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Vi Redd

An accomplished altoist and vocalist, Vi Redd's impressive music career has flourished for over four decades. A veteran who has performed with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie to Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Marian McPartland, she has been acknowledged far too rarely for the sterling qualities of her music.

From her performances with the legendary Count Basie to her personal friendship with the late Sarah Vaughn, Ms. Redd is well-known and well-respected within the annals of jazz. Daughter of New Orleans jazz drummer and Clef Club co-founder, Alton Redd, Vi Redd was born in Los Angeles and was deeply influenced during her formative years by her father who was one of the paramount figures on the Central Avenue jazz scene. Another dominant musical mentor was her aunt, Elma Hightower, one of the most sought after music teachers in the Los Angeles area during the same time. Under her aunt's watchful eye and guidance, Ms. Redd picked up the saxophone as a child and hasn't put it down since.

Redd is a Cal State LA graduate, and went on to earn a teaching certificate from USC. She relocated to Berkeley, CA during the 60's and 70's and taught as a classroom teacher for many years, upon returning to Los Angeles.

Vi Redd is certainly one of the more elusive figures in jazz, which has only added to her appeal which for collectors is based on her two excellent efforts as leader “Bird Call,” (’63) and her most prominent from 1965 “Lady Soul.” Source: James Nadal

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Radio & Podcasts

More Fall Releases Plus Birthday Shoutouts To Lovie Austin, Vi Redd, Emily Remler & More

Read "More Fall Releases Plus Birthday Shoutouts To Lovie Austin, Vi Redd, Emily Remler & More" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


This broadcast includes new releases from Audrey Ochoa, Shuteen Erdenebaatar, Maddie Vogler, Teri Parker, Brandon Sanders featuring Jazzmeia Horn, vocalists Darden Purcell, plus a single from Samara Joy, with birthday shoutouts to Lovie Austin, Vi Redd, Emily Remler, Bobby Short, Catherine Russell, Kait Dunton, Norma Winstone and Ingrid Laubrock, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their music so they can continue to distract, comfort, provoke and inspire.

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Radio & Podcasts

Day of the Dead Show - A Sonic Alter

Read "Day of the Dead Show - A Sonic Alter" reviewed by David Brown


This week, we bring you G-Town Radio's 5th annual Day of the Dead weekend. For this week's Jazz Continuum program, we will feature a variety of jazz musicians paying homage to friends, mentors, and icons in the Jazz Continuum. Think of this as a sonic alter to those who came before in the music. Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 00:30 Don Byas Quintet “I Remember Clifford" from Americans In Europe vol.s ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Autumn's Embrace and September Song

Read "Autumn's Embrace and September Song" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


Happy Fall to all! This equinox broadcast includes new releases from guitarist Claudette King, vocalists Tish Oney, Kelley Johnson, Carolyn Fitzhugh and Chiara Izzi, pianist Sumitra and saxophonist Chelsea McBride's Socialist Night School, with birthday shout outs to saxophonist Vi Redd (pictured), pianists Lovie Austin, Bobby Short, Kait Dunton, Helen Sung and Champian Fulton, guitarist Emily Remler, vocalists Ruth Brown, Maria Muldaur, Catherine Russell, and Wesla Whitfield among others. Playlist Vi Redd “Salty Papa Blues" from Lady Soul ...

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Charts of Elegance

Soulful Stylings - Exploring the music of Vi Redd

Read "Soulful Stylings - Exploring the music of Vi Redd" reviewed by Ava Louise


Born in 1928, Elvira Louise Redd Vi Redd grew up in a household full of music and was influenced greatly by her father, jazz musician Alton Redd. She picked up the saxophone at age 12 and began performing professionally at the age of 20. At 34, she became the first female instrumentalist to headline at a jazz festival. In spite of the fact that Vi became an accomplished saxophonist who performed with well-known artists such as Count Basie, ...

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Sarah James
vocals
Olivia Hughart
saxophone, alto

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Birdcall

Liberty
1968

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Lady Soul

Atco
1965

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Lady Soul

Solid State Records
1963

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Videos

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