D.C. drummer and vibes master Chuck Redd is back at the Side Door this Friday night celebrating the release of his new record, Groove City. He’ll be joined by Tampa Bay’s favorite jazz trio, La Lucha for the show. It’s the first jazz show of our Summer House series in July and August.
Chuck has been playing the Palladium ever since I’ve been here. He’s led the Statesmen of Jazz from Arbors Records. He’s been a featured side man on Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday and in Side Door shows with Nate and La Lucha. This week’s album release show kicks off Friday, July 12 in the Side Door at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, just follow this link or call our box office at 727-822-3590.
Chuck will appear on All Night Jazz on WUSF 89.7, Thursday night at 9 for an performance and in interview with Jazz Director Mike Cornette.
For the album, Chuck has assembled a stellar group of musicians, playing a variety of deep grooves ranging from hard swinging to bossa nova and the blues. One of the players is Palladium favorite Nicki Parrott on bass.
Here’s what Downbeat said about the new record:
Applause is deserved for album packaging that conveys a clear, straightforward message. The album title and retro font on the cover of drummer-vibraphonist Chuck Redd’s new album, Groove City, tell fans what to expect. And Redd, who has appeared on more than 80 recordings, certainly doesn’t disappoint. In his liner notes essay, Redd explains that fans often ask him what he thinks about when he’s playing. His response is: “Be grateful that you’re here, and visualize the groove.”
On his sixth album as a leader, Redd plays vibraphone and percussion, recruiting the great Lewis Nash to handle the drum-set duties. Rounding out the band are pianist John di Martino, bassist Nicki Parrott and tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon, who contributes to four of the 11 tracks. This crackerjack unit delivers delicious grooves in various forms, whether they’re simmering or smoking on a program that includes a couple of Redd’s compositions (“A Groove For Gail” and “Blues In The Shedd”), two tunes by his former employer Monty Alexander (“Renewal” and “Regulator”), one by Thelonious Monk (“Evidence”) and one by Antonio Carlos Jobim (“Tide,” featuring Parrott’s tasty, wordless vocals). A quartet rendition of the standard “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’” illustrates the band’s ability to be simultaneously intense and gentle, hot yet cool, thanks in large part to the fluidity of Redd’s attack. A duo arrangement of Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” showcases Redd’s skills as a narrator, while di Martino provides the ideal coloration. A fresh version of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”—built atop a compelling 16th-note groove from Parrott and Nash—uses the recording studio to great sonic effect. On that track, and throughout the album, Redd and his collaborators are sensitive to the beauty of luminous vibraphone notes that resonate, hanging in the air, tugging at the heart.
A jazz veteran, Redd is highly regarded in jazz circles, thanks to his 15-year stint as a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, his 19-year tenure with the late guitarist Charlie Byrd and his current position as a faculty member at the University of Maryland. With Groove City, longtime fans and newcomers can savor the satisfying artistry of Redd—a gracious, grateful leader.
Here’s what the critics are saying about Chuck’s new record:
“Longtime fans and newcomers can savor the satisfying artistry of Redd-a gracious, grateful leader.” –Downbeat Magazine
“With John Di Martino on piano, Nicki Parrott on bass, Lewis Nash on drums and Jerry Weldon guesting on tenor saxophone, you can practically feel the energy before the music even begins.” 4 Stars –All about Jazz
Groove City is, “A hip mix of covers and originals…“-Cadence Magazine
About The musicians on Groove City,:
“They share a philosophy of purpose when it comes to the music, letting the collaboration emerge as genius.”-O’s Jazz newsletter
“A straight- ahead jazz winner, this is what the real jazz fan comes for. Hot stuff.”–Midwest Record
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