The Christian McBride Trio is made up of bassist extraordinaire, composer, arranger, and educator – Christian McBride – who has been one of the most