Ann Hampton Callaway - Blues In The Night

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:35
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Swingin' Away The Blues
(5:40) 2. Blue Moon
(6:22) 3. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(3:24)  4. Lover Come Back To Me
(5:14)  5. Stormy WeatherWhen The Sun Comes Out
(3:43)  6. The I'm-Too-White-To-Sing-The-Blues Blues
(6:21)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(2:45)  8. Hip To Be Happy
(5:55)  9. It's All Right With Me
(4:35) 10. No One Is Alone
(4:51) 11. Blues In The Night
(3:08) 12. The Glory Of Love

Ann Hampton Callaway shows off her persuasive pipes on this memorable program of familiar songs and originals. Backed by pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash, she explores the kind of songs that drive Broadway wild. Sherrie Maricle's Diva big band appears on four tracks, while band members Anat Cohen (tenor saxophone) and Jami Dauber (trumpet) fill in on three additional selections with a moving spirit. With a blues theme running through her album, Callaway aims for the dramatic. You can pick up traces of expressive singers in her presentation; singers who have made an impact on her interpretation of this material, such as Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. Callaway's "Hip to be Happy differs from most of the program. Here, she has put on her "Annie Ross thinking cap and has come up with a highly original song that feels as hip as Lambert, Hendricks Ross. She sings it with her sister, Liz, in a cool and comfortable posture. 

Blues in the Night fills the room with big band sounds as Callaway turns on the charm. She enjoys playing the role with authority. Her big voice belts the blues strong enough, and this band turns on the power for emphasis. Quieter interpretations such as "It's All Right with Me, "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most and "Willow Weep for Me demonstrate the singer's heartfelt sincerity. Stephen Sondheim's "No One is Alone, from Into the Woods, brings a beautiful passion to the forum, magnified by Anat Cohen's sultry tenor statements. Tender ballads such as this one reveal the true blue side of Callaway's stage presence, while her program holds plenty of other surprises for her audience. Blues in the Night has all the right ingredients for a true jazz celebration.~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blues-in-the-night-ann-hampton-callaway-telarc-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Ann Hampton Callaway: vocals; Ted Rosenthal: piano; Christian McBride: double bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Liz Callaway: vocals; David Gilmore: guitar. Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra (1, 4, 6, 11): Sherrie Maricle: drums, leader; Noriko Ueda: double bass; Kristy Norter: alto saxophone, flute; Erica von Kleist: alto saxophone, clarinet, flute; Anat Cohen, Scheila Gonzalez: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Lisa Parrott: baritone saxophone; Tanya Darby, Jami Dauber, Nadje Noordhuis, Alicia Rau: trumpet; Deborah Weisz, Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Leslie Havens: bass trombone.

Blues In The Night

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Christian McBride/Edgar Meyer - But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2024
Time: 66:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. Green Slime
(4:43) 2. Barnyard Disturbance
(3:29) 3. Bebop, of Course
(5:15) 4. Bass Duo #1
(3:59) 5. Solar
(4:33) 6. Canon
(3:25) 7. Philly Slop
(1:55) 8. Interlude #1
(4:18) 9. FRB 2DB
(6:01) 10. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(6:08) 11. Bass Duo #2
(5:05) 12. Lullaby for a Ladybug
(5:35) 13. Days of Wine and Roses
(1:45) 14. Interlude #2
(4:02) 15. Tennessee Blues

It is not known exactly how many duets of this nature have fallen into the lackluster bin of audio history. But rest assured that But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is as far from that incalculable number as the moon is from the sun.

Emblematic of Christian McBride's whole groove credo, everything falls into place quickly, smoothly, and easily on But Who's Gonna Play The Melody?. On the bassist's gazillionth high spirited musical offering, McBride soul-teams with finger-snapping, bluegrass-bred, classical composer & bassist Edgar Meyer who has previously played with Joshua Bell, Bela Fleck, and Yo-Yo Ma for a most rousing revelry. Both virtuosos with a keen sense of humor, McBride and Meyer curate their heartland musical idiosyncrasies, resulting in some very sweet moments such as the hip swaying "Green Slime" and the see-sawing "Barnyard Disturbance," both mischievous Meyer originals.

McBride answers those compositional hijinks with "Bebop, Of Course" and, as the duo reels and rolls from that throbbing bounce-a-thon, they willingly engage in "Bass Duo #1," a complex yet informal and actively conversational Meyer invention. In the overall scheme of things, it comes as no surprise that the duo follow up with a romping take on Miles Davis's richly languid "Solar" (Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige, 1954.)

"Canon," with its chamber echoes and achingly emotive arching, catches the lift and frees itself with "Philly Slop," a noir jump-hop which the ever- agile duo jitterbug merrily through. On "FRB 2DB" Meyer thoroughly enjoys his time on the grittier side of the classical tracks and McBride is gleeful to be his bro-boy companion.

With McBride sidling over to the piano to provide delicate guardrails, an extremely wistful "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," gracefully unravels as Meyer takes his bow to the tune and soars. "Bass Duo # 2" pops as elegantly and playfully as its predecessor, with the two masters slurring, walking, giving way. It is a six-minute lesson in the art of being human, ready to compromise for the better of all, here and now, ready to support, to huddle, to move forward towards a more perfect union. And that is what But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is really all about.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/but-whos-gonna-play-the-melody-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride – acoustic bass (all tracks except 8, 12); piano (tracks 8, 12); Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass (all tracks except 10, 14); piano (tracks 10, 14)

But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

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George Freeman - The Good Life

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:55
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:05) 1. If I Had You
( 7:39) 2. Mr. D
( 6:03) 3. Up and Down
( 5:53) 4. Lowe Groovin'
( 3:56) 5. 1, 2, 3, 4
( 9:47) 6. Sister Tankersley
( 6:30) 7. The Good Life

For guitarist George Freeman, The Good Life has also been a long life. He was a nimble-fingered ninety-five-year-old plectrist when this splendid album was recorded in May and June 2022, which makes it all the more grievous to know it would be organ maestro Joey DeFrancesco's last recording date; he died of a heart attack some three months later at the relatively young age of fifty-one.

Freeman leads two trios here, the first with DeFrancesco on organ and Lewis Nash on drums (tracks 1-3), the second with Christian McBride on bass and Carl Allen on drums. Freeman plays a smooth and mellow guitar, using well-shaped single-note runs to underline his candid and always engaging point of view. DeFrancesco, meanwhile, is his usual incredibly animated and fleet-fingered self, lending ardor and intensity to what is already an admirable session. Nash is a remarkably astute and steady timekeeper, as is Allen. When McBride takes over for DeFrancesco, on the fourth track, there is a perceptible difference in modulation but none in musicianship. The beat simply goes on.

