Word: mcbrides
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...very slow, almost imperceptible vibrato and airy, floating tone were vividly apparent. He played several motifs in different octaves, never once hinting that he might be performing at the extreme registers of his instrument. After the drums made a discreet entrance, and the delicate melody had been presented, McBride picked up a bow and displayed a facet of his amazing versatility as he coaxed a lush, sustained solo from his instrument...
Next up was "Youthful Bliss," a McBride original from his recent album as leader, Number Two Express. McBride took great liberties with his solo section, quadruple-timing figures in a way that seemed impossible on such a cumber-some instrument. Throughout it all, the bassist made it look effortless, never belying the technical hurdles he had to overcome in order to play such difficult intervals in such awkward positions. McBride was very much in a groove--toward the end of his solo, Redman interjected with a few notes, as if to indicate it was his turn. Through...
Though these musicians are heralded as some of the foremost exponents of neotraditionalist jazz, drawing from the influential hard bop artists of the fifties and sixties, they defy such categorization. The tune "Twenty-Seven Summers," in which McBride played a five-string, electric fretted bass, marked a dramatic shift in style. This was the least well-received tune of the set: the audience seemed taken aback by the ethereal, echoing sound of the electric bass and the fusion elements of the medium-tempo arrangement...
...relief of some listeners, McBride picked up his upright bass immediately after finishing "Twenty-Seven Summers," and the trio launched into a swinging, up-tempo 12-bar blues. With McBride walking up and down his bass and Redman offering some bluesy riffs, the audience got right back into it and afterwards applauded enthusiastically as the trio took a collective bow, arms over each others' shoulders...
They came back out for an encore, and played what was undeniably the most fun piece of the set: "Brown Funk," which McBride wrote for a collaboration with legendary bassist Ray Brown. McBride took up his electric bass once again, and this time the choice worked perfectly. The group traded fills and tossed riffs back and forth for this bluesy, funky tune, clearly having a good time. After an intense climax that ended with a flourish, the audience got to its feet and cheered wildly as the trio retreated back-stage. Clearly, everyone in the audience was asking themselves...