Kevin Hayes
Piano Solo on
Echoes

About

Kevin Hayes matches Joshua Redman's energy with nine choruses of piano on "Echoes," building his solo in waves of increasing complexity at approximately 268 BPM over the 16-bar form in C minor. His extended improvisation demonstrates the fearless interplay that characterized his work on Redman's debut album, his playing rising to meet the demands of this blistering tempo with technical command and creative imagination. Following Redman's equally expansive nine-chorus statement, Hayes's solo sustains the performance's intensity without merely imitating what came before, bringing a pianistic perspective to the high-velocity improvisational challenge. The nine-chorus format for each soloist makes this one of the most substantial blowing vehicles on the album.

Kevin Hayes was 23 to 24 years old at the time.