Freeman, DeFrancesco & Nash open with a soft and soulful reading of the standard "If I Had You," maintain that posture on the shuffling blues "Mr. D," and close with the album's lone flag-waver, "Up and Down," on which Nash and DeFrancesco brandish their superior chops while Freeman keeps pace in his more laid-back manner. "Lowe Groovin,'" which introduces the second trio, is relaxed and meditative, unlike the buoyant "1, 2, 3, 4," which follows. "Sister Tankersley" is another pensive anthem, as is "The Good Life," which closes the session. Allen is unassuming yet steady as a rock, while McBride's deep-toned bass is outstanding whether soloing or comping.

Although this album could have benefited from more up-tempo moments, that is a small complaint, as everything on offer is exemplary. So, four stars for all-around excellence, plus an unreserved recommendation. By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-good-life-george-freeman-highnote-records

Personnel: George Freeman - Guitar; Joey DeFrancesco: organ, Hammond B3; Christian McBride: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Carl Allen: drums.

The Good Life

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Houston Person - The Lion and His Pride

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:32) 1. Dig
( 7:32) 2. I Remember Clifford
( 8:06) 3. Dear Heart
( 6:26) 4. Sweet Love (Theme From Black Orpheus)
( 6:52) 5. You Are Too Beautiful
( 7:11) 6. Like Someone In Love
( 4:45) 7. Our Day Will Come
(10:06) 8. Captain Hook

With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness!, and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.

Born in 1934 in South Carolina, Person started out on piano before picking up the tenor sax in his youth. After high school, he studied at South Carolina State College and then enlisted in the Air Force. Stationed in West Germany, he played in a service band that also included such jazz luminaries as Eddie Harris, Lanny Morgan, Leo Wright, and Cedar Walton. Following his discharge, he finished his studies at Connecticut's Hartt College of Music. In the early '60s, Person was a member of organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, appearing on albums like 1963's A Little Taste, 1965's The Stinger, and 1968's Nasty! It was also during his time with Smith that he first met vocalist and longtime musical companion Etta Jones.

As a leader, Person made his solo debut with 1966's Underground Soul on the Prestige label, featuring organist Charles Boston. More vibrantly earthy albums followed for the label, including 1967's Chocomotive, 1967's Trust in Me, and 1968's Blue Odyssey, all of which found him working with pianist Cedar Walton. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, he released a handful of albums that all featured exclamation-point titles, starting with 1968's Soul Dance! and ending with 1970's Person to Person! Marked by the inclusion of organist Sonny Phillips, each record grew increasingly funky as Person dipped further into soul and R&B sounds. There were also gritty sessions with Charles Earland and Don Patterson.

Throughout the '70s, Person continued to pursue a soul-oriented crossover sound, as on 1971's large-ensemble Houston Express and 1972's Sweet Buns & Barbecue. Following his time with Prestige, he recorded for a bevy of independent labels, releasing 1973's The Real Thing and 1975's Get Out'a My Way! on the Detroit-based Eastbound and Westbound labels, respectively. He then moved to Mercury for two mid-'70s dates, 1976's Pure Pleasure and 1977's Harmony. He also recorded with equally funk-centric players like Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Bernard Purdie, and others. In addition, there were numerous sessions with vocalist Jones, a partnership that would continue for much of Person's career. Toward the end of the decade, he found a home at Muse, releasing a handful of equally earthy soul-, blues-, and hard bop-inflected dates, including Stolen Sweets, Wild Flower, and The Nearness of You. More albums followed for Muse with 1980's Suspicions, 1982's Heavy Juice, and 1985's Always on My Mind.

While funk and soul would remain an integral part of his sound, Person began to incorporate more straight-ahead acoustic jazz back into his work by the late '80s. He released a warm standards date with 1987's Basics and paired with bassist Ron Carter for both 1989's Something in Common and 1990's Now's the Time. He also recorded several albums featuring then up-and-coming young lions, including organist Joey DeFrancesco and a pair of siblings, trumpeter Philip Harper and drummer Winard Harper, as on 1990's Why Not! A year later, he released The Lion and His Pride, which again featured the Harper Brothers, along with pianist Benny Green and bassist Christian McBride.

In 2015, Person delivered the rootsy and soulful Something Personal. The saxophonist then again paired with Carter for the 2016 duo album Chemistry. The following year saw Person issue the soulful Rain or Shine, which marked his 50th year as a combo leader. After 2018's Remember Love, his sixth album of duets with Carter, he returned with the full-band set I'm Just a Lucky So and So. The concert album Live in Paris arrived in 2021 and featured his group with guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Ben Paterson, and drummer Willie Jones III.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/houston-person-mn0000827320/biography

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Philip Harper - trumpet; Benny Green - piano; Christian McBride - bass; Winard Harper - drums; Sammy Figueroa - percussion (except #1); Special Studio Guest: Etta Jones

The Lion and His Pride

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Mark Whitfield - 7th Ave. Stroll

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:44) 1. Washington Square Thoroughfare
(8:09) 2. Harlem Nocturne
(6:45) 3. 7th Ave, Stroll
(7:00) 4. A Brooklyn Love
(6:46) 5. Businessman's Bounce
(4:20) 6. Spring In Manhattan
(5:37) 7. Sunday In New York
(4:54) 8. The Bowery Blues
(6:22) 9. Sunset At Waterside
(4:46) 10. Headin' To The Wes' Side
(5:36) 11. Autumn In New York

A talented guitarist influenced by George Benson and versatile enough to play straight-ahead jazz or R&B, Mark Whitfield was originally a bassist. At 15 he switched to guitar and soon won a scholarship to Berklee. After graduating from Berklee in 1987, Whitfield temporarily moved to Brooklyn and appeared at many sessions.

George Benson suggested he work for Jack McDuff and that association was a big break for Whitfield. He has since recorded as a leader for Warner Bros. and Verve, and as a sideman with many players including Jimmy Smith, Nicholas Payton, Ray Brown, and Courtney Pine.
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/mark-whitfield

Personnel: Guitar – Mark Whitfield (tracks: 1 to 11); Bass – Christian McBride (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), Dave Holland (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 9, 11); Drums – Al Foster (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 9, 11), Gregory Hutchinson (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10); Piano – Stephen Scott (5) (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), Tommy Flanagan (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 9, 11)

7th Ave. Stroll

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Ron Blake - Shayari

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:21
Size: 159,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Waltz For Gwen
(8:41)  2. Atonement
(6:03)  3. Come Sun
(5:54)  4. Hanuman
(4:30)  5. What Is Your Prayer For?
(6:45)  6. Of Kindred Souls
(6:04)  7. Please Be Kind
(7:15)  8. 76
(2:00)  9. Remember The Rain
(7:23) 10. The Island
(4:52) 11. Teddy
(1:01) 12. Abhaari (Pt. I)
(3:08) 13. Abhaari (Pt. II)

There's an attention to sonic detail and aural space on tenor saxophonist Ron Blake's Shayari that would be more expected from the ECM label than from Detroit's Mack Avenue Records. But Mack Avenue, through Blake and his producer/pianist Michael Cain, has given us a CD strong on tone and mood, intimate and introverted without being lightweight or insubstantial. The intimacy flows from the instrumentation: All the tracks are trios save for three duos, and all but one scant-minute track feature tenor sax and piano. There is a lived-in feel about this record as well, as Blake revisits some of his earlier compositions in a more ruminative frame of mind, such as "Waltz for Gwen," with hand percussion (Jack DeJohnette or Gilmar Gomes) shading the leader's dry, urbane sax tone.

