Swift - Music

Freddie Redd Born May 29 1928 In New York City Is An American Hard-Bop Pianist And Composer. After A Period In The Army 1946–49 He Worked With Drummer Johnny Mills And Then In New York Played With Tiny Grimes Cootie Williams Oscar Pettiford And The Jive Bombers. Redd Toured Sweden In 1956 With Ernestine Anderson And Rolf Ericson. His Greatest Success Came In The Late 1950s In The Play And Movie The Connection In Which He Both Played And Acted In New York City London And Paris. He Also Played On The Soundtrack Album. His Success In The Play Did Not Help His Career In The United States However And Shortly Afterwards He Moved To Europe.
He Returned To The United States In 1974. Although He Has Never Been Able To Establish Himself Commercially In The First Rank Of Jazz Figures Musically His Playing Is Of The Highest Caliber. Punchy Jumpy And Playful Yet Laden With An Undertone Of Blusey Melancholy Redd's Playing Is Instantly Recognizable. A Master Of The Small-Group Hardbop Arrangement Redd Is Both A Dutiful Soloist And An Excitable Accompanist Who Has Pushed Musicians To Play Up To Their Best These Have Included Highly Regarded Artists Such As Jackie McLean Tina Brooks Paul Chambers Howard McGhee Milt Hinton Lou Donaldson Benny Bailey Louis Hayes Al McKibbon Billy Higgins And Many More. Redd Recorded Several Albums As Leader Including Three Prominent Blue Note Albums. read less