New releases last two weeks: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: American saxophonist Joshua Redman returns with a new quartet featuring pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris, and drummer Nazir Ebo i a group formed during touring dates following his previous Blue Note debut. The eight new compositions were written during the pandemic and reflect a more subdued register, with pieces often built around modal phrasing and pared-back forms. 'A Message to Unsend' and 'So It Goes' open the set with slow, measured arrangements that favour tone over speed. 'Words Fall Short' and 'Borrowed Eyes' continue in that vein, trading solo space across saxophone and piano without crowding the frame. 'Icarus' introduces more movement and sharper shifts, while 'Over the Jelly-Green Sky' pushes into freer rhythmic interplay without abandoning the central theme. 'She Knows' and 'Era's End' close the set with a return to stillness, the final track pairing Redman with guest vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. Additional appearances from saxophonist Melissa Aldana and trumpeter Skylar Tang are folded in without disruption. It's a restrained but focused studio outing, shaped by clarity, not excess.