"Of Kindred Souls," originally recorded with Roy Hargrove's band, becomes a conversational trio with Regina Carter's violin joining tenor sax and piano. A heavier spiritual vibe informs "Atonement," tenor soloing over a fraught piano ostinato and DeJohnette's bundled sticks on cymbals, and "Hanuman," where Blake's tenor becomes surprisingly staccato over toms and rumbling piano. But for the most part, Blake's tenor is dry and airy, with a yearning tone akin to polite Coltrane. Emotions here are definitely subdued. Ivan Lins' "The Island," with Gomes punctuating on frame drum, is breezily seductive; Christian McBride's bass brings smooth swing to Bobby Hutcherson's "Teddy and the tenor/piano duet on "Please Be Kind the only American pop standard is a model of easy grace.By George Kanzler
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shayari-ron-blake-mack-avenue-records-review-by-george-kanzler.php


Personnel: Ron Blake: tenor saxophone; Michael Cain: piano; Regina Carter: violin (6); Jack DeJohnette: drums (2, 4, 8, 12, 13); Gilmar Gomes: percussion (1, 3, 10); Christian McBride: bass (5, 11).

Shayari

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Christian McBride - KNKX 5th Anniversary Member Concert

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:50) 1. SKJ
(11:16) 2. I’m Afraid the Masquerade is Over
( 8:05) 3. Sophisticated Lady
( 8:30) 4. You Already Know
( 4:03) 5. Blues is Real

With his bold, swinging style and robust sound, Philadelphia native Christian McBride is one of the foremost jazz bassists of his generation. Initially coming to prominence as a Young Lion in the early '90s, McBride was championed by elders including Benny Carter and his longtime idol and mentor Ray Brown. He gained attention playing alongside similarly inclined contemporaries such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Benny Green, and saxophonist Joshua Redman. His early albums, 1994's Gettin' to It and 1995's Number Two Express, displayed his hard-swinging, acoustic post-bop sound. However, he quickly proved his versatility and broad stylistic influences with 1998's Family Affair and 2000's Sci-Fi, embracing electric fusion, funk, and soul influences.

Still, jazz remained his focus, with his trio and Inside Straight quintet, both of which he debuted in 2013 on Out Here and People Music, respectively. He has earned more than five Grammy Awards, including two with his big band 2017's Bringin' It and 2020's For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver and for his work in the Trilogy trio with Chick Corea and Brian Blade. As a leader, he moves easily between small group dates like 2018's Christian McBride's New Jawn to more ambitious large-ensemble projects like 2020's The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons.

He also reunited with Redman, collaborating with his fellow '90s quartet bandmates Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade on 2020's RoundAgain and 2022's LongGone; both Grammy-nominated. He was back with New Jawn, exploring a blend of post-bop and free jazz on 2023's Prime. In addition to performing, McBride is a well-known radio personality, having hosted The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian on satellite radio and Jazz Night in America on National Public Radio. His expertise has also been tapped for advisory positions, including Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Artistic Director for Newport Jazz Festival, and Associate Artistic Director at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Born in 1972 in Philadelphia, McBride grew up in a musical family with a mother who taught school and a father who played bass with R&B bands like the Delfonics and Billy Paul, as well as Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaria. Young McBride would often accompany his father to gigs, and it was during one of those times at the Atlantic City Jazz Festival that he saw legends Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, and Ella Fitzgerald.

The show had a lasting impact on McBride, who started playing the electric bass around age eight after asking for one as a Christmas present. Though his parents divorced, McBride's father remained active in his musical development and gave him his first lessons on the bass. Through his father, he developed a love of funk, jazz, and soul music. By his teens, he was playing upright bass in the school orchestra and the youth ensemble at Philadelphia's noted Settlement Music School. He played his first paying gig at 13, and by age 16 was working regularly in local jazz and R&B bands. He attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he rubbed shoulders with classmates like Questlove and Black Thought of the Roots, keyboardist Joey DeFrancesco, and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel.

In 1989, McBride moved to New York City to attend the prestigious Juilliard School in Manhattan but left after one year to play with saxophonist Bobby Watson. Gigs and albums followed with luminaries including Roy Hargrove, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Green, Mulgrew Miller, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, and more. He also worked closely with his idol and mentor, bassist Ray Brown, forming the all-star trio Super Bass with Brown and bassist John Clayton. In 1994, McBride made his debut as leader with Gettin' to It on Verve with pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Number Two Express followed a year later and featured saxophonist Kenny Garrett, pianist Chick Corea, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, among others. There were also notable outings with Herbie Hancock, Wallace Roney, Ryan Kisor, John Pizzarelli, and more.

McBride closed out the decade with A Family Affair, in which he played the electric bass and reconnected with his R&B roots. Also around this time, he began branching out, taking on the positions of artistic director of the summer jazz program at the University of Richmond, and embarking on what would be an 11-year run as artistic director of the Jazz Aspen-Snowmass summer program. He spent five years as creative chair for jazz programming at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. With 2000's Sci-Fi, McBride continued to explore his love of cross-pollinated fusion and funk. It was a sound he stuck with for his move to Warner Bros. for 2003's Vertical Vision. A year later, he earned his first Grammy playing on pianist McCoy Tyner's Illuminations. The three-disc Live at Tonic arrived in 2006 and showcased an even more wide-ranging mix of styles.

Having switched labels from Verve to Warner in the early 2000s, McBride made yet another label change, releasing the more straight-ahead New York Time on Chesky in 2006. He then joined pianist Bruce Hornsby and drummer DeJohnette for the 2007 trio album Camp Meeting. Two years later, he returned with Kind of Brown, his first album with his Inside Straight band. In 2009, he garnered his second Grammy Award for his contribution to pianist Chick Corea and guitarist John McLaughlin's Five Peace Band Live.

In 2011, the bassist introduced his big band with The Good Feeling on Mack Avenue. The album, which featured vocals by McBride's wife, singer Melissa Walker, took home the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. He also issued the duets album Conversations with Christian that year, which featured performances with Angélique Kidjo, Sting, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and others. He then joined pianist Makoto Ozone and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts for My Witch's Blue. People Music arrived in 2013 and found the bassist once again working with his Inside Straight ensemble.

