Christian McBride's New Jawn: Prime

Indie Jazz / Mainstream Jazz
premiera polska: 2023-06-02
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: Digipackowe etui
opis:
multikulti.com * * * * 1/2
Kwartet sformowany przez Christiana McBride'a, Josha Evansa (Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Rasheid Ali), Marcusa Stricklanda (Roy Haynes, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Chris Dave, Bilal, Robert Glasper) i Nasheeta Waitsa (Jason Moran, Joe Lovano, John Medeski) kazał nam czekać pięć długich lat na nowe nagranie. Ich formacja New Jawn w 2018 roku wydali debiutancką "New Jawn" (Mack Avenue). Teraz otrzymujemy ich drugą płytę "Prime", wydaną także przez nowojorską Mack Avenue.
Christian McBride od swojego debiutu "Getting’ To It" (Verve), który nagrał z kolegami i mistrzami, i to nie byle jakimi, jak Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Steve Turre, Cyrus Chestnut, Lewis Nash i Ray Brown, konsekwentnie ucieka od ślepej uliczki zadziwiana świata swoją błyskotliwą technikę, bardziej skupiającego się na pełnokrwistym liderowaniu, kompozycjach, organizacji i artystycznym wizjonerstwie. Był dyrektorem artystycznym Newport Jazz Festival, gospodarzem programów na SiriusXM („The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian”) i NPR („Jazz Night in America”), prowadził często wykłady on-line i różnorodne programy, w tym „All Things Considered”, okazjonalnie występował, jako DJ Brother Mister. Jest sześciokrotnym zdobywcą nagrody Grammy, m.in. zdobył nagrodę Grammy w 2011 roku za najlepszy album dużego zespołu jazzowego – „The Good Feeling”. W 2015 roku nagrodę Grammy dla solisty jazzowego – Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. W 2017 roku nagrodę Grammy za najlepszy album dużego zespołu jazzowego – Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album – “Bringin ’It“.
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jazzarium.pl
Prime to bardzo dobra płyta, wpisująca się w przestrzeń jazzu o szalenie wysokich walorach kompetencjach

allaboutjazz.com * * * *
Swobodny "Dolphy Dust" i ognisty "East Broadway Rundown" przekonają wszystkich sceptyków i niewierzących, że New Jawn to nowy głos w jazzie. Album "Prime" z pewnością znajdzie się na liście najlepszych płyt 2023 roku!

JazzWise * * * *
Chociaż McBride traktowany jest bardziej jako muzyk mainstreamowy niż awangardowy, zawsze bywał przyjemnie nieprzewidywalny, a jego zaabsorbowanie na nowej płycie awangardowymi dokonaniami Mingusa, Dolphy'ego i Ornette'a prowadzi go tutaj krętymi i wielce interesującymi drogami

jazzviews.net
Album zamyka porywająca wersja "East Broadway Rundown" Sonny’ego Rollinsa, w której McBride zachwyca majestatycznym solo na kontrabasie. Muzyka tego kwartetu nie zawsze jest najłatwiejsza, ale w końcu to co dobre w życiu warte jest wysiłku

jazzarium.pl
Chwilkę trzeba było poczkać na nową płyte formacji New Jawn, Christiana McBride'a. Pięć lat to kawałek czasu i zarazem dystans, który coś mówi. Ot choćby może mówić, że ta inicjatywa muzyczna to dzialnośc dość poboczna w horyzoncie lidera i z pewnoscią znajdą się tacy, którzy w ten sposób rzeczy bedą postrzegać. Adwersarze natychmiast zaoponują, że przecież zespół w takim składzie to band ludzi bardzo zajętych, mających własne plany i kariery i znależienie dogodnego terminu zarówno sesji nagraniowej jaki dogodnego czasu na wprowadzenie płyty na rynek musi te osobiste zamysły respektować i dlatego okres pięciu lat oczekiwania to zupełnie normalna sprawa.

