Vi Redd, although greatly under-recorded throughout her career, was a passionate bop-based altoist and an exciting singer. The daughter of drummer
Alton Redd,
Vi was surrounded by music while growing up. She played locally, working outside of music for the board of education during 1957-1960 before returning to jazz.
Redd played in Las Vegas in 1962, was with
Earl Hines in 1964, and led a group in San Francisco in the mid-'60s with her husband, drummer
Richie Goldberg. Among her other associations were
Max Roach,
Dizzy Gillespie (1968), and
Count Basie. In 1969
Vi Redd settled in Los Angeles where she gigged locally on an occasional basis while being busy as an educator. She led albums for United Artists (1962) and Atco (1962-1963), and later appeared on the
Gene Ammons/
Dexter Gordon duo album
The Chase! (1970) and
Marian McPartland's Now's the Time (1977). ~ Scott Yanow