Joshua Redman leads his quartet on Sunday at the Barns of Wolf Trap. Photo by Jay Blakesberg.

When Joshua Redman first broke onto the scene in the early ’90s, he already had some name recognition due to his late father, the venerable Dewey Redman. His career got a huge boost in 1991 when he won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, and through the remainder of the decade he topped critics’ polls and was heralded as one of the bright young stars in jazz. Now, in a career that extends over two decades, Redman has matured into one of the most celebrated saxophonists of his generation.

Despite his celebrity within the jazz world, Redman has never been one to rest on his laurels. The past ten years have seen him put together electric groups, piano-less trios and traditional quartets with a piano-bass-drums rhythm section. Not until last year’s recording, Walking Shadows, was Redman ready to tackle one of the greatest challenges for a jazz artist: a ballads album.

“Playing a ballad is one of the hardest things to do in jazz because you’re so exposed. I needed musical experience and life experience,” said Redman, who will be performing on Sunday at the Barns of Wolf Trap. “Technically, every nuance is on full display. Emotionally, you have to dig deeper and be more vulnerable.”

Walking Shadows also added another twist because it is the first album Redman has recorded with a string section. Redman said that he felt pressure going into the session because of the limited time they had to record — only a few hours with the strings. His concerns went unfounded because Redman had chosen a group of world class musicians with whom he had a deep bond. Things went off without a hitch, resulting in an excellent album.

“The openness and improvisation, the give and take, the trust and relaxation we feel in the small group is the core of the record,” Redman explained. “That made the larger ensemble fit around that.”

Given the economics of touring, it’s impossible for Redman to bring a string section everywhere he goes. Sunday’s performance will feature a quartet with Redman on saxophone, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. The program will include material from Walking Shadows alongside unrecorded originals, older originals and standards. At this point, Redman has been working with this group for so long that the set could turn in any direction.

DCist has covered a number of Redman’s performances in the past and they have never failed to deliver. In addition to his technical abilities as a composer and player, his concerts also have that intangible quality where the audience is welcomed into the band’s explorations. There are plenty of talented musicians who can play all the right notes, but this ability separates the very good from the great. That connection does not happen by accident.

“Jazz is the language we speak, that we’ve immersed ourselves in for years. The audience isn’t going to be aware of all that,” Redman said. “Our commitment is to the moment and to trying something unique. Hopefully they’ll come to the music the same way we come to it: with open hearts, open ears and open minds.”

The Joshua Redman Quartet performs on Sunday, February 9, 2014 at the Barns of Wolf Trap. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $42 to $45.