Myślę, że i jedni, i drudzy bedą mieć rację, niesposób więc pokusić się o rozstrzygnięcie takiego sporu. Posłuchawszy drugiej płyty bandu New Jawn można również wyobrazić sobie inną linię podziału. Wyobrażam sobie, że obydwa albumy będą traktowane także jako żywy dowód na to, że rozluźnienie formuły wykonawczej jest w horyzoncie inspiracji Christiana McBride'a przejawem jego jazzowej omnipotencji oraz wyrazistym sygnałem, że jak mało kto na scenie jest ucieleśnieniem ciągłości pomiędzy mainstreamem a free jazzem i w jednej osobie jednoczy, zwyczajowo postrzegane jako rozdzielne, dwie frakcje estetyczne. Będą wszak jednak i tacy, którzy w ten rzekomy integracyjny charakter postaci McBride'a nie specjalnie uwierzą i znacznie chętniej jako ucieleśnienie go wskażą ot choćby nieistniejacą już formację O'Neals Porch, której motorem napędowym był inny wybitny i jednoczęsnie starszy od McBride'a kontrabasista William Parker. Ten podział, jeśli w ogóle zaistnieje, również wydaje się nierozwiązywalny, bo jak wiadomo racja jest jak dupa, każdy siedzi na swojej.

Wchodząc więc w rolę recenzenta, zarówno poprzedniej, jak i najnowszej płyty sam siebie przymuszam do zajęcia jeśli nie wyrazistego stanowiska to przynajmniej umieszczenia się gdzieś w horyzoncie całego tego potencjalnego dyskursu. Wybiorę więc salomonowe, symetrystyczne rozwiazanie. Prime, podobnie jak poprzedniczka sprawia mi wiele przyjemności. Słucham jej bez najmniejszych obajwów zniesmaczenia i z radością witam takie McBride'owskie dyskograficzne didaskalia. Prime to bardzo dobra płyta, wpisująca się w przestrzeń jazzu o szalenie wysokich walorach kompetencjach. Kwartet gra świetnie i samobójstwem byłoby nawet próbować szukania jakichkolwiek w tej materii niedociągnięć. I tak jak znakomita, tak znakomicie ilustruje też inną, w moim odczuciu bardzo ważną w procesie recenzencko diagnostycznym rzecz. Granie muzyki free jazzowej albo z freejazzowego arsenału środków wyrazu w znacznej mierze opiera się na tzw. state of mind albo metodzie podejścia, którego muzycy są albo nie są beneficjentami. Kwartet New Jawn raczej nie jest.
Autor: Maciej Karłowski

allaboutjazz.com * * * *
"Head Bedlam," crashes from the gate with a gale force which instantly gives away the plot of Prime. Put simply, the sophomore release from maverick bassist Christian McBride's New Jawn (Philadelphia slang for something not yet named or created) is a free-form steeplechase. Crying, screeching, testifying, New Jawn trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist & bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland blow wild and loud over drummer Nasheet Waits' tumbling manifesto and McBride's deep-rooted thrumbling, to summon forth the ancestors (Ornette Coleman for starters) to jam with the new brash generation in a funky, wheeling swagger.
With trigger quick wit and telepathy Prime's flagship track develops into a full-on, fun-house jam as the delightfully chord-less quintet run roughshod over this and all of Prime's eight master class tracks. "Obsequious" with its runaway railroad momentum finds McBride riding high throughout, setting the pace, breaking it, escaping it, soaring and whiplashing all around, in-between and upside right side among his fellow rousers with a cool liquidity that few master.
In perpetual, emblematic motion, Prime (released through Brother Mister Productions, McBride's Mack Avenue Music Group imprint) crests and subsides, fitting New Jawn's composure just fine. "The Lurkers," with its brooding alien spacecraft soundtrack, dissolves into the frisky samba of "The Good Life." Waits takes command here but not without hand-to-hand combat with a clear throated Evans, whose tone ranges from clarion to vamp, with Strickland's brawny tenor hot on his heels, bringing the swing and clearing the way for McBride to add his juice to the equation. The free-spirited "Dolphy Dust," highlighting yet another firebrand McBride solo, and the fiery closer "East Broadway Rundown" take on all skeptics and non-believers that New Jawn is the new deal. Yes, it is. The proof is in the music and there is plenty of that on Prime; sure to be a fixture in best of 2023 lists.
By Mike Jurkovic

azzTrail * * * *
Hitting us with the force of a tornado right from the start, Prime, the second chapter of bassist/composer Christian McBride with his post-bop-meets-avant-jazz outfit New Jawn, relies on top-notch musicianship, uncommon technique, and refined taste to succeed. The quartet performs a rich repertoire consisting of two McBride original compositions, one each by his bandmates: trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist/bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland and drummer Nasheet Waits, and three refreshing covers with a lot to be savored.
The two opening numbers - McBride’s “Head Bedlam” and Strickland’s “Prime” - are particularly stirring. The group makes a cacophonous entrance in the former, prior to providing guidance and aligning structure through the bassist’s funky groove. In the latter piece, their proposition consists of angularity and ambiguity, rounded out with interesting-to-follow solos and smart accents that pulsate without totally breaking the swinging motion.

