Vertical Vision

Christian McBride - Vertical Vision

Vertical Vision
List Price: $13.96
Our Price: $4.82
You Save: $9.14 (65%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.62 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: Christian McBride
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Enhanced
CD Release Date: 2003-02-25
Music Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Soundtracks:
  1. Circa 1990
  2. Technicolor Nightmare
  3. Tahitian Pearl
  4. The Wizard Of Montara
  5. The Ballad Of Little Girl Dancer
  6. Lejos De Usted
  7. Precious One
  8. Song For Maya
  9. Boogie Woogie Waltz

Music reviews of Vertical Vision

Music Review: Stunning outing by monster bassist/composer/arranger McBride
Rating: 5 Stars

There's a thing jazz artists have been struggling to do for as long as jazz has been identified as an authentic American popular music form: That's to make music that's true to its rich tradition of African-Creole rhythms (often filtered through a Latin lens), classical harmonies, and (perhaps the key element) improvisation, while still being listenable and accessible. What all too often happens is that one or more of these elements gets short shrift, and the music consequently slips into some kind of pseudo-jazz never-never land, a la "smooth jazz," "pop-jazz," or some other awful hybrid. Or, conversely, the music remains true to its heritage but becomes accessible only to the cognoscenti. To make hip, knowledgeable, authentic jazz is now and, really, always has been, something of a feat.

We seem to be blessed with an abundance of marvelous, even revelatory, jazz recordings that each in their own way meet the above criteria for greatness in what is still the first quarter of 2003. In no particular order, I would cite These Are the Vistas by the Bad Plus, Freak In by Dave Douglass, Smile by Jacky Terrasson, Grand Unification Theory by Stefon Harris, Cuban Odyssey by Jane Bunnett, Scolohofo, and certainly not least, Vertical Vision by the Christian McBride Band.

In some ways, Vertical Vision is my favorite of all. It's greatest virtue is its listenability. Seldom does such prodigious technique as McBride, still in his twenties, I believe, possesses get placed in such a listener-friendly setting. Any one of these cuts could be heard by a non-jazz fan and still be enjoyed, I believe. Yet, there is still plenty of compositional and improvisational meat for the hardcore jazzer.

Vertical Vision represents a significant step forward from McBride's last outing, Science Fiction. Each element-Latin, funk, straight-ahead, ballad-seems to be more organic, deeper, more natural. For Latin, check out the breezy, free-flowing "Song for Maya," with its glorious flute stylings by Ron Blake (here sounding more relaxed and mature than I've ever heard him). For funk, tune in on "Boogie Woogie Waltz," again featuring a transcendent Ron Blake, this time on soprano sax. Plus, that amazing keys-guy, the aptly named Geoff Keezer, gives perhaps his finest funk performance on record. Also on this track, check out Terreon Gully, who also magnificently contributes his prodigious percussion chops to Stefon Harris's Grand Unification Theory. I especially like his nuevo-African outro. For more funk, don't miss out on "Technicolor Nightmare," featuring some scorching guitar work from David Gilmore. For gorgeous balladry, dig into "Tahitian Pearl," with Keezer leading the way on some very tasty electric piano and Ron Blake persuasively swinging on tenor sax. Some of these cuts skate quite close to that dreaded musical hell-hole, "smooth jazz," but their compositional rigor combined with the players' deep commitment to and knowledge of the jazz tradition always steers them clear of disaster. For straight-ahead, there's "The Wizard of Montana," with its boppish feel, though tweaked, brilliantly, I'd say, by some very contemporary keys and electric bass treatments.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves gorgeous instrumental music.

More Vertical Vision free music reviews:
1 2 3

Description of Vertical Vision

The most acclaimed acoustic and electric bassist to emerge from the jazz world in the 90s -named Hot Jazz Artist in Rolling Stone magazine's annual 'Hot' issue. His recording and performance resume also features intriguing cross-genre collaborations with DJ Logic and The Roots. Specially enhanced CD features an interview with Mc Bride and a video of 'Boogie Woogie Waltz' (live). Warner. 2003.
Vertical Vision is bassist Christian McBride's Warner Bros. debut. Equally adept on acoustic and electric, McBride is a long-running Sting sideman, as well as a member of the late Ray Brown's inspirational SuperBass trio. Christian's own band is a very stable unit, its rapport thoroughly road-tested. The disc opens with a brief burst of 78rpm crackling, before McBride abruptly rips that old shellac off the player and substitutes the heavy-rockin' funk of his "Technicolor Nightmare." Both McBride and keyboardist Geoffrey Keezer are fond of convoluted melody lines, but their prettiness is usually scarred by the serrated surfaces turned out by saxophonist Ron Blake and guitarist David Gilmore (not the member of Pink Floyd). It's Keezer's ballad tendencies that most retain their smooth sheen. McBride's "The Wizard of Montara" is short and boppish, while his "Ballad of Little Girl Dancer" is the funkiest number, loaded up with chirping synths. Other highlights are the intricate "Lejos de Usted" and Joe Zawinul's "Boogie Woogie Waltz," where McBride gets to burn up his own fingers. This whole disc is very much in thrall to swirling 1970s fusion, and given a hard, dense production style that sometimes errs towards dulled and muted, particularly with the brutal rock heaviness of Terreon Gully's drums. This muscular delivery of sometimes lightweight tunes manages to convey a mixed message of risk-taking danger and commercial adaptability. --Martin Longley

