2023 · Album
PRIME
Mack Avenue · Released: 24 February 2023 · Personnel: Christian McBride (bass), Marcus Strickland (saxophone), Josh Evans (trumpet), Nasheet Waits (drums)
Four Voices Finding Their Balance
Prime captures McBride at a point where he's listening as much as leading, letting the music breathe.
Christian McBride has spent decades proving he's one of the most capable bassists in jazz — someone who can anchor a groove, hold down a complex harmonic structure, or step out front when the moment calls for it. Prime is a straightforward working band date: McBride on bass, Marcus Strickland on saxophone, Josh Evans on trumpet, and Nasheet Waits on drums. No gimmicks, no overdubs, just four players in a room making decisions together.
What makes this record work is restraint. There's plenty of space here. Strickland doesn't overplay; he's thoughtful, sometimes sparse, letting notes breathe before moving to the next phrase. Evans has a bright, direct sound — not flashy, but honest. Waits plays with real sensitivity to dynamics, knowing when to push and when to lay back. McBride, for once, doesn't dominate the conversation. He's the anchor, yes, but he's also responding to what the others are doing. The tunes themselves aren't complicated or trend-chasing. They're the kind of material that lets a group find its own voice through repetition and listening.
If you've followed McBride's work over the years, Prime sits somewhere in the middle of his catalog — not a landmark, not a sideline project, just solid work from a musician who knows how to organize people and space. It's the kind of album that rewards repeated listening, especially if you care about how ensembles actually function rather than how individual egos shine. Start here if you want to hear McBride in a chamber setting; if you prefer him in larger ensemble settings or on the bandstand in real time, you might want to explore other territory first.
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More by Christian McBride
All 14 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
