So yesterday I was browsing around for new releases and came across bassist Christian McBride’s latest from his Christian McBride Trio, Out Here. I gave it a listen and I now have a new jazz artist’s music to explore, because the album is great. The trio consists of McBride on bass (duh), Christian Sands on piano, and Ulysses Owens, Jr. on drums. Here’s what it says about the album at Mack Avenue Records about the album:
With Out Here, premier bassist Christian McBride’s fifth recording on Mack Avenue Records, McBride introduces his latest working group: a trio, fully embracing at age 41 his role as standard-bearer and mentor. Pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.—both younger, emerging artists—have been performing with McBride’s smallest group for about three years, honing their trio conception to a fine point of expressive depth and nuance with select performances around the world.
“It’s a pretty diversified trio,” says McBride descriptively. “The real core foundation is hardcore swingin,’ blues and the American songbook. Part of that is because Christian [Sands] is so well-rounded and willing to go to so many places, that I can’t help but want to swing hard with him and Ulysses.” Read More
This morning when I was searching around for some morning music, I searched for some of the trio’s videos and the one that I watched was a video of the trio performing “Cherokee”, which was one of my favorite tracks during my first listen to the album. I loved Sands piano work on the album. Watching the video though, some major kudos have to go to Ulysses Owens on the drums! The thing that I like most about the video is that all the musicians appear to be having a good time and that makes for great music!! From Mack Avenue Records:
….An even faster tempo emboldens their reenactment of the Ahmad Jamal trio arrangement of “Cherokee,” alternating a waltz tempo with jet-speed precision rarely attempted since the glory days of bebop. Owens especially shines here, demonstrating a range of brush and stick work worthy of envy.
So check them out! I’m listening to a Christian Sands album now and I intend to explore the Christian McBride catalog including his Big Band ensemble whose Mack Avenue recording, The Good Feeling, won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2012—his third GRAMMY win overall!