Jazz saxophonist brings Buskirk audience to its feet

Final bunches of people struggled to fill the last few empty chairs Saturday as the lights started to dim in the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre. A drum set sat anxiously waiting for Brian Blade's sticks. Not far away, a Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhode piano and keyboard stood empty for Sam Yahel to take a seat at each of them throughout the night. Off to the side sat soprano and baritone saxophones on their sturdy stands. Between the drums and pianos was nothing but an empty patch of stage.\nSoon after, Yahel and Blade took their seats at their respective instruments. Finally, with a welcoming applause, Joshua Redman took the stage. As he picked up his baritone sax, the three jazz artists began playing.\nRedman's music started out with incredible speed, but that affected neither his sound quality nor rhythm. His brass instrument blared notes that climbed all the way into the stratosphere and low notes that shook the ground. When Redman stopped playing, the audience broke into a roar of screams and applause -- and he had only played one song.\nBacking him up with equal ability were Blade's drums, which kept the rhythm alive with unbelievable energy. A monstrous array of sounds came from the variety of sticks that he used to pound the drums. During solos, the audience searched frantically for a third arm to help explain his speed and skill.\nYahel impressed, as well. His fingers moved over the various keyboards with absolute precision, bringing clever background harmonies to Redman's sax melody. With each solo Yahel performed, the audience became entrapped by the edgy sound of his keystrokes.\nThis trio of outstanding musicians has been together for only a short time, but its arrival in Bloomington has been long awaited since Redman's last scheduled concert was cancelled because of the events of Sept. 11. The audience was packed with IU students, local jazz enthusiasts and even some Redman fans all the way from New York. The greatest treat for the Buskirk audience was that the music Redman played was mostly new compositions of his and Yahel.\n"Tonight, we are going to lay it all on you," Redman said between songs.\nAs Redman, Blade and Yahel approached their final songs, they gave the audience something extra by creating sounds and rhythms that most music students wouldn't know were possible. If there is even a chance that these sounds are on his upcoming CD, that alone makes it worth the purchase.\nWhen the final notes were played, the audience came to its feet faster than I could have ever imagined. Screams erupted, demanding an encore, which Redman generously provided. \nAlthough I am new to jazz music, I have enough experience to know when an artist connects with his audience. And the night of Feb. 16, Redman had the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre in the palm of his hand.