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Christian McBride: Christian McBride's New Jawn

By Mike Jurkovic
November 21, 2018
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Christian McBride: Christian McBride's New Jawn

It's true that six-time Grammy winner

Christian McBride

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian McBride hasn't been the new thing on the scene for some time now. Yet the gritty Christian McBride's New Jawn pops from the get-go with a zesty, youthful intensity and infectious enthusiasm. making his lifelong inquiry into jazz past, present and future a pure joy to listen to.

On his first release for his Brother Mister Productions, a new imprint from his longtime label Mack Avenue Records, McBride turns away from the usual trio/quartet/quintet/big band permutations that tickle his mischievous muse, leading a high-flying, piano and chord-less posse of

Jackie McLean

saxophone, alto
1932 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">Jackie McLean protege, trumpeter

Josh Evans

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Josh Evans, the saxophone cool of

Marcus Strickland

clarinet, bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Marcus Strickland and drummer

Nasheet Waits

drums
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Nasheet Waits through an unapologetic reverie of free groove and fiery ensemble acrobatics.

First the boozy woozy wandering of "Walking Funny" lopes into existence, blowing out the blueprint on how most of the nine frenetic creations are going to soar: McBride and Waits will offer opening statements and from there the sky's the limit. "Ke-Kelli" swells into action from McBride's stuttery, full-bodied bowing as Waits enters with his own percussive tide. A brief horn fanfare introduces a whole new racing, rhythmic slant as Evans blares and shards, handing off to Strickland then back again until somewhere around the 5:30 mark when the whole heads south to Frenchmen Street and more than cooly second lines out of town.

Cut from the same impulsive and propulsive cloth, "Middle Man," "Pier One Import," and "Sightseeing" (Evans is pure invention here) are prime, cutting examples of the pulse racing, percolating, sparring, neo-bop, funk 'n blues swingers that marked McBride 'maverick' and 'the new thing' back at his '90s starting line. And by surrounding himself with like-minded, improvisatory maestros, the music continues to burst forth.

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Track Listing

Walking Funny; Ke-Kelli; Ballad Of Ernie Washington; The Middle Man; Pier One Import; Kush; Seek The Source; John Day; Sightseeing.

Personnel

Christian McBride

bass

Marcus Strickland: saxophone; Josh Evans: trumpet; Christian McBride: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Album information

Title: Christian McBride's New Jawn | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Mack Avenue Records

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Christian McBride Concerts

Oct 2 Thu

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau @ Clarice Smith...

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
College Park, MD

Oct 4 Sat

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau @ The Flynn

Flynn Center for The Performing Arts
Burlington, VT

Oct 5 Sun

Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau

Sanders Theatre
Cambridge, MA

Oct 7 Tue

Christian Mcbride & Brad Mehldau

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 7 Tue

Christian Mcbride & Brad Mehldau

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 8 Wed

Christian Mcbride & Brad Mehldau

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 8 Wed

Christian Mcbride & Brad Mehldau

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Oct 15 Wed

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau @ The Wallis

Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts
Beverly Hills, CA

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