NEW RELEASE! Chuck Redd: The Common Thread

Personnel: Chuck Redd: vibes, drums (5, 9, 11) Mickey Roker: drums (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12) Bob Cranshaw: bass (except 4, 10, 11) Rossano Sportiello: piano Houston Person: tenor sax (1, 2, 3, 12)

A common thread runs through the music played by Chuck Redd and his colleagues on this marvelous recording that, in the words of the accomplished vibraphonist/drummer himself, “is sewn into jazz from the beginning of the art form.” To swing, to play melodically, highlight the beauty of a great song, to infuse the music with a blues feeling and consistently strive for honesty and excellence are the elements that Redd feels connects the music that he makes today with all the many great sounds of jazz that have come before it.

Chuck Redd Remembers Barney Kessel: Happy All The Time

Personnel: Chuck Redd/vibes, drums, Monty Alexander/piano, Howard Alden/guitar, Gene Bertoncini/guitar, Robert Redd/piano, Hassan Shakur/bass, Jeff Hamilton/drums

"As you listen to these performances, observe how the musicians come together to uplift the Kessel sounds, how they influence each other, how they effortlessly affect what the music is saying. This is the way the music should be played. This is the hard driving swing that should accompany Barney Kessel´s music. This is much the way Barney would have played it." - John Clayton, 3-time Grammy-nominated bassist/composer/conductor