Research: Vi Redd 

Vi Redd was an underrepresented female jazz saxophonist and singer who was active in the Los Angeles area during the 1960s and 70s. Frequently compared to  Charlie Parker, she was widely respected by jazz musicians of her time, performing with such notable jazz artists  as Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey, and Count Basie.

She only recorded two albums as a band leader. Bird Call and Lady Soul, recorded within a year of each other, are excellent displays of Redd’s talent at the height of her career, and further study of them illustrate the hardships that female jazz musicians faced at the time.

In an interview with Cadence magazine, Redd was asked if she thought she received enough recognition and her response was “Oh, no. Not from the general public. I’m not even concerned about it any more.” This confidence in her abilities despite the adversity she faced being a black woman in jazz demonstrates her importance as a pillar of excellence and role model for female jazz musicians to the present day.