Evans’ “Dolphy Dust” is agreeably disconcerting in its swinging allurement and flows with plenty of Dolphy-esque sharp edges. Carrying less exuberance and prone to reflection, Waits’ “Moonchild” kicks off with sharply intoned bass clarinet over articulated bass lines. Equally in this spirit but pouring different emotions, McBride’s “Lurkers” contemplates arco bass and tom-tom fantasies, whose mournful tones can reach spiritual freedom at times.
The covers were chosen wisely and the stupendous energy that characterizes this quartet is brought to the fore, firstly on Larry Young’s mercurial “Obsequious”, a post-bop workout delivered with a free posture and surprising transitions. Evans blows his horn with gleeful enjoyment and geometrical precision; he is followed by Strickland, who is less impetuous but more inquisitive and mysterious. The proceedings end up in a bouncing funk that you can dance to. Moreover, you can do the same during the jubilant Latin tinge of Ornette Coleman’s “The Good Life”.
The session is concluded with Sonny Rollins’ “East Broadway Rundown”, whose initial bass pedal goes beyond the theme statement, and where a bass monologue precedes an audacious drum solo. What McBride’s high-caliber quartet captures here is well worth listening to.
by Filipe Freitas

JazzWise * * * *
Throughout his illustrious 30- year career bassist-bandleader Christian McBride has largely kept his acoustic and electric projects separate but, if they operate in distinct soundworlds, they have never been entirely disconnected, conceptually. The blues crosses lines, like an irresistible force for good. And this fine album shows how its close cousins, soul and funk, are as powerful in an unplugged environment as they are in a plugged in one. The airy clarity of McBride's chord-free quartet, benefitting from members who are both strong individuals and team players, makes the moments when the leader and master drummer Nasheet Waits lock into a groove all the more memorable. The slow, slouching vamp of ‘Head Bedlam’ is as hard hitting as any of the highlights of 2000's Sci-Fi while the zestful swing heard elsewhere keeps alive the spirit of Cannonball Adderley, whom McBride has referenced many times before. Trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist Marcus Strickland form an excellent horn section, stoking a freeish fire on occasion but the latter's bass clarinet ostinatos make a big impact insofar as they lend more heft to the low register as well as enriching the harmonic palette. Although largely perceived as a straightahead champion, McBride has always been pleasingly eclectic, and his absorption of the avant-garde flourishes of Mingus, Max and Dolphy leads him down long, winding, interesting roads here.
by Kevin Le Gendre

