JAZZ : ALBUM REVIEWS : DEWEY REDMAN QUARTET “Living on the Edge” <i> Black Saint</i> ** 1/2

Veteran saxophonist Redman’s versatility is showcased here at the expense of developing a cohesive identity. The compositions jump helter-skelter: there are originals in Monk-ish (“Boo Boodoop”) and straight blues mode (the potent “Blues For J.A.M.-Part 1”); there are a pair of outside excursions (“Mirror Windows,” “As One”); and there are interpretations of the standard “If I Should Lose You” and John Coltrane’s “Lazy Bird.” Redman is perfectly comfortable and inventive as a soloist in this diverse assortment of contexts and receives evocative support from pianist Geri Allen but neither the band nor the material ever really jells.