Vi Redd

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title: "Vi Redd" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1928-births", "2022-deaths", "african-american-saxophonists", "american-music-educators", "american-women-music-educators", "american-jazz-alto-saxophonists", "bebop-saxophonists", "count-basie-orchestra-members", "hard-bop-saxophonists", "post-bop-saxophonists", "soul-jazz-saxophonists", "soul-jazz-vocalists", "american-women-jazz-singers", "american-jazz-singers", "california-state-university,-los-angeles-alumni", "21st-century-american-saxophonists", "american-women-jazz-saxophonists", "21st-century-american-women-musicians", "african-american-women-musicians", "musicians-from-los-angeles"] description: "American jazz musician, vocalist and educator (1928–2022)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi_Redd" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American jazz musician, vocalist and educator (1928–2022) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

Field	Value
name	Vi Redd
image	Vi-Redd-rochester-ny-june-1977.jpg
caption	Redd performing in Rochester, New York, 1977
alt	Vi Reed in Rochester, New York in 1977
background	solo_singer
birth_name	Elvira Redd
birth_date
birth_place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
death_date
instrument	Alto saxophone, vocals
genre
occupation	Musician, vocalist, teacher
years_active	1950–2010
label	{{flatlist
associated_acts	Count Basie orchestra
::

| name = Vi Redd | image = Vi-Redd-rochester-ny-june-1977.jpg | caption = Redd performing in Rochester, New York, 1977 | alt = Vi Reed in Rochester, New York in 1977 | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Elvira Redd | alias = | birth_date = | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Alto saxophone, vocals | genre = | occupation = Musician, vocalist, teacher | years_active = 1950–2010 | label = {{flatlist|

• Atlantic
• Atco
• United Artists}} | associated_acts = Count Basie orchestra | website =

Elvira Louise Redd (September 20, 1928 – February 6, 2022) was an American jazz alto saxophone player, vocalist and educator. She was active from the early 1950s and was known primarily for playing in the blues style. She was highly regarded as an accomplished veteran, and performed with Count Basie, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Linda Hopkins, Marian McPartland and Dizzy Gillespie.

Life and career

Redd was born on September 20, 1928, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of New Orleans jazz drummer and Clef Club co-founder Alton Redd and Mattie Redd (née Thomas). Her mother played saxophone, although not professionally, and her brother was a percussionist. She was deeply influenced during her formative years by her father, who was one of the leading figures on the Central Avenue jazz scene. Another important musical mentor was her paternal great aunt Alma Hightower, who convinced the 10-year-old Redd to switch from piano to saxophone. During junior high school, Redd played alto saxophone in a band with Melba Liston and Dexter Gordon.

Redd graduated from Los Angeles State College in 1954, and earned a teaching certificate from University of Southern California. After working for the Board of Education from 1957 to 1960, Redd returned to jazz. She played in Las Vegas in 1962, toured with Earl Hines in 1964 and led a group in San Francisco in the mid-1960s with her husband, drummer Richie Goldberg. During this time, Redd also worked with Max Roach. While active, she toured as far as Japan, London (including an unprecedented 10 weeks at Ronnie Scott's), Sweden, Spain and Paris. In 1969, she settled in Los Angeles where she played locally while also working as an educator.

She recorded two albums under her own name. Bird Call, released on United Artists in 1962, featured Russ Freeman, Roy Ayers, Herb Ellis, Bob Whitlock and Richie Goldberg on its first half of tracks; the other half was recorded with trumpeter Kansas Lawrence instead of Ellis, and Leroy Vinnegar on bass.

On her second 1963 album Lady Soul (Atco), there were also two sessions with different line-ups. For the most part, pianist Dick Hyman, Paul Griffin on organ, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Dave Bailey played; the remaining three tracks were recorded with Bill Perkins on tenor saxophone and flute, organist Jennell Hawkins, guitarist Barney Kessel, Vinnegar on bass, and Leroy Harrison on drums. For both albums Leonard Feather supervised the recordings and wrote the liner notes.

In the late 1970s, she recorded another album called Now's the Time with an all-female group of musicians led by Marian McPartland featuring guitarist Mary Osborne, Lynn Milano on bass, and Dottie Dodgion on drums, released on Partland's label Halcyon in 1977.

Redd taught and lectured for many years from the 1970s onward upon returning to Los Angeles. She served on the music advisory panel of the National Endowment for the Arts in the late 1970s. In 1989, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society. In 2001, she received the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Award from the Kennedy Center.

Redd died on February 6, 2022, at the age of 93.

Discography

• Bird Call (United Artists, 1962)
• Lady Soul (Atco, 1963)
• Now's the Time with Marian McPartland, Mary Osborne, Lynn Milano, and Dottie Dodgion (Halcyon, 1977)

References

References

1. Scott Yanow. "Allmusic: Vi Redd – Biography". Allmusic.com.
2. James Nadal. "All About Jazz: Vi Redd – Biography". All About Jazz.
3. Isoardi, Steven L.. (2005). "Central Avenue Sounds: Vi Redd".
4. [[Sherrie Tucker]]. (Winter 1996–97). "West Coast Women: A Jazz Genealogy". Pacific Review of Ethnomusicology.
5. Dahl, Linda. (1984). "Stormy Weather: The Music and Lives of a Century of Jazz Women". Pantheon Books.
6. Placksin, Sally. (1982). "American Women in Jazz: 1900 to the Present". Wideview Books.
7. Yoko Suzuki. (Spring 2013). "Invisible Woman: Vi Redd's Contributions as a Jazz Saxophonist". American Music Review.
8. "Vi Redd – Bird Call". Allmusic.com.
9. "Vi Redd – Lady Soul". Allmusic.com.
10. (September 1979). "National Endowment for the Arts, Annual Report 1978". arts.gov.
11. (February 1981). "National Endowment for the Arts, Annual Report 1980". Arts.gov.
12. "Los Angeles Jazz Society – Lifetime Achievement Award". lajazz.org.
13. (March 18, 2001). "Mary Lou Williams Festival Features Females". JazzTimes.
14. "Elvira Louise Goldberg".
15. "Jazz Passings".

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