Tribalism is a 24-bar original composition by tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, written for his self-titled debut album released on Warner Bros. Records in 1993. The tune was recorded during sessions in 1992, with Redman on tenor saxophone, Kevin Hays on piano, Christian McBride on double bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Appearing on an album that blended originals with jazz standards and contemporary material, Tribalism reflects Redman's early compositional interests in groove-oriented, rhythmically driven jazz. The title suggests an emphasis on percussive energy and communal rhythmic interplay, consistent with the album's overall character of straightforward, medium-intensity acoustic jazz built around memorable melodies and propulsive rhythms. Redman's debut was a commercial and critical breakthrough that established him as a major new voice in 1990s jazz, and the original compositions on the album, including Tribalism, demonstrated his ability to craft vehicles for improvisation that balanced accessibility with post-bop sophistication. As stated in his liner notes for the album, Redman viewed improvisation as the ultimate jazz ethic and saw no contradiction between honoring tradition and pursuing innovation. The composition has remained primarily associated with Redman's own recorded output and has not entered the broader jazz repertoire as a widely performed standard, but it stands as part of the body of original work that defined his artistic identity from the outset of his career.