2013 also saw the release of McBride's Grammy-nominated trio album Out Here with pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. He picked up a second Grammy that year for his work on pianist Corea's Trilogy. Away from performing, McBride stayed active hosting The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian on satellite radio and Jazz Night in America on National Public Radio. He also continued his work as Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Another trio effort, Live at the Village Vanguard, arrived in 2015 and included the bassist's Grammy-winning performance of "Cherokee," which took home the award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. He then returned to his big band for 2017's Bringin' It, which earned McBride his sixth Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. In 2018, he released Christian McBride's New Jawn, an adventurous, piano-less quartet album featuring trumpeter Josh Evans, tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. A year later, he teamed up with Chick Corea and Brian Blade for the live Trilogy 2 album while earning a trio of Grammy nominations for his New Jawn LP.

In February 2020, McBride released his ambitious large ensemble work The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons, celebrating the lives of famed civil rights leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Muhammad Ali. That September, he paid tribute to legendary jazz artists Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Oliver Nelson with the Grammy-nominated big-band album For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver.

He also joined Joshua Redman for RoundAgain, a reunion of the saxophonist's '90s quartet with pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade. Another Live at the Village Vanguard, this time featuring a performance with Inside Straight during McBride's 2014 residency at the famed Manhattan club, arrived in November 2021. The following year, he was back with Redman's quartet for LongGone, which picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Jazz Album. He then returned to his avant-garde-leaning work with New Jawn for the group's sophomore album, 2023's Prime.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/christian-mcbride-mn0000103600/biography

KNKX 5th Anniversary Member Concert

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Christian McBride's New Jawn - Prime

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:33
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:47) 1. Head Bedlam
(7:29) 2. Prime
(4:44) 3. Moonchild
(8:05) 4. Obsequious
(8:48) 5. Lurkers
(7:16) 6. The Good Life
(5:04) 7. Dolphy Dust
(7:17) 8. East Broadway Rundown

The second album from Christian McBride's outré quartet New Jawn, 2023's Prime is somehow even more expressive and harmonically adventurous than its predecessor. Unlike his other projects, including his trio and Grammy-winning big band, the bassist's New Jawn is a maverick ensemble whose frenetic sound shares little in common with the straight-ahead swing and modern jazz McBride is known for. This is exploratory, free-leaning post-bop and avant-garde jazz that's easily some of the most adventurous music of the bassist's career.

Once again joining him are trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist and bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. The album opens with a brassy yawp on McBride's "Head Bedlam," as Evans and Strickland scream at the sky while McBride and Waits pummel the ground below them. They build with a primal intensity until giving way to a slow, thumping funk groove over which they each solo with a menacing, snake-like attitude. Yet more-thrilling moments follow, as on "Obsequious" and "Dolphy Dust," propulsive free-bop workouts that evoke the dangerous alchemy of saxophonist Eric Dolphy's mid-'60s group with trumpeter Booker Little.

More atmospheric are tracks like "The Lurkers," with its bowed bass, and "Moonchild," with its airy, baroque trumpet and bass clarinet harmonies. Along with the originals, they dive into spry readings of Ornette Coleman's "The Good Life" and Sonny Rollins' "East Broadway Rundown." The Coleman and Rollins' covers work to underline the influences at play in New Jawn, showing just how adept McBride and his group are at pulling from jazz' avant-garde past while continuously pushing towards its expansive, improvisational future. By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/prime-mr0005872356

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass (all tracks);Josh Evans: trumpet (all tracks); Marcus Strickland: tenor sax (2, 4, 6-8); bass clarinet (1, 3, 5); Nasheet Waits: drums (all tracks)

Prime

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Benito Gonzalez - Sing to the World

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:07
Size: 182,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:56) 1. Sounds of Freedom
( 9:01) 2. Views of the Blues
( 6:34) 3. Father
( 9:19) 4. Offering
(10:32) 5. Visionary
( 5:48) 6. Smile
( 9:17) 7. Sing to the World
( 8:22) 8. 412
( 7:35) 9. Flatbush Avenue
( 7:39) 10. Colors

Unbridled rhythmic fury fueled by a rich harmonic underbelly is the essence of Sing To The World. Pianist Benito Gonzalez has once again assembled a vibrant cast that flourishes on ten original creations. Inventive and energetic, the ensemble gels in the moment and establishes interplay with rich and intelligent conversation. The depth and articulation comes as no surprise, with reference to his previous works as a leader and the seven years Gonzalez spent as a member of Kenny Garrett's band.

Powerhouse bassist Christian McBride aligned with alternately Jeff Tain Watts and Sasha Mashin to anchor and veraciously drive a rhythm section which was both the core and the springboard for Gonzalez, as well as trumpeter Nicholas Payton. Together they built a foundation of Afro-Latin sounds that echoed the ancestral spirits and authentic African dance beats. Playing modern jazz vibes over and within these torrid and variant beats created a fresh and sophisticated fusion sound of its own.

While most of the new material was written by Gonzalez, there are two notable exceptions. The great trumpeter Roy Hargrove and Gonzalez often used to play together and developed a close relationship, both musically and personally. Hargrove wrote the tune "Father" which characterized that bond. They played it often together, always refining it. But the heartfelt melody was never recorded. Until now. "412" is a Watts composition. Watts connected with Gonzalez years ago when he appreciated the young pianist's spirit and respect for the notes. He sat down at the piano one day and showed or taught Gonzalez the melody. Like "Father" it was played a lot but never recorded. The tunes bring a sentimentality which blends well and creates a well sequenced directional change of pace from the mostly fiery tone of Gonzalez's fifth record as a leader.

While Gonzalez is relentlessly engaging throughout, his assault on his keys in no way interferes with his improvisational interface with his bandmates. These cats are very much paying attention to each other and responding in kind. A grand master of the bass, McBride leads and steadies a precise yet ultimately daring rhythm section which Gonzalez gloriously rides like a big kahuna at Big Sur. The robust energy and fine tuned skill sets of the members of the ensemble collectively elevated everyone to the top of their instrumental and conversational game. There is much to be said, much to be heard, and an abundance of joy along the way.By Jim Worsley
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sing-to-the-world-benito-gonzalez-rainy-days-records

Personnel: Benito Gonzalez: piano; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Josh Evans: trumpet; Christian McBride: bass; Essiet Essiet: bass; Sasha Mashin: drums; Jeff Tain Watts: drums; Makar Kashitsyn: saxophone.

Sing to the World

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Chick Corea - The Montreux Years

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 84:26
Size: 193,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:51) 1. Fingerprints
(13:41) 2. Bud Powell
(11:46) 3. Quartet No. 2 (Pt. 1)
( 4:31) 4. Interlude
( 4:41) 5. Who’s Inside the Piano
( 7:14) 6. Dignity
(10:07) 7. America (Continents Pt. 4)
(14:10) 8. New Waltz
(10:19) 9. Trinkle Tinkle

If there is anything more ambitious than curating an extensive, comprehensive collection covering the history of an artist, it is collating selected works which vividly outline a particular timeline or theme. Chick Corea's The Montreux Years is a fine example of the latter; this seventh edition in the archive series devoted to the iconic festival not only reflects the late composer and pianist's technical skills, but also his eclectic stylistic tastes. And that is not to mention his fondness for collaborations in all manner of settings.