jazzviews.net
If you’re one of those jazz fans who prefers listening to melodic tunes such as Miles Davis’s ‘So What,’ and Dave Brubeck’s ‘Time Out,’ you might find some of this album a little too abstract for your tastes.
But if you like jazz that is challenging, exciting, dynamic, occasionally free – and in places, dissonant and avant-garde – then this record could well energise your ears.
Philadelphian-born Christian McBride is one of the leading bassists of his generation (he’s 51) and a musician at home on both acoustic and electric bass (he plays the former on this album).
He’s made numerous recordings as leader, with a variety of band configurations, as well as supported a who’s who of musicians from the jazz, pop and funk worlds including, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, Sting, Paul McCartney and James Brown.
His keyboard-less quartet includes two horn players and a drummer. Trumpeter Josh Evans was inspired by Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, mentored by Jackie McLean and has played with Cedar Walton, Benny Golson and Roy Hargrove.
Marcus Strickland plays tenor sax and bass clarinet on this album, and has played with Roy Haynes, Dave Douglas, Jeff “Tain” Watts and his brother, drummer E.J. Strickland. Drummer Nasheet Waits has supported Jason Moran, Avishai Cohen and Eddie Gomez.
Incidentally, ‘Jawn’ is Philadelphian slang for a person, place or thing. There are eight tunes on the album, five of them composed by the band members (McBride has two compositions and the rest of the band, one apiece) with covers of tunes composed by Larry Young, Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins. McBride composed the opening number ‘Head Bedlam,’ and never has a tune been more appropriately named.
It begins with wild, banshee-like shrieks from the horn section, while drummer Nasheet Waits sounds as if he’s dropped his drum kit down the stairs. A minute in and McBride plays a bass riff, which is doubled up by Strickland’s rich, deep bass clarinet.
The band then sets up a great slow groove, with Evan’s trumpet and joining the band to fire off a series of notes and riffs. The closing minute reverts back to the frenetic playing. It’s a superb opener, and I would urge anyone listening to this number for the first time to stick with it after the opening – your ears will be richly rewarded.
‘Prime’ is a swinging number composed by Strickland that sees Waits playing an assortment of time signatures and rhythms, Strickland blowing hard on tenor sax and Evans soloing impressively on open trumpet. McBride keeps everything anchored and plays a solo that highlights his touch, tone and fluency.
At the coda, Waits breaks out with a blistering solo. ‘Moonchild’ sounds like a lament, and the tune evokes a feeling of melancholy. It starts with a duet between McBride on bass and Strickland on bass clarinet. When Evans joins in on trumpet, his mournful delivery makes it sound like he’s playing a farewell tribute in a graveyard.
The band plays a forceful version of Larry Young’s ‘Obsequious’ with Strickland’s tenor to the fore. In a couple of sections, Strickland’s sax cries and shrieks over an open hi-hat beat, which reminded this listener of Earl Young’s playing on the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes hit ‘Bad Luck’ – it’s no surprise that McBride will have been influenced by the Philly Records sound.
McBride’s second composition ‘Lurkers’ is the longest piece at a shade under nine minutes in length. McBride plays arco bass at the intro, creating a rich, deep cello-like sound. It’s a menacing number, with the bass, bass clarinet and muted trumpet combining to create sinister tones and colours, and sounding like a creature rising from the deep.
The contrast between the previous number and Ornette Coleman’s ‘The Good Life’ could not be greater – it’s like light following shade, as the band plays this upbeat, Latin-tinged number. McBride delivers yet another imposing solo, furiously working the fingerboard. Josh Evans’ tribute to alto saxophonist Eric Dolphy, ‘Dolphy Dust’ is a swinging number which combines post-bop with the avant-garde.
The album closes with an exuberant version of Sonny Rollins’ ‘East Broadway Rundown’ with McBride unleashing yet another majestic solo. This music isn’t always the easiest to get into, but all I would say is that if you are initially uncertain, persevere, because sometimes, the good things in life are well worth the effort.
by George Cole

Editor's info:
Christian McBride's New Jawn — trumpeter Josh Evans (Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Rasheid Ali), saxophonist and bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland (Roy Haynes, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Chris Dave, Bilal, Robert Glasper), and drummer Nasheet Waits (Jason Moran, Joe Lovano, John Medeski) — is back with their highly anticipated sophomore album, Prime, the follow-up to McBride’s GRAMMY® nominated Philly-centric named group.
With the release of this exhilarating second album, and seven years as a band under their collective belts, Christian McBride's New Jawn isn’t quite so new anymore. You’d never guess it from the tightrope-walking sounds they create together, though, which is why the name still fits.
Featuring original compositions from each band member as well as fresh takes on songs from Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman and Larry Young, this group offers a space of exploration for the 8-time GRAMMY® Award-winning McBride to stretch his veteran wings.

muzycy:
Christian McBride: bass
Josh Evans: trumpet
Marcus Strickland: tenor sax (2,4,6,7,8), bass clarinet (1,3,5)
Nasheet Waits: drums

utwory:
1. Head Bedlam (Christian McBride) 05:46
2. Prime (Marcus Strickland) 07:29
3. Moonchild (Nasheet Waits) 04:44
4. Obsequious (Larry Young) 08:05
5. Lurkers (Christian McBride) 08:48
6. The Good Life (Ornette Coleman) 07:15
7. Dolphy Dust (Josh Evans) 05:03
8. East Broadway Rundown (Sonny Rollins) 07:17

wydano: 2023-02
nagrano: Recorded at PowerStation, New York 16-17 December 2021)

more info: www.mackavenue.com