Vi Redd
Encyclopedia
Vi Redd is an American
jazz
alto saxophone
player, vocalist and educator. She has been active since the early 1950s and is known primarily for playing in the bebop
, hard bop
and post bop styles. She is highly regarded as an accomplished veteran who personally knew Dizzy Gillespie
(see the Vi's 2009 interview on YouTube) and has performed with such stars as Count Basie
, Rahsaan Roland Kirk
, Linda Hopkins
and Marian McPartland
.
co-founder, Alton Redd, Vi was born in Los Angeles
. She was deeply influenced during her formative years by her father, who was one of the leading figures on the Central Avenue jazz scene. Another important musical mentor was Alton Redd's aunt and Vi Redd's great aunt, Alma Hightower
.
After working for the Board of Education from 1957–60, Vi returned to jazz. She played in Las Vegas
in 1962, with Earl Hines
in 1964 and led a group in San Francisco in the mid-1960s with her husband, drummer Richie Goldberg. During this time, Vi also worked with Max Roach
. While active, she toured as far as Japan, London (including an unprecedented 10 weeks at Ronnie Scott's
), Sweden, Spain and Paris. In 1969, she settled in Los Angeles where she played locally while also working as an educator. She led albums for United Artists
(1962) and Atco
(1962–63) but nothing else since then. Her 1963 album Lady Soul features many prominent jazz figures of the day, including Bill Perkins, Jennell Hawkins, Barney Kessel
, Leroy Vinnegar
, Leroy Harrison, Dick Hyman
, Paul Griffin
, Bucky Pizzarelli
, Ben Tucker and Dave Bailey. The liner notes are by Leonard Feather
.
A Cal State LA graduate, she also earned a teaching certificate from University of Southern California
and taught as a classroom teacher for many years from the '70s onward upon returning to Los Angeles.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
player, vocalist and educator. She has been active since the early 1950s and is known primarily for playing in the bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
, hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
and post bop styles. She is highly regarded as an accomplished veteran who personally knew Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
(see the Vi's 2009 interview on YouTube) and has performed with such stars as Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played tenor saxophone, flute and many other instruments...
, Linda Hopkins
Linda Hopkins
Linda Hopkins is an African American actress and blues and gospel singer. She has recorded classic, traditional, and urban blues, and performed R&B and soul, jazz, and show tunes, all with distinction and style since the 1950s....
and Marian McPartland
Marian McPartland
Margaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
.
Biography
Elvira "Vi" Redd is the daughter of New Orleans jazz drummer and Clef ClubClef Club
The Clef Club was a popular entertainment venue and society for African American musicians in Harlem, achieving its largest success in the 1910s. Incorporated by James Reese Europe in 1910, it was a combination musicians' hangout, fraternity club, labor exchange, and concert hall, across the street...
co-founder, Alton Redd, Vi was born in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She was deeply influenced during her formative years by her father, who was one of the leading figures on the Central Avenue jazz scene. Another important musical mentor was Alton Redd's aunt and Vi Redd's great aunt, Alma Hightower
Alma Julia Hightower
Alma Julia Hightower was an African American vocalist, musician and music teacher. She was born Alma Julia Webster on November 27, 1888 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and died August 1, 1970 in Los Angeles at the age of 82. She taught hundreds of children and adults...
.
After working for the Board of Education from 1957–60, Vi returned to jazz. She played in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
in 1962, with Earl Hines
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was an American jazz pianist. Hines was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz piano and, according to one source, is "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early...
in 1964 and led a group in San Francisco in the mid-1960s with her husband, drummer Richie Goldberg. During this time, Vi also worked with Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
. While active, she toured as far as Japan, London (including an unprecedented 10 weeks at Ronnie Scott's
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is a jazz club which has operated in London since 1959.The club opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district. It was managed by musicians Ronnie Scott and Pete King. In 1965 it moved to a larger venue nearby at 47 Frith Street...
), Sweden, Spain and Paris. In 1969, she settled in Los Angeles where she played locally while also working as an educator. She led albums for United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
(1962) and Atco
Atco
-In Canada:*ATCO, an engineering company**ATCO Electric, a subsidiary of the above company-In the United States:*Atco, Georgia, a community in Bartow County*Atco, New Jersey, a community in Camden County...
(1962–63) but nothing else since then. Her 1963 album Lady Soul features many prominent jazz figures of the day, including Bill Perkins, Jennell Hawkins, Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
, Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
, Leroy Harrison, Dick Hyman
Dick Hyman
Richard “Dick” Hyman is an American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer, best-known for his versatility with jazz piano styles. Over a 50 year career, he has functioned as pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and, increasingly, as composer...
, Paul Griffin
Paul Griffin (musician)
Paul Griffin was an American session musician and pianist, who recorded with hundreds of artists from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
, Bucky Pizzarelli
Bucky Pizzarelli
John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli is an American Jazz guitarist and banjoist, and the father of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and upright bassist Martin Pizzarelli. Pizzarelli has also worked for NBC as a staffman for Dick Cavett and also ABC with Bobby Rosengarden in...
, Ben Tucker and Dave Bailey. The liner notes are by Leonard Feather
Leonard Feather
Leonard Geoffrey Feather was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer who was best known for his music journalism and other writing.-Biography:...
.
A Cal State LA graduate, she also earned a teaching certificate from University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and taught as a classroom teacher for many years from the '70s onward upon returning to Los Angeles.
Discography
- 1962 - Bird Call (United Artists/Solid StateSolid State Records (jazz label)Solid State Records was a jazz record label formed in 1966 by noted producers Sonny Lester and Phil Ramone, with arranger Manny Albam.The label released original recordings in the mid to late 1960s by Joe Williams, Chick Corea, Jimmy McGriff, Dizzy Gillespie, The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz...
) - 1962 - Lady Soul (Atco)
- 1968 - Count Basie Live at Antibes 1968 (Rare Records France)
- 1970 - Gene Ammons / Dexter Gordon The Chase (Prestige)
- 1977 - Marian McPartland Now's the time (Halcyon)
External links
- Vi Redd with the Basie orchestra, 1968 at YouTube
- With Linda Hopkins at YouTube
- 2009 family interview at YouTube
- All About Jazz article
- [ Entry at] All Music Guide to Jazz