Kevin Hayes
Piano Solo on
Groove X (By Any Means Necessary)

About

Kevin Hayes leads the solo section with one chorus of piano on Joshua Redman's "Groove X (By Any Means Necessary)," a rhythmically charged composition from the 1993 self-titled debut album. The unusual 38-bar form in C minor at approximately 143 BPM gives Hayes more harmonic territory to explore than a standard structure, and his improvisation sets a thoughtful, probing tone for the track. As the first of three soloists ahead of Redman and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, his single chorus over the extended form establishes the musical direction of the performance. The politically suggestive subtitle connects the track to the broader cultural moment of the early 1990s.

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