Blues on Sunday is an original composition by tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, written for his self-titled debut album Joshua Redman, recorded on September 15, 1992, at Skyline Studios in New York City and released on Warner Bros. Records. The piece is a 12-bar blues in E-flat major with a 4/4 swing feel, employing a straightforward blues form built on classic chord changes including dominant seventh chords on the I, IV, and V degrees with minor seventh passing chords. The melody has a relaxed, groovy character with syncopated phrasing that evokes a laid-back Sunday atmosphere, making it an effective vehicle for post-bop improvisation while remaining rooted in the blues tradition. Redman placed it as the opening track on his debut, setting the tone for an album that blended original compositions with jazz standards and demonstrated the young saxophonist's command of the tradition. The album was recorded with a quartet featuring Kevin Hays on piano, Christian McBride on double bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Joshua Redman's debut was a commercial success, contributing to combined sales of over 250,000 copies with his follow-up album Wish. Blues on Sunday has been transcribed and arranged for various instruments and jazz ensembles, with sheet music widely available, though it has not become a frequently performed standard in the broader jazz repertoire and remains primarily associated with Redman's original recording.
