An Underrated Giant Finds His Voice
Dewey Redman emerges as an underrated giant, playing with conviction and clarity.
In London captures Dewey Redman in his mid-sixties, recorded live for the BBC in 1996, a point in his career when he had largely stepped back from the spotlight. This wasn't a comeback or a farewell tour—it was simply a working musician still possessed of strong ideas, still capable of pushing his tenor and soprano saxophones into unexpected territory. The BBC session format suited him: no overdubs, no second takes, just the band responding to each other in real time. Redman had spent decades as a sideman and collaborative voice in others' projects. Here, leading his own group, there's no pretense or calculation. He swings hard when the moment calls for it, but he's equally comfortable sitting in silence, letting space do the work. The tone is direct and unfussy—these are jazz musicians solving problems together, not performing for history. What emerges is music of genuine maturity. Redman doesn't need to prove anything anymore. His phrasing carries weight precisely because he's earned the right to understate. AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow's assessment rings true: this is an artist operating at full power, recorded at a moment when the industry wasn't paying close attention. For listeners willing to meet him there, In London is a reminder that some of the era's most valuable music happened quietly, in rooms where fewer people were listening.
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