“The act of playing music becomes emotionally and spiritually whole when played for and with an audience.”

                  -Joshua Redman

On Friday November 9^th, a group of Whitworth Honors students attended the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble concert featuring saxophonist Joshua Redman at the Fox Theater in downtown Spokane.  The Whitworth Jazz Ensemble features a famous guest musician in their fall concert every year, and this year, the 30^th year, was Redman’s second time playing with Whitworth (the first being in 2011).

Joshua Redman is an immensely talented artist, undoubtedly bringing esteem to Whitworth’s Jazz Program through his guest performance.  Redman is a two-time Grammy nominee and has performed with a plethora of famous musicians and groups from Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock to Dave Matthews Band and even Yo Yo Ma.

Born in Berkeley, California to Dewey Redman and Renee Sherdoff, a legendary saxophonist and a dancer respectively, Joshua was exposed to many different genres of music from a young age.  He learned clarinet at age nine and switched to tenor saxophone within a year.  Despite all the musical influence in his life, Redman was more focused on his academics, and, as he described at a jazz clinic/lecture on campus the night before the concert, he had not really planned on becoming a musician.  More so, he suddenly realized in his thirties or forties that physically and emotionally, playing music is the life he has made for himself, and he wouldn’t do anything else.  Redman graduated from Harvard College in 1991 with a B.A. in social studies.  Though already accepted by Yale Law School, Redman deferred enrollment for one year, which he spent living in New York City with some friends from the Berklee College of Music.  He never did return to school, instead becoming immersed in jazz culture, going on to win the famous Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition in 1991.  He would go on to release two albums in March of 1993 and September of 1994.

As prestigious and gifted as Redman is, he remains a humble and personable individual.  At the clinic/lecture on Thursday night, Redman answered questions from an audience of mostly music students.  One of the most interesting topics Redman discussed was defining success as a musician.  In his philosophy, success is not only about career, but whether playing music is fulfilling.  He listed some of the most important character traits that music develops such as passion, respect, humility, and love.  Redman described how for him personally, music allows him to be himself in a unique way.  Though an introvert, when Redman plays, he feels open, extraverted, and free of anxiety.  His description of the expressive powers associated with music was very resonant with many students in the audience, and I would venture to say also with many liberal arts students at Whitworth.

Attending dinner and the concert with the Honors Program was a wonderful night.  If Redman were to return for a third time (as he joked at the concert in between sets), I would definitely go again and highly recommend the event to any student looking for an enjoyable, engaging evening downtown.

Written by June Moffitt ’21