Jazz CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in Jazz CDs
Blood, Spirit, Land, Water, Freedom ImageCurtis Brothers Quartet - Blood, Spirit, Land, Water, Freedom
Release date: 2009-10-01; Music CD
Jazz Casual - 3-Pack Vol. 1 (Count Basie, Carmen McRae, John Coltrane) [VHS] ImageJazz Casuals: Coltrane Basie & Mcrae - Jazz Casual - 3-Pack Vol. 1 (Count Basie, Carmen McRae, John Coltrane) [VHS]
Rhino / Wea; Release date: 1999-05-04; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $43.27
Jazz Legend: Part 2 1970-1987 [VHS] ImageBuddy Rich - Jazz Legend: Part 2 1970-1987 [VHS]
Warner Brothers Pub.; Release date: 2000-10-20; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $10.75
Price in other shops: $39.95
Living Legend of the Electric Guitar [VHS] ImageLes Paul - Living Legend of the Electric Guitar [VHS]
Bmg Video Label; Release date: 1993-02-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $19.95
Price in other shops: $19.98
Hurricane [VHS] ImageHerbie Hancock - Hurricane [VHS]
View Video; Release date: 1992-04-07; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $2.50
Cocktails for Two ImageCocktails for Two
by band leader Spike Jones
Music CD
Best price: $19.95
Dave Grusin and the NY/LA Dream Band [VHS] ImageDave Grusin - Dave Grusin and the NY/ LA Dream Band [VHS]
Umgd; Release date: 1990-06-26; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.93
Price in other shops: $19.99
Diane Schuur & Count Basie Orchestra [VHS] ImageCount Basie, Diane Schuur - Diane Schuur & Count Basie Orchestra [VHS]
Grp Records; Release date: 1996-01-30; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops: $19.98
Damals in Hamburg ImageDamals in Hamburg
Release date: 1999-08-11; Music CD
Best price: $23.52
Ben Webster ImageBen Webster - Ben Webster
Release date: 2006-12-20; Music CD
Price in other shops: $50.98
Similar CDs
A Family Affair ImageChristian Mcbride - A Family Affair
Release date: 1998-08-11; Music CD
Best price: $7.81
Price in other shops: $14.98
When the Heart Emerges Glistening ImageAmbrose Akinmusire - When the Heart Emerges Glistening
Release date: 2011-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $7.38
Price in other shops: $17.98
Conversations With Christian ImageChristian Mcbride - Conversations With Christian
Release date: 2011-11-08; Music CD
Best price: $10.71
Price in other shops: $17.98
For True ImageTrombone Shorty - For True
Release date: 2011-09-13; Music CD
Best price: $8.98
Price in other shops: $13.98
Number Two Express ImageChristian Mcbride - Number Two Express
Release date: 1996-04-16; Music CD
Best price: $10.36
Price in other shops: $17.98
Sci-Fi ImageChristian Mcbride - Sci-Fi
Release date: 2000-09-12; Music CD
Best price: $7.93
Price in other shops: $14.98
Live at Tonic (Dig) ImageChristian McBride - Live at Tonic (Dig)
MCBRIDE,CHRISTIAN; Release date: 2006-05-02; Music CD
Best price: $9.45
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Good Feeling ImageChristian Mcbride Big Band - The Good Feeling
Release date: 2011-09-27; Music CD
Best price: $10.69
Price in other shops: $17.98
Gettin to It ImageChristian Mcbride - Gettin to It
Release date: 1995-01-17; Music CD
Best price: $4.86
Price in other shops: $11.98
Kind of Brown ImageChristian McBride & Inside Straight - Kind of Brown
Release date: 2009-06-16; Music CD
Best price: $11.76
Price in other shops: $17.98
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles