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Christian McBride Band
Sci-Fi
(Verve)
U.S. release date: 12 September 2000
by Mark Anthony Neal
Christian McBride first came to prominence as one of the
generation of "Young Lions" that emerged in the late
1980s and the early 1990s. McBride, trumpeter Roy
Hargrove, saxophonist Antonio Hart, pianist Benny Green
and drummer Carl Allen were at the center of the "Jazz
Futures," a post-Marsalis-hype generation of players. He
was the bassist for one of the earlier incarnations of
Hargrove's band, which also included Hart, drummer Greg
Hutchinson, and the fabulous Marc Cary on piano. McBride
was also a vital element of the Benny Green's touring
trio, particularly their stunning live recording
Testifyin': Live at the Village Vanguard (1992).
McBride released his debut recording as a leader in 1995
with Getting' to It. Sci-Fi his latest release is
his fourth for the Verve Label, and like those previous
releases, it confirms why McBride may be the definitive
Jazz bassist of his generation.
The Julliard trained McBride, who turned 28 earlier this
year, is the product of the same High School for Creative
and Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that produced
Boyz II Men, Amel Larrieux, and Roots drummer and
post-Soul impresario Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson. The
Philly musical connection speaks to the range of styles
that McBride chooses to interpret in his music. Having
played with some of the giants of jazz, such as Freddie
Hubbard and Benny Golsen, it is then not surprising to
hear McBride's versions of songs like the classic "Night
Train" (Gettin' to It) or the variety of pop/R&B tunes
that he interpreted on Family Affair, including Stevie
Wonder's "Summer Soft," Earth, Wind, and Fire's "I'll
Write a Song for You," and the obscure "I'm Coming Home,"
which was recorded by The Spinners in 1974.
Sci-Fi is a collection of McBride originals and some
fairly well known pop tunes, around a loose theme of
science fiction. Hence one of McBride's originals is
titled "Uhura's Moment Returned" (she of the short red
dresses that kept little black boys like myself and no
doubt more than a few little white boys interested in the
original Star Trek series). In that vein, McBride does a
stunning remake of Sting's "Walking on the Moon" which
features the brooding baritone sax work of James Carter.
McBride also does more than competent interpretations of
Stanley Clarke's "Butterfly Dreams (Ron Blake's sax solo
is simply off-the-hook)," the late Jaco Pastorious's
"Havona" and "Aja," originally written and recorded by
Steely Dan. Of the four remakes, "Aja" and "Walking on
the Moon" are the clear standouts. Arguably the best
track on the recording is McBride's own "Lullaby for a
Ladybug," which features one of two guest appearances by
pianist Herbie Hancock ("Xerxes" is the other) and
vocalese by the still under-appreciated (at least in my
mind) Dianne Reeves. Other standout guest appearances
include the legendary harmonicist Toot Theilemans ("I
Guess I'll Have to Forget") and David Gilmore striking
guitar work, particularly on "Aja."
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