Christian McBride's 2009 Collaborative Project Got a 2021 Limited Edition Double Vinyl Release

great sound and music

I got invited to a record launch party for Christian McBride's new album "Christian McBride's New Jawn Prime" held at Oswald Mills Audio's Brooklyn loft. "Conversations...." had been sitting unplayed for far too long so I figured I'd give it a spin to prep for the launch.McBride listening to his new album played back on the OMA K3 turntable

I'm not sure if he'd ever heard any of his recordings reproduced on a system like this but he seemed to be enjoying himself. Here's what he was looking at:

Chairs set up for interview with Sirius/XM's Mark Ruffin.

Conversations With Christian, recorded in 2009 and originally released on CD in 2011 had its double orange vinyl debut in 2021. It's a duets album with the formidable bassist collaborating with Sting, Regina Carter, Angelique Kidjo, Roy Hargrove, Dr. Billy Taylor, Chick Corea, George Duke, Hank Jones and others. In the 2021 notes McBride sadly notes the passing of the latter four and I'm writing this just as we're learning of the passing of the jazz giant Wayne Shorter. "Don't take one single day for granted", McBride writes, "even though so many of the titans on this recording are gone in the physical, their spirits are eternal. The music is forever!" Add to the list Wayne Shorter, whose death was just announced as I write this (he's not on the album).

This is an album of communicative fun featuring covers of the familiar ("Baubles, Bangles and Beads" with Roy Hargrove, "Alone Together" with Hank Jones, and "It's Your Thing" with Dee Dee Bridgewater telling Christian "who to sock it to") and McBride originals ("Shake 'n Blake" with Ron Blake—it's the second tune on side D but a great place to start especially if you want to hear an example of the album's consistently great sound, "Sister Rosa" with Russell Malone, and the finale, "Chitlins and Gefilte Fish" an often hilarious send off with Gina Gershon. Angelique Kidjo's "Afirika" opens the album powerfully and with great purpose.

There's not a dud track among the thirteen, musically or sonically. McBride plays joyfully throughout and his communication with his collaborators is an infectious love-fest on an album you're sure to enjoy even if jazz isn't your main "thing".

I also got to meet, among others, mastering engineer Chris Muth who I'll eventually visit and interview:

Review of the new McBride album coming soon!