Christian McBride’s New Jawn: Tiny Desk Concert
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The YouTube video Christian McBride’s New Jawn: Tiny Desk Concert by the YouTube channel NPR Music:
Christian McBride’s New Jawn: Tiny Desk Concert
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Suraya Mohamed | August 30, 2023
The start is chaotic, for sure, but that’s the intent.
Two minutes of craziness is an accurate description of the intro and outro of “Head…
Christian McBride’s New Jawn Live Show Preview: 3/23, Constellation, Chicago
Photo by Ebru Yildiz
BY JORDAN MAINZER
Jazz bassist Christian McBride has been especially prolific the first few years of this decade, whether leading his own bands or playing as part of Joshua Redman’s venerable quartet. His latest offering is Prime (Mack Avenue) the sophomore record from the wonderfully named New Jawn, a band made up of trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist and bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. It’s a balanced affair, consisting of 8 songs, 5 of which are originals, at least one written by each member. The diversity in artistic voice shines through, some tunes chaotic and boisterous, others deliberate and contemplative, always stunning.
There’s a self-assuredness to the playing on Prime, an album named after the idea that each band member is close to reaching their creative apex. The Strickland-penned title track exemplifies the record’s strutting attitude, as each of Strickland, Waits, and Evans showcase their skittering expressions. The band’s performance of Larry Young’s “Obsequious” is a limber free bop workout, Evans’ dazzling, flitting trumpet and Waits’ careening drums leading into a syncopated, harmonic jam. Evans’ “Dolphy Dust” clearly harks to the fluttering trumpets of Eric Dolphy, Evans’ chemistry with Strickland recalling that of Dolph and Booker Little on records like Far Cry.
Yet, it’s no coincidence that as the band leader, McBride wrote the album’s two best songs, and that they occupy each end of the album’s spectrum. Opener “Head Bedlam” is a topsy turvey crash of horn squeals and drums before settling into a funk groove, led by his bopping bass line. And his bowed playing on the slowed, barroom lament “Lurkers” is Prime’s subdued highlight beneath all the noise, effectively proving once and for all that you can be in your prime while confidently paving the way for the future.
Catch Christian McBride’s New Jawn tonight at Constellation. The band plays two shows, one at 7:30 PM and one at 9:30. Tickets still available at time of publication.
I have an idea for a future episode. It's called "Minor Burns". It begins with Maddie at the call center taking a call. Josh comes over to help her and when the call ends, instead of following Maddie, the camera follows Josh and we get a glimpse of his life. We see him take a call which the 118 responds to. When the 118 arrive at the scene Ravi is the last to get out of the truck and we follow him during the emergency and see it through his perspective. Next, we see Karen on a field trip with Denny at the Air Operations base. After the tour, Karen and Denny talk to Tommy. One of the students collapses and Karen and Tommy work to resuscitate them until the paramedics (Hen and Chimney) arrive. The kid is okay and taken to the hospital. Then we get to see an emergency where Tommy is required to fly his helicopter. At the end of the episode, we see Josh, Ravi, Karen, and Tommy return home after their day. We see them with their respective partners and yes, Josh has a boyfriend.