Reddleman - Ways Of Walking (2024)

Reddleman is a collaborative trio featuring improvising musicians Tom Ward on clarinet, bass clarinet, flute and alto sax; David Beebee, most often heard as a pianist but here playing double bass; and drummer/percussionist Martin Pyne.
An enjoyable first meeting on a UK gig led to a recording session that produced the music on this album, Ways Of Walking.
The music is completely improvised but retains a grounded, earthy quality - often referencing earlier jazz styles and folk musics, while also enjoying bold forays into more abstract musical territory.
The name of the trio, Reddleman, refers to a solitary character in Thomas Hardy’s novel Return Of The Native, who is constantly walking through and observing the landscape.