Eight cuts from six performances, with a running time of about seventy-four minutes, somewhat belies the twelve year chronology of The Montreaux Years. The late esteemed musician first appeared at the iconic festival in 1972, then almost two dozen times thereafter, an extended sequence of events which lent itself to exactly the kind of rotating presentations of which this set is a microcosm.

Corea's inimitable combination of formality and playfulness is potent throughout. And it is not just readily on the Akoustic Band's "Quartet #2 (Pt. 1)," but also (literally) at the opposite end of the musical spectrum on "Interlude;" unfortunately, this overlong audience call-and-response, in the company of the Elektric Band, illustrates the man's penchant for crowd-pleasing as an end in itself. As throughout this CD, on "America (Continents Pt.4)" the sound of the recording has all the realism of the room in which the musicians are playing, no doubt due to the MOA process used in the restoration and mastering of the audio by Tony Cousins.

That latter cut is the closest this anthology gets to a solo piano piece here but, fortunately, a snippet of the man alone at the ivories at the outset of "Dignity" mitigates the absence of such a track. On this dedication to the author's mother, the invigorating interplay with drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Avishai Cohen balances the tranquility of the leader's interval, while saxophonist Bob Berg's high-flying interlude during the final track, just over fourteen minutes of "New Waltz," also makes for a fittingly rousing close.

The liner notes for The Montreaux Years could have been better conceived and executed to more fully align with the music to which they are devoted. Rather than filling many of the fourteen pages inside the hardbound covers with sentimental reminiscences, more pertinent details about the respective timelines of the groups that appear in the set (and perhaps even some discographical info) would accurately place the ensembles within the chronology of Corea's career; such scholarly information would have been more in line with the borderline deluxe design of the package with its 3D lettering on the outer front cover alongside Joe Weghon's colorful art (which also appears on the compact disc itself).

Fortunately, such academic criticism becomes moot when listening to the likes of the easy-going shuffle of The Freedom Band's take on "Bud Powell," especially as it so dramatically contrasts the New Trio's rollicking opening of "Fingerprints." The Montreux Years is a suitably celebratory historical homage to one of the most iconic jazz musicians of our time. By Doug Collette https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-montreux-years-chick-corea-bmg/

Personnel: Chick Corea: piano; Frank Gambale: guitar; Eric Marienthal: saxophone, soprano; Bob Berg: saxophone; Kenny Garrett: saxophone, alto; Tim Garland: saxophone; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Christian McBride: bass; John Patitucci: bass, acoustic; Avishai Cohen: bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums; Dave Weckl: drums; Roy Haynes: drums; Jeff Ballard: drums; Tom Brechtlein: drums; Gary Novak: drums.

The Montreux Years

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Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios - Songs From My Father: The Music Of Terry Gibbs Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Songs From My Father: The Music Of Terry Gibbs Disc 1
Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:05) 1. Kick Those Feet
(5:07) 2. Smoke em Up
(4:04) 3. Bopstacle Course
(4:19) 4. Nutty Notes
(4:13) 5. Take It from Me
(7:54) 6. Sweet Young Song of Love
(5:03) 7. The Fat Man
(6:54) 8. Lonely Days
(5:27) 9. Hey Chick

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Album: Songs From My Father: The Music Of Terry Gibbs Disc 2
Time: 48:34
Size: 111,5 MB

(5:06) 1. Townhouse 3
(5:43) 2. T & S
(3:25) 3. 4 AM
(3:28) 4. Waltz For My Children
(4:35) 5. Hippie Twist
(5:53) 6. Lonely Dreams
(4:56) 7. For Keeps
(5:05) 8. Pretty Blue Eyes
(4:21) 9. Gibberish
(5:57) 10. Tango For Terry

Songs from My Father. What a marvelous idea! and not simply for the sentiment. Drummer Gerry Gibbs' father happens to be Hall of Fame vibraphonist (and sometime song writer) Terry Gibbs, who is still on the scene at ninety-seven (and, in fact, making a guest appearance on the first disc of this superlative two-CD set). Eighteen of the elder Gibbs' songs, written between 1949 and 1985 (and one more, "Tango for Terry," by the late Chick Corea) are performed by four of his son's well-chosen (and well-named) Thrasher Dream Trios, whose members include pianists Kenny Barron, Patrice Rushen, Geoff Keezer, Corea (the last recorded appearance before his passing in February 2021), organist Larry Goldings and bassists Ron Carter, Buster Williams and Christian McBride most, if not all, of whom will one day earn the same Hall of Fame status accorded Terry Gibbs.

As the elder Gibbs came of age in the bop era—gigging with a Who's Who of jazz luminaries including Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Chubby Jackson, Mel Torme and Louie Bellson, and later leading his Los Angeles-based Dream Band most of his engaging themes can trace their roots to bop, and the trios take to them like ducks to water. The line-ups are traditional piano-bass-drums save for Dream Trio 3, on which Goldings' Hammond B3 organ complements Gibbs and pianist Rushen. Their appearances are close to evenly divided, with Trios 1 and 2 performing on four tracks each, Trios 3 and 4 on five apiece, and everyone (plus Terry Gibbs, whose extended vibes solo is as sharp and resourceful as ever) having an absolute blast on "Hey Chick," which closes the first disc. The title is no doubt coincidental, as the tune was written in 1961 when Corea was a mere twenty years old.

"Hey Chick" follows "Lonely Days," the nearest pretense to a ballad on the first disc. The same holds true for the most part on the second disc, as swinging is what Terry Gibbs was (and is) about. Trio 3 comes out blazing on the disc's sunny, samba-like opener, "Townhouse," wherein Goldings adds color with some bird-like special effects, as does Trio 2 on the lively "T&S," as Barron crafts a stunning solo while Gibbs and Williams lend rhythmic backbone. Gibbs, Keezer and McBride keep the fire burning on "4 AM," as they do on "For Keeps" and "Gibberish." "Waltz for My Children" (Trio 1), the disc's lone serenade, showcases Corea in typically masterful form. The first seven tracks on the first disc from "Kick Those Feet" (1964) to "The Fat Man" (1958) are exemplary, as are the others on the second disc, from the dynamic "Hippie Twist" to the well-grooved "For Keeps," and especially the melodious "Pretty Blue Eyes." While none has entered the rarefied pantheon of jazz standards, several could and even should be gauged by that barometer. At the very least, they should be played more often; they are that good. And so, it goes without saying, are the trios Gerry Gibbs has assembled to give them life. Songs from My Father is more than a marvelous idea; it is a musical treat from end to end, and a well-deserved show of appreciation from son to father for the guidance and wisdom that have assuredly helped shape his impressive career. By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/songs-from-my-father-gerry-gibbs-thrasher-dream-trios-whaling-city-sound

Personnel: Gerry Gibbs: drums; Chick Corea: piano; Kenny Barron: piano; Patrice Rushen: keyboards; Geoffrey Keezer: keyboards; Larry Goldings: organ, Hammond B3; Ron Carter: bass; Buster Williams: bass; Christian McBride: bass; Terry Gibbs: vibraphone.

