Customer Reviews

Conversations With Christian

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"Conversations with Christian" is an unusual release, as it features the veteran bassist playing duets with a number of good friends.
The vocal meetings include Angélique Kidjo, Sting, and Dee Dee Bridgewater (the latter with a hilarious, funky cover of the Isley Brothers' signature song "It's Your Thing").
The pairings with musicians of McBride's generation (trumpeter Roy Hargrove, tenor saxophonist Ron Blake, and guitarist Russell Malone) all exceed expectations.
There are several enjoyable duets with pianists, one featuring Latin jazz master Eddie Palmieri, a duo improvised tango by Chick Corea and the leader, plus an all too rare acoustic outing by the talented George Duke (who tears up the keyboard with his hard-charging "McDukey Blues").
But McBride's meetings with Dr. Billy Taylor (playing his beautiful "Spiritual" with some potent arco playing by the bassist) and the elegant, swinging meeting with the gifted jazz master Hank Jones ("Alone Together") remain moments to savor, as they are among the final recordings by the two jazz greats, both of whom died in 2010.
The last track is a funky blues just for laughs, with actress Gina Gershon joining the bassist by playing a Jew's harp, with lots of comic spoken exchanges between the two. Throughout it all, Christian McBride plays with the chameleon-like adaptability of a Milt Hinton or Ray Brown.
In the two-plus decades since arriving on the jazz scene, Christian McBride has demonstrated that he is a jazz master in the making, and this is easily one of his most compelling albums. K. Dryden

A vocalist or another soloist, an acoustic bass: stark, raw music. Everything must go right because otherwise flaws are strikingly evident. Such a duet is one of the more interesting sounds in jazz, and it gives a bassist, who normally plays the background rhythm, the opportunity to perform melody and counterpoint as an equal. Christian McBride, one of the leading bassists today, had invited some other stellar musicians to be his partner in this innovative album. Angélique Kidjo from Benin starts the album with African roots, and Regina Carter's violin brings Bach into a jazz groove (it always works, ever since the Swingle Singers). Sting next offers his smooth rock blues. An Afro-Cuban beat is exemplified by the great Eddie Palmieri's piano work. This is followed by Baubles, Bangles and Beads, the old Broadway tune, which is twisted and enlivened by Roy Hargrove's trumpet. An elegant Spiritual by the elegant Dr. Billy Taylor is the next track. The third vocal belongs to Dee Dee Bridgewater, proving that a vocalist needs only a bass on stage. Three piano tracks by jazz veterans, Hank Jones, George Duke, and Chick Corea are widely different in style, from sophisticated modern to abstract avant-garde. Russell Malone and his electric guitar follow with a rendering of Sister Rosa where each musician takes turn in support and lead, but the similar timbre of strings does not work for me. Ron Blake and his saxophone, however, provides a night-and-day difference and his jazz is solid, taking me back to a small, smoky 1950s club. The final track is utterly amazing: a jew's-harp performance like you never had heard before! Gina Gershon is the star here who has extraordinary control in echoing the bass's many riffs and producing some wild sounds. Chitlins and Gefiltefish is a fun title for a happy, funky, and hilarious track that includs vocal comments and jive. In short, this album is unique and a bassist's dream. Albums that feature different artists on each track, as anthologies, may lack coherence and not always satisfy the listener. McBride keeps it together.

I was hooked from the first track, and amazed by the range of genres that the album takes in. This is partly because it features a wide range of guest players and singers who have reputations in very different parts of the music world. But it's also a testament to how good Christian is. He has had a long career supporting so many artists, it's no wonder that he can play in so many different ways. The end result is that whoever you are, whatever you normally listen to, you will inevitably find something you love in this album. Do you like music? Then you should buy it. And then you should buy speakers that can do his bass justice (mine were sometimes left buzzing in defeat!)

Bought this as a gift for a bassist, who can be very picky about his music, and he liked it. So did everyone else who listened to it.

This terrific musician is new to me but having heard him interviewed on public radio and loving the samples played with the interview, I gave this CD as a gift to my spouse (and thus to me!) and wow, what a great discovery! He makes the bass sound like the best bass you ever heard, plus like every other instrument whether string, wind, percussion, horn, voice. And I love the pairings with other musicians from jazz to R & B and more - really great. I'm glad not to be ignorant of his music anymore because this is a new favorite CD in our house.

The upright bass is usually a background instrument. Often the bassist is a quiet dude who stands off to the side, staring into space and plunking his instrument. Judging from this CD, and from an NPR interview I heard, Christian McBride is the antithesis of your typical bass player. His personality comes through most strongly on the tracks with Dee Dee Bridgewater and Gina Gershon. They are having a party I only wish I could join. On these tracks the conversation takes place with the voice as well as the instrument. However, all of the tracks are collaborations and musical conversations.

I love how the bass comes forward for extended solos. I also love that this CD proves that the bass can enhance and round out the sound of the piano, sax, violin, or the human voice, no need for other instrumental accompaniment. The opening track with Angelique Kidjo is absolutely stunning - you instantly know you are in for a treat.

I am not a huge jazz head, I only recently became aware of Christian McBride, but if you told me he is the greatest jazz bassist alive I would believe it. If there is anyone greater I sure want to hear that person play. This is a very special end-of-year treat and a strong contender for my favorite CD of the year. I enthusiastically recommend it.

I love the way he takes traditional songs and turns them into larger than life soulful melodies. This CD is a keeper!

If you love jazz, you'll love this CD. The musical dialog between Christian and the other artists is just beautiful.