It was completely applicable that saxophonist and vocalist Vi Redd ought to make her debut as a frontrunner with an album entitled Bird Call, for if ever Charlie Parker had an adherent then it was she. Her phrasing and tone continuously conjure up the nice man’s model and provided that fixed bluesy edge, she actually adopted Parker’s legacy with aplomb. Originally issued on United Artists, the music on this disc garnered appreciable reward from the critics of the time.
Initially Redd suffered from the traditional setbacks feminine instrumentalists might endure within the male-dominated jazz world and fairly early in her profession ducked out of the music scene for a job as a social employee. But upon her return, having acquired an everyday gig in LA, she discovered herself within the studio for 2 days of recording below the steerage of Leonard Feather – therefore Bird Call.
The music, together with a few Feather originals, primarily swings mightily, the chief bringing a whole lot of ardour to the desk, even resulting in the accusation that she could possibly be accused of overblowing on the ultimate two tracks. She is suitably supported all through, with the nonetheless underrated Carmell Jones including some good touches to items like Now’s The Time and I Remember Bird.
Given her added vocals on some tunes, this actually was an important introduction to the world of Vi Redd, who continued her appreciable time on this earth each performing and educating in equal measures. If we search for a vocal spotlight, her negotiation of the convoluted traces of Anthropology in unison with Herb Ellis is fairly spectacular.
Discography
(1) Now’s The Time; Just Friends; Medley: Cool Blues/Perhaps; I Remember Bird; Old Folks; (2) If I Should Lose You; Summertime; Anthropology; All The Things You Are; I’d Rather Have A Memory Than A Dream (43.47)
(1) Redd (as, v); Carmel Jones (t); Roy Ayers (vib); Russ Freeman (p); Leroy Vinneger (b); Richie Goldberg (d). LA, 21 May 1962.
(2) Redd (as, v); Freeman (p); Herb Ellis (g); Bob Whitlock (b); Goldberg (d). LA, 22 May 1962.
Fresh Sound FSR 1671
