, April 28th, the Reddy Music Concert ...
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Saxophonist Rob Reddy Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
Rob Reddy's one of the prominent soprano saxophonists working today, but his reputation has been built upon his work as bandleader and, especially, as a composer. He's been a presence in New York for 20 years now, having studied with soprano player Dave Liebman and reedsman Makanda Ken McIntyre before graduating from the first-ever jazz program at Greenwich Village's New School.
AAJ Contributing Editor Paul Olson recently spoke at length with Reddy about his recent album, A Hundred Jumping Devils, ...
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Rob Reddy's Small Town at Tribeca Performing Arts Center March 14-15
Source:
Improvised Communications
Wednesday, March 14th and Thursday, March 15th at 8:00 p.m. Rob Reddy's Small Town (World Premiere) TriBeCa Performing Arts Center 199 Chambers Street #110SC in New York, NY Tickets are $10 at the TPAC Box office or (212) 220-1460 Venue information is available here Learn more about Rob Reddy here
Rob Reddy, composer and conductor; Oscar Noriega, clarinet and bass clarinet; Steve Elson, flute and soprano ...
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Rob Reddy To Launch Reddy Music Label With New Sextet Release
Source:
Improvised Communications
On October 24th, veteran saxophonist/composer Rob Reddy will launch his Reddy Music label with A Hundred Jumping Devils (Reddy Music RED-001), the debut release from his new sextet, Rob Reddy's Gift Horse. Featuring Mark Taylor (French horn), Charles Burnham (violin), Brandon Ross (acoustic and electric guitars), Dom Richards (double bass) and Mino Cinelu (percussion), the group explores a hauntingly eclectic mix of Reddy originals inspired by hymns, processionals, threnodies, ballads, sambas and more.
“By turns somber and spritely, abstract and ...
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Rob Reddy Quintet Live @ Tonic - June 20, 2006, 8PM
Source:
All About Jazz
Tuesday, June 20th, 2006, 1 set @ 8:00PM Tonic 107 Norfolk Street NYC, NY 10002 Admission - $12 http://www.tonicnyc.com 212-358-7501
Composer/saxophonist Rob Reddy fronts a new ensemble that will make their way through Reddy's adventurous, intricate and melodic compositions. Reddy reunites the power house rhythm section from his Honor System ensemble of Philly guitarist Jef Lee Johnson, bassist Dom Richards, and drummer Pheeroan akLaff and adds the ever ...
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—Howard Mandel, Jazziz
"...Reddy’s is an adventure that benefits fans of any jazz era."
—Andrew Bartlett, Amazon.com
“Rob Reddy’s music is truly American: confident without being arrogant, brash but not swaggering and celebratory to the point of boisterousness and joyous unrestraint."
—Allen Huotari, All About Jazz
Since the early 1990s, Rob Reddy has been forging a way uniquely his own as a jazz composer, saxophone player and bandleader in New York.”
Photos
Music
Right As Rain
From: Citizen QuintetBy Rob Reddy
Up South
From: Bechet: Our ContemporaryBy Rob Reddy
Videos
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Frederic Rzewski
piano
Rob Reddy
Location: New York City
Instrument: Saxophone
Born: December 28, 1966
