Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and charismatic jazz artists working today. Joshua was born in Berkeley, California, and he is the son of legendary saxophonist Dewey Redman and dancer Renee Shedroff. He was exposed at an early age to a variety of music (jazz, classical, rock, soul, Indian, Indonesian, Middle-Eastern, African). Also, a wide range of instruments (recorder, piano, guitar, gatham, gamelan). Then, Redman began playing clarinet at age nine before switching to the tenor saxophone one year later.

John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Cannonball Adderley and his father, Dewey Redman influenced Redman early on. Also, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Earth, Wind and Fire, Prince, The Police and Led Zeppelin drew Joshua more deeply into music. Joshua loved playing saxophone and was a member of the award-winning Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble and Combo from 1983-86. However, he always put academics first, and he never seriously considered becoming a professional musician.

In 1991 Redman graduated from Harvard College summa cum laude, with a B.A. in Social Studies. He had already been accepted by Yale Law School, but deferred entrance for what he believed was only going to be one year. Then, Redman won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, propelling him to near-certain stardom.