Chuck Redd

Chuck Redd (born September 10, 1958) is an American jazz drummer and vibraphonist.

Chuck Redd (born September 10, 1958) is an American jazz drummer and vibraphonist.

Career

Redd began touring and recording when he joined the Charlie Byrd Trio at the age of 21. He also joined The Great Guitars (Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd, and Herb Ellis). To his credit are 25 European tours and six tours of Japan with the Barney Kessel Trio, Ken Peplowski, Terry Gibbs and Conte Candoli. Redd was the featured vibraphonist with the Mel Tormé All-Star Jazz Quintet from 1991 until 1996. While appearing in New York with Tormé, Ira Gitler of Jazz Times wrote: "Redd's vibes were equally notable for vigor and melodiousness." Redd's career highlights include a concert with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet in Africa for the Namibian Independence Celebration, a recital at the White House with the Barney Kessel Trio, concerts at Carnegie Hall with Mel Tormé's Quintet, and appearances on The Tonight Show. In 2008, he was a featured soloist in the finale concert at The Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival with The Lionel Hampton Big Band and the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. In February 2013, Redd performed with the Dream Band co-led with Jeff Hamilton in a salute to vibes legend Terry Gibbs. Engagements include stints with Bucky Pizzarelli and Ken Peplowski at Dizzy's Club (Jazz at Lincoln Center) performances at Smalls Jazz Club and Jazz at the Kitano in New York City, jazz cruises, and jazz festivals around the US. He has toured and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Tormé, Tommy Flanagan, Dick Hyman, Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Laurindo Almeida, Tal Farlow, Rebecca Kilgore, Scott Hamilton, Mickey Roker, and Houston Person. Redd is a regular featured performer at The Shedd Institute's Oregon Festival of American Music, The Roswell Jazz Festival, The Newport Beach Jazz Party and The W. C. Handy Music Festival. He has been the director of Oregon Festival of American Music 2019. Redd served as Artist-In-Residence at The Smithsonian Jazz Café in Washington, DC from 2004–2008. In addition to leading his own groups, he was a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra for 15 years. Redd is on the faculty at The University of Maryland School of Music and presents master classes, workshops and lectures around the country. In December 2025, Redd cancelled the annual Kennedy Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center, which had been hosted by Redd since 2006, because of the addition of U.S. President Donald Trump's name to the Center. President of the Kennedy Center Richard Grenell declared that this was a political stunt and he intended to sue Redd for US$1M in retaliation. The breach-of-contract lawsuit, filed in March, 2026, was dismissed by the court in June. The center was ordered to pay Redd $252,479.70 in legal costs in August 2026.

Discography

Redd is featured on over 75 recordings, including his Arbors Records albums, The Common Thread, Happy All the Time: Chuck Redd Remembers Barney Kessel, and All This and Heaven Too; Chopin Jazz with Rossano Sportiello, You're My Everything with Dick Hyman and Jay Leonhart, and Can't Take My Eyes Off You with vocalist Nicki Parrott. He can be heard on the soundtrack to the television series, The Great Chefs and the NPR broadcast Jazz Smithsonian. His Arbors album Happy All the Time is a critically acclaimed tribute to his mentor, Barney Kessel, featuring Monty Alexander and Jeff Hamilton. When Redd is Blue is a collaboration with his brother, pianist Robert Redd, featuring saxophonist Harry Allen. The Common Thread features Mickey Roker, Bob Cranshaw, Houston Person, and Rossano Sportiello. Jazz Biographies

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378808914 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.