"Groove X (By Any Means Necessary)" from Joshua Redman's 1993 self-titled debut album is a rhythmically charged original composition whose subtitle evokes the political consciousness that informed much of the early 1990s jazz scene. The piece employs an unusual thirty-eight-bar form in C minor, taken at a medium swing tempo that allows the musicians to dig deep into its grooves. Kevin Hayes leads the solo section with one chorus of piano, his improvisation setting a thoughtful, probing tone for the track. Redman follows with one chorus of tenor saxophone, his playing marked by the rhythmic inventiveness and tonal variety that quickly became his trademarks. Gregory Hutchinson closes with a drum solo, his work demonstrating the commanding presence and interactive sensibility that made him one of the most sought-after young drummers in New York. The tune's extended form gives the soloists more harmonic and melodic territory to explore than a standard thirty-two-bar structure, and each musician uses the additional bars to build longer phrases and more complex musical narratives. The politically suggestive title connects the performance to the broader cultural moment of the early 1990s, when jazz musicians were actively reasserting the music's connection to African American history, identity, and social commentary.
