2016 · Album
RoundAgain (feat. Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade)
Recorded 2015 · Nonesuch Records · Produced by Joshua Redman and Jay Newland
Three Masters in Conversation
Redman, Mehldau, McBride, and Blade find something fresh in familiar changes.
RoundAgain captures Joshua Redman in a moment of genuine comfort with collaborators who know exactly what he's after. With Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Brian Blade on drums, this is less about proving anything and more about four musicians who've played enough together to stop explaining themselves. The album feels like overhearing a conversation between friends who've learned to finish each other's sentences—not in a studied way, but naturally.
What makes this distinct from Redman's other work is the restraint. There's no flash here, no trying to blow anyone away. Mehldau stays melodic and grounded rather than running into harmonic abstraction. McBride's bass lines anchor things firmly while still responding to every shift in the room. Blade plays with space, which might be the most important thing a drummer can do in a group this intimate. The tunes themselves aren't landmarks—they're the kind of vehicles that work because everyone listening understands the assignment and trusts each other to stay present rather than competitive.
If you know Redman's work already, this isn't a departure so much as a confirmation. He's been moving toward this kind of clarity for a while. It's not his most celebrated record, and it won't redefine your understanding of jazz, but it's the sound of a saxophonist and three other musicians making music that matters to them without worrying about mattering to anyone else. That quiet confidence is worth listening to.
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