Songs From My Father: The Music Of Terry Gibbs Disc 1, Disc 2

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Joshua Redman, Brian Blade, Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau - LongGone

Styles: Saxophone, Piano Jazz, Post Bop

Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:16
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:21) 1. Long Gone
( 6:21) 2. Disco Ears
( 8:18) 3. Statuesque
( 6:00) 4. Kite Song
( 6:31) 5. Ship to Shore
(12:42) 6. Rejoice

The second album from Joshua Redman's reunited '90s quartet, 2022's LongGone is another warmly relaxed affair showcasing the group's seasoned sophistication. When they first debuted on 1994's Moodswing, they were a cadre of up-and-coming young lions. Almost 30 years later, the lineup of saxophonist Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade is essentially a supergroup of four of the most acclaimed and recognizable jazz musicians of their generation. It's not just that each of them are uber-talented improvisers, which is certainly true. It's that they've grown into four solo artists, primarily for their work as leaders, each with a distinctive and influential style of their own. All of which makes their decision to reunite (as they first did on 2020's RoundAgain) such a delightfully democratic surprise.

As with RoundAgain, there's a sense of jovial familiarity about LongGone, as if the quartet just picked up where they left off with MoodSwing. It's a vibe that's particularly apparent on "Kite Song," a rambling composition with a spindly Paul Desmond-esque melody that nicely evokes the title as Redman and Mehldau tumble as if through clouds, dipping into jaunty swing, folky asides, flourishes of atonal classicism. Also engaging, the opening title track is a tough midtempo swinger in which Redman dances with lithe athleticism over McBride and Blade's fat trampoline groove. We also get "Disco Ears," a wicked modal swinger in the late-'60s hard bop style, while the classical-inflected ballad "Statuesque" moves with spare, stentorian reverence as if the band are playing to a black-and-white slideshow of images from their past. Most of LongGone feels deeply organic, with Redman and his bandmates feeding off each other and working to build something cohesive and bigger than their individual contributions.By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/longgone-mw0003772896

Personnel: Joshua Redman (saxophone), Brad Mehldau (piano), Christian McBride (bass), and Brian Blade (drums)

LongGone

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Dave Brubeck - Young Lions & Old Tigers

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:28
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. Roy Hargrove
(2:33)  2. How High the Moon
(4:57)  3. Michael Brecker Waltz
(3:27)  4. Here Comes McBride
(3:51)  5. Joe Lovano Tango
(7:52)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(6:22)  7. Joshua Redman
(5:43)  8. Together
(6:59)  9. Moody
(4:46) 10. Gerry-Go-Round
(6:43) 11. Ronnie Buttacavoli
(4:41) 12. Deep in a Dream

To celebrate his 75th birthday, Dave Brubeck recorded one number apiece with quite a variety of top jazz stars, both young and old. Some of the performances (which alternate duets with quartets) work better than others (eight are recent Brubeck compositions) but all of the musicians display mutual respect, and it is obvious that the guests are all fans of the still-masterful pianist. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove plays beautifully on his lyrical feature but Jon Hendricks, who sings "How High the Moon" as a ballad, takes it at such a slow tempo as to be dreary. Tenor-saxophonist Michael Brecker is fine on "Michael Brecker Waltz," although he sounds a bit restrained, the wittily-titled "Here Comes McBride" is a good-humored romp with bassist Christian McBride; Joe Lovano (on tenor) works well with Brubeck, and particularly memorable is the first meeting on record between Brubeck and fellow pianist George Shearing, with a chance-taking interpretation of "In Your Own Sweet Way." 

Joshua Redman performs fine hard bop on one song, "Together," is a well-conceived duet for baritonist Gerry Mulligan and Brubeck, James Moody plays tenor, sings, and yodels on the minor blues "Moody," Mulligan returns for the contrapuntal "Gerry-Go-Round," and, although the obscure flugelhornist Ronnie Buttacavoli sounds very out of place on his boring feature, the set closes with one of the strongest performances, a solo piano showcase for Brubeck on "Deep in a Dream." Overall, this is quite a mixed bag but, even with its occasional misses, the CD is a must for Dave Brubeck fans, because the pianist is consistently inventive throughout the unusual set. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/young-lions-old-tigers-mw0000176313

Personnel: Dave Brubeck (piano); James Moody (vocals, tenor saxophone); Jon Hendricks (vocals); Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Ronnie Buttacavoli (flugelhorn); George Shearing (piano); Chris Brubeck (electric bass); Christian McBride, Jack Six (bass); Randy Jones (drums).

Young Lions & Old Tigers

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Christian McBride - The Q Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:03
Size: 71,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:18) 1. Blues Connotation
(14:47) 2. On Green Dolphin Street
( 4:56) 3. Brouhaha

Seven-time Grammy® Award-winning jazz artist Christian McBride partnered with Qobuz, the Hi-Res streaming and download service, last year to produce The Q Sessions EP. Released exclusively through their streaming platform last year, the project is now available across all platforms.

The release comes on the heels of Christian McBride & Inside Straight's Live at the Village Vanguard album, as well as the GRAMMY® Award nomination for his 2020 Christian McBride Big Band release, For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver. Additionally, McBride is touring internationally through March and will return to the US with performances through the end of June. You can see a complete schedule here.

More Information on The Q Sessions: McBride visited NYC’s Power Station last year to record three start-to-finish Hi-Res songs commissioned by Qobuz. The project was created with top-notch equipment at 24-bit/192kHz quality, and the final product streams and downloads with the exact same sound, tones and touches in which it was first recorded.

The EP features three McBride performances, played in a quartet with saxophonist Marcus Strickland, drummer Eric Harland, and guitarist Mike Stern. Comprised of one blues improv, one standard and one new original commissioned by Qobuz ("Brouhaha," a song inspired by the then-recent passing of Chick Corea), The Q Sessions was custom-designed for the jazz fans who turn to Qobuz for the best quality sound. This EP joins Qobuz’s already established catalog of exclusive content expert penned “panorama” interactive essays, artist-created playlists, liner notes and lyric booklets to add to the platform’s reputation for the best listening experience in the field.

