This album is unlike anything else in Joshua Redman’s catalog. It’s not a jazz record; it’s a set of eight pieces written by saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli, from a suite called Aspects Of Darkness And Light that has 15 movements in all and runs 90 minutes when performed in full. Redman is joined by bassist Scott Colley and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, as well as the string quartet Brooklyn Rider. The pieces have a surging energy, melodies flying into the sky with occasional swinging jazz passages (as on “Between Dog And Wolf”), but even these are augmented by the strings, and Takeishi’s percussion is thunderous and orchestral. And the strings are far from a backdrop; they take over frequently. A fascinating and unclassifiable work, well worth exploring.