A Hundred Jumping Devils

”By turns somber and spritely, abstract and anchored, soloistic and symphonic, the reedist-composer's fifth album demonstrates his impressively broad yet highly personal perspective, his exemplary writing skills and instrumental prowess,” writes award-winning journalist Howard Mandel in the liner notes. “One might be reminded of Ornette Coleman's loose unisons, Henry Threadgill's circusy spins, Frank Zappa's angularities (during 'Procession,' for instance), headstrong early jazz or the Master Musicians of Joujouka meeting Weather Report (on 'Hundred Devils' itself, where Reddy takes up the soprano sax, perhaps in honor but not imitation of Wayne Shorter). Such references only go so far, each of Reddy's pieces, whether expansive at 11 minutes or brief at one, being distinctly original...you will recognize this as serious (but never didactic) work, freshly conceived and brilliantly realized by fully engaged collaborators, because it sounds so good, unusual and true.”

Based in New York for the past 20 years, Reddy was in the first graduating class at the city's New School jazz program following studies with Dave Liebman and Makanda Ken McIntyre. He began his professional career with the Reggie Workman Ensemble and Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society before forming his own trio in 1989 featuring Workman and drummer Pheeroan akLaff. He has since recorded as a leader with a variety of ensembles for the Songlines, Koch Jazz and Knitting Factory labels. As a composer, Reddy has received grants and commissions from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the American Music Center, American Composers Forum, the Jerome Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts, and Meet The Composer.