“What a pleasure it was to put together a special group featuring one of my favorite guitarists of all time, Mike Stern. It was a great day in the studio with Mike, Marcus and Eric not only jamming a couple of tunes, but to also record a new original of mine, 'Brouhaha,'" said McBride. https://bassmagazine.com/artists/christian-mcbride-releases-the-q-sessions

Personnel: Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Eric Harland; Guitar – Mike Stern; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Marcus Strickland

The Q Sessions

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Christian McBride Big Band - For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:53
Size: 166,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:21) 1. Night Train
(6:39) 2. Road Song
(8:12) 3. Up Jumped Spring
(3:47) 4. Milestones
(8:33) 5. The Very Thought of You
(8:20) 6. Down by the Riverside
(7:18) 7. I Want to Talk About You
(6:32) 8. Don Is
(7:13) 9. Medgar Evers'Blues
(9:53) 10. Pie Blues

JazzTimes may earn a small commission if you buy something using one of the retail links in our articles. JazzTimes does not accept money for any editorial recommendations. Read more about our policy here. Thanks for supporting JazzTimes. hristian McBride’s first two big-band albums won Grammys. The new one is grounded in specific history. Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery recorded two LPs in 1966, The Dynamic Duo and Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes. McBride says he and his classmate Joey DeFrancesco “wore out the grooves” of these records when they were in high school in Philadelphia. DeFrancesco fills Smith’s organ role on McBride’s new release.

The Smith/Montgomery recordings had pieces for big band arranged by Oliver Nelson and also quartet tracks. So does For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver. But McBride’s tribute is more spiritual than one-for-one. He repeats only four tunes from the 1966 albums. All are big-band tracks. It is fun to hear “Night Train” again, powering headlong over the rails, and to hear McBride’s tight large ensemble crack “Milestones” like a whip.

The quartet here is DeFrancesco, Mark Whitfield, McBride, and drummer Quincy Phillips. The first three take almost all the solos. Given this chance to stretch out, DeFrancesco reveals the enormous range of his B-3 chops, and Whitfield reveals that he should be mentioned more often on lists of the top jazz guitarists.

On this swinging, hard-driving album, two rapt quartet ballads stand out. On “I Want to Talk About You,” Whitfield creates gentle tension by continuously postponing melodic closure. On “The Very Thought of You,” DeFrancesco makes his boisterous instrument whisper in your ear. McBride also solos, pizzicato and arco respectively, on these two love songs. In his hands, an acoustic bass can shamelessly expose the human heart.

This is not an album for adventurous listeners who require risk in their jazz. But this conservative, impeccably executed music is full of joie de vivre. In times like these, who can’t use more of that?~ Thomas Conrad https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/christian-mcbride-big-band-for-jimmy-wes-and-oliver-mack-avenue/

For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver

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Abbey Lincoln - A Turtle's Dream

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:11
Size: 158,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Throw It Away
(6:29)  2. A Turtle's Dream
(8:49)  3. Down Here Below
(5:05)  4. Nature Boy
(5:40)  5. Avec Le Temps
(7:58)  6. Should've Been
(5:43)  7. My Love Is You
(4:21)  8. Storywise
(7:13)  9. Hey, Lordy Mama
(5:47) 10. Not To Worry
(6:17) 11. Being Me

This release continued Abbey Lincoln's '90s resurgence. As with her preceding Verve releases, A TURTLE'S DREAM features notable guest musicians (including Pat Metheny, Kenny Baron, and Lucky Peterson), all of whom add grace to the proceedings. Her core backing trio comprises Rodney Kendrick on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. The set features primarily her originals, along with a pair of covers, including Eben Ahbez's "Nature Boy." The opening song, "Throw It Away," has a melancholy resonance that is utterly inviting as Lincoln pours herself into the lyrics with deep passion and subtle dramatics. The addition of a string section on a couple of numbers especially "Down Here Below" makes for some elegant blues. http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-turtles-dream-mw0000173450

Personnel: Abbey Lincoln (vocals); Julien Lourau (soprano & tenor saxophones); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Pierre Blanchard, Vincent Pagliarin, Sandra Billingslea (violin); Frederic Fymard (viola); Anne-Gaelle Bisquay, Marc Gilet, John Robinson (cello); Rodney Kendrick, Kenny Barron (piano); Pat Metheny (acoustic & electric guitars); Lucky Peterson (guitar, background vocals); Christian McBride, Charlie Haden, Michael Bowie (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

A Turtle's Dream

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Gary Smulyan - Hidden Treasures

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 137,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. Stretch In F
(7:08)  2. Wail Bait
(5:30)  3. Bud's Idea
(3:09)  4. A Woman Always Understands
(5:48)  5. House Of Chan
(6:24)  6. Omicron
(6:19)  7. A Rose For Wray
(6:46)  8. Off The Cuff
(5:43)  9. Jahbero
(8:27) 10. Fifth House

Hidden Treasures smokes from the very first cut. Joined here by bassist Christian McBride and drummer Billy Drummond, Gary Smulyan makes a major statement with every new release. He eschewed smaltz for hard swing on Gary Smulyan with Strings. On Blues Suite he played fiery baritone sax with a brass section. He led a straight-ahead, take-no-prisoners quintet on The Real Deal.  On Hidden Treasures his pared-down ensemble produces such a plethora of rhythmic and harmonic colors that a piano isn't missed. The gritty might of Smulyan's blowing is like a blast of coffee chased by McBride's brown sugar arco and pizzicato flights and Drummond's smooth chocolate milk accompaniment, stirring a fine blend on sticks and brushes throughout.  Their groove on Quincy Jones' "Wail Bait" strolls the tempo a notch lower than the high-velocity opener. McBride shares the melody line with Smulyan on "Bud's Idea" with striking ease. "A Woman Always Understands" is a brief romantic reverie; Phil Woods' "House of Chan" is a showcase yet again for McBride's mastery, finding Smulyan spurred by breaks and Drummond's bebop bombs.

On Donald Byrd's "Omicron," the three players trade inspired eights, fours and twos. The bossa "A Rose for Wray" by Harold Vick has Smulyan in the mood with a sly embedded quote of "I Love You." Judicious use of space is the place on Jim McNeely's unorthodox "Off the Cuff." Tadd Dameron's "Jahbero," based on the "All the Things You Are" changes, takes the trio right back into the pocket. John Coltrane's "Fifth House" rounds out a select set of tunes that are hidden treasures by virtue of their relative obscurity. But they've found a home on this top-flight recording by Smulyan. You may find that each song has an air of familiarity, since each is actually based on a better-known composition. ~ Greg Thomas  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/hidden-treasures-gary-smulyan-reservoir-music-review-by-greg-thomas.php
 

Personnel: Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Christian McBride: bass; Billy Drummond: drums.

