Christian McBride, Edgar Meyer – However Who’s Gonna Play the Melody?
(Mack Avenue. Album overview (*) by Phil Johnson)

Except you’re a double bass participant your self, the thought of an hour-long duet for 2 large fiddles might sound much less of a deal with than a risk of random low-end grumbling. However that’s earlier than you understand about Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer. When you had been fortunate sufficient to witness one of many only a few dates on their debut UK tour in 2016, the expertise was revelatory, particularly as regards Meyer, the lesser recognized of the 2 in jazz circles. McBride has been the Don of the double bass for many years now: a worthy successor to the late nice Ray Brown. They each have Grammys to spare.

Enjoying utterly acoustically, the duo started with Meyer laying out a steadfast strolling bass line whereas McBride dexterously plucked or bowed the melody. Thus far so nice. Then they swapped over and your jaw dropped, as a result of Edgar Meyer, a Tennessee native who first realized the instrument from his father, is a complete bass monster. He composes and performs with classical ensembles and soloists (suppose Boston Symphony, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Zakir Hussain), and is as joyful taking part in bluegrass with Chris Thile and Bela Fleck as Bach and the baroque. You may get an thought of what he and McBride did in a clip from their Band on the Wall present (video beneath).

The brand new Mack Avenue recording is far the identical, however most likely even higher as they’ve been taking part in collectively longer. Over 4 LP sides – superbly pressed and colored a tasteful shade of turquoise – they alternate usually funky up tempo originals whose titles (‘Barnyard Disturbance’; ‘Bebop, of Course’) give an thought of their charms, with the odd customary, (’Photo voltaic’ by Miles, Invoice Monroe’s ’Tennessee Blues’, a thrillingly romantic ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’, Mancini’s ‘Days of Wine and Roses’), and fluctuate the tempo and emphasis of the repertoire over every LP aspect. There are superbly bowed, virtually baroque-sounding interludes, and Meyer (who writes the lion’s share of the unique materials), can actually pen a killer tune.

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The hour and a bit passes by in an all-too temporary blur. It’s solely interrupted by having to stand up and alter the document, compensated for by the very good sound high quality. The recording venue was Ingram Corridor at Blair College of Music at Vanderbilt College in Nashville, the place Edgar Meyer is Artist in Residence.

(*) reviewed from the vinyl

LINK: Purchase Who’s Gonna Play.. / Launch Date 22 March 2024