Christian McBride's & New Jawn - Prime (2023)

It's difficult to keep track of the prodigious bassist and composer Christian McBride's musical activities. He has appeared as a sideman on hundreds of recordings and released numerous albums as a leader, starting with his debut, 1994's Gettin' to It. His groups have ranged in size from trios to big bands, and he has, at times, leaned into funk, R&B, and other styles. One of his projects, Christian McBride's New Jawn, is a quartet alongside saxophonist Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Josh Evans, and drummer Nasheet Waits—for sure, a top-notch unit. 2023's Prime, which follows the group's 2018 self-titled first album, combines straight-ahead and freer playing just as its predecessor did. The listener gets a taste of that inclusive approach on the McBride-penned opener, "Head Bedlam." The track starts in media res, as tumbling drums, rumbling bass, and spiky horns suggest the glorious cacophony of the Ornette Coleman Quartet, another pianoless group. (Prime, in fact, includes a cover of Coleman's "The Good Life.") The second section is quite different: funky, blues-inflected jazz anchored by McBride's head-nodding bass line. The third part is a sudden return to the thrilling caterwauling of the opening section. On the Nasheet Waits gem, "Moonchild," McBride's deftly plays off Strickland's interpretation of the melody, which brings the tune's yearning nostalgia to life. About halfway through, trumpet and drums join in, broadening the scope of the wistful music, which has the drama of a ballad filtered through free-time impressionism. A cover of Larry Young's excellent composition "Obsequious" swings mercilessly. After the group plays the jabbing, stop-start head, Evans rips into a blazing solo that might be the best one here. Strickland follows with a mysterious sax statement that pleasingly complements the fiery trumpet outing. Throughout this excellent album—wherever it travels—is the presence of McBride's big, warm-toned bass, centering and driving the music.

TRACKLIST

1. Christian McBride - Head Bedlam
2. Christian McBride - Prime
3. Christian McBride - Moonchild
4. Christian McBride - Obsequious
5. Christian McBride - Lurkers
6. Christian McBride - The Good Life
7. Christian McBride - Dolphy Dust
8. Christian McBride - East Broadway Rundown