Hidden Treasures

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Christian McBride - The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:50
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:43) 1. Overture/The Movement Revisited
( 3:20) 2. Sister Rosa - Prologue
( 6:25) 3. Sister Rosa
( 3:08) 4. Rosa Introduces Malcolm
( 2:49) 5. Brother Malcolm - Prologue
( 7:35) 6. Brother Malcolm
( 1:03) 7. Malcolm Introduces Ali
( 2:42) 8. Ali Speaks
( 6:00) 9. Rumble In The Jungle
( 0:40) 10. Rosa Introduces MLK
( 5:38) 11. Soldiers (I Have a Dream)
( 4:14) 12. A View From The Mountaintop
(10:26) 13. Apotheosis: November 4th, 2008

The spring 2020 release of The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait Of Four Icons is the latest chapter in Christian McBride's inspirational salute to the African American civil rights movement and to four of its heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Embracing big band jazz, small group jazz, gospel, funk and chorale musics, together with spoken word passages, the suite employs an eighteen-piece band, the ten-piece Voices Of The Flame gospel choir, two lead vocalists and four narrators. It concludes with a recently written fifth movement inspired by Barack Obama's election victory in 2008. At least two more movements suggest themselves: the Trump era and (bring it on) its aftermath.

The backstory: The Movement Revisited has its genesis in 1998 and a commission from the Portland (Maine) Arts Society. McBride was given a free hand in the commission other than the stipulation that it had to include a choir. He chose to write what he called a portrait of the civil rights movement, performed by a jazz quartet and a gospel choir. Rather than attempt documentary reportage in words and music, McBride set out to evoke the spirit of the movement.

In 2008, the Los Angeles Philharmonic invited McBride to make an expanded version of the suite for its upcoming concert season. (Timeline check: this was the year McBride was part of the lineup which recorded Pat Metheny's trio masterpiece Day Trip on the Nonesuch label). A few months later, Obama was elected President, and the Detroit Jazz Festival asked McBride to put together an ensemble to perform the piece. This led to the writing of the fifth movement, "Apotheosis November 4th 2008," in which the narrators playing King, Parks, X and Ali return to the stage to voice portions of Obama's victory speech. Rewind again: As a child, McBride learnt the history of the movement in school, but he had the good fortune to discover a more emotionally accessible resource than text books his grandmother's carefully archived collection of Jet and Ebony magazines from the 1960s and their profiles of the movement's leading lights. This was, he says, "the greatest gift my grandmother could have given me."

Fast forward to The Movement Revisited: Much of the album consists of instrumental ensembles and soloists, but these are anchored in spoken word sections in which actors quote passages from speeches made by King, Parks, X and Ali. Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Treme) represents King. Dion Graham (Malcolm X, The Wire) plays X. Vondie Curtis-Hall (Chicago Hope, Daredevil) plays Ali. The only non-actor is the distinguished poet Sonia Sanchez, who plays Parks.

This is an epic work. There are glancing resonances with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra's Blood On The Fields (Columbia, 1997), but McBride tells his story in little over an hour, compared to the 3xCD set which Marsalis required. And do not mention Kamasi Washington. In that context, one is reminded of the 17th century mathematician Blaise Pascal's postscript to a correspondent: "I have made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter." Then again, in defense of Marsalis and Washington, McBride has had over twenty years on this project.~Chris Mayhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-movement-revisited-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: saxophone, alto; Todd Bashore: saxophone; Ron Blake: saxophone; Loren Schoenberg: saxophone; Carl Maraghi: saxophone, baritone; Michael Dease: trombone; Steve Davis: trombone; James Burton: trombone; Doug Purviance: trombone; Lew Soloff: trumpet; Ron Tooley: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Darryl Shaw: trumpet; Warren Wolf: vibraphone; Geoffrey Keezer: keyboards; Terreon Gully: drums.

The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons

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Christian McBride & Inside Straight - Live at the Village Vanguard

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:50
Size: 185,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:01) 1. Sweet Bread
(13:42) 2. Fair Hope Theme
(10:02) 3. Ms. Angelou
( 8:18) 4. The Shade of the Cedar Tree
(14:54) 5. Gang Gang
(10:57) 6. Uncle James
( 9:52) 7. Stick & Move

You may feel a whole lot better about things after checking out Live at the Village Vanguard. Now, without argument or scholarly discourse, that can be said for any of the time honored performances captured under that heady title, but here it's Christian McBride and Inside Straight and seriously, this one has fun written all over it. An instant Top Tenner for 2021. Bassist/educator/advocate, McBride needs no further introduction save to say he has heightened fun into an art form. His playing, even at its most pensive and persuasive, proclaims that better times are here even if just for the immediate moment. The immediate gig. This immediate assemblage of keen minded, high flying musicians. And this is their last set of the three-night stand so they'd like to play for you now.

Vibraphonist Warren Wolf's infectiously soulful "Sweet Bread" sets a very high bar straight from the gate. But it's a bar that Inside Straight hurtles high over with each successive track. Moving like Muhammed Ali, "Sweet Bread" swings for the fences and the fences swing back on McBride's own swing-crazy "Fair Hope Theme." Pianist Peter Martin ranges all over the landscape, a singular acrobat among equals. His joyful, sinewy run on saxophonist Steve Wilson's "Ms.Angelou" is worth the price of admission and the two drink minimum. Carl AllenconjuresArt Blakey and this set never stops. The energy and vibe is so tangible on "Shade of the Cedar Tree" that it's impossible not to imagine yourself in one of the 123 or so seats that make for max capacity in the Vanguard. Elbow to elbow, head bopping, feet tapping, a smile on your face everyone sees in the walk down dark. You're on your second drink when "Gang Gang" high octanes to life: Darting, sparring, powering on.

By the time "Stick and Move" steam rolls over you, and McBride and Allen take your breath away in a serious of groove statements that leave you amazed, you can envision yourself one of the jubilant patrons, standing, cheering, applauding. It's the power of music Mach Ten. It's Live at the Village Vanguard.~Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/christian-mcbride-and-inside-straight-live-at-the-village-vanguard-christian-mcbride-and-inside-straight-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: saxophone, alto; Warren Wolf: vibraphone; Peter Martin: bass, acoustic; Carl Allen: drums.

Live at the Village Vanguard

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Roy Hargrove - Public Eye

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:32
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:52) 1. Public Eye
(6:21) 2. Spiritual Companion
(7:33) 3. September In The Rain
(4:47) 4. Lada
(5:38) 5. Once In A While
(5:08) 6. Hartbreaker
(8:01) 7. End Of A Love Affair
(6:14) 8. Night Watch
(6:24) 9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:16) 10. Little Bennie (Crazeology)
(5:15) 11. What's New

Roy Hargrove's second recording as a leader features the 21-year-old trumpeter in late 1990 essentially playing bebop. Joined by altoist Antonio Hart, pianist Stephen Scott, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Billy Higgins, Hargrove shows why he was so highly rated from the start of his career. On such numbers as "September in the Rain," "End of a Love Affair," "Crazeology," and four of his straight-ahead originals, Hargrove plays in a style not that different from Lee Morgan but with his own soulful sound, revitalizing the jazz tradition with his enthusiastic ideas. A fun set.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/public-eye-mw0000674417

Personnel: Trumpet – Roy Hargrove; Alto Saxophone – Antonio Hart; Double Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Billy Higgins; Piano – Stephen Scott

Public Eye

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