In his notes, saxophonist (and producer) Redman calls his new album "a jazz celebration of 20th century Western popular song." Yow! High Concept City! You'd think from the liners that Redman and his group are the first jazz outfit to try on an album of standards. Good grief. This project is an extremely conservative and predictable affair, especially after Redman began to spread his neo-trad wings on his last outing, Freedom In The Groove. Some of the selections here--"Yesterdays," "It Might As Well Be Spring," "How Deep Is The Ocean," "Love For Sale," even "Eleanor Rigby"--have been played to death already. Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade, top chops and all, can't work anything new into these tired tunes. Only when the group wraps itself collectively around the unusual harmonics of Joni Mitchell's "I Had A King" does the session really come alive.
