Freddie Redd (1928-2021)

[Adam]

I was going to mention the official release of The Connection from Milestone Films, but Mr. Garrett beat me.  The folks at Milestone are great, and those discs of Shirley Clarke's films are restored and have lots of extras.  The one film they couldn't include is The Cool World, featuring music by Mal Waldron.  Frederick Wiseman (the documentary maker) produced that film, owns the rights to it through his own company, Zipporah Films, and wouldn't license it to Milestone.  A real shame, because Wiseman won't restore it or put out a decent DVD.  Anyway, https://milestonefilms.com/products/the-connection

I think I mentioned this long ago, but the first film series I ever programmed was a Shirley Clarke retrospective in 1998 (she had died a bit before).  Freddie Redd was living Los Angeles at the time, and I was able to reach him through Wendy Clarke, Shirley's daughter.  We screened The Connection twice, at UCLA and at KAOS Network in Leimert Park.  Freddie came to both screenings, answered questions, played a couple of solo numbers after the film.  He was really lovely.  I saw him another time in LA a couple of years later, and he moved away some time after that.

I'm saddened to hear of his passing.  He had a good long life but I think never got the opportunities or recognition that he deserved.

[Dan Gould]

Sid Gribbetz of WKCR has published a Freddie Redd discography:

https://jazzdiscography.com/freddie-redd-discography/

[bertrand]

Very nice that he did this! There are a few things to add.

[Quasimado]

A little late, but thanks, Freddie. This is a beautiful disc ... the horns are perfect, and the writing/ arrangements tie everything together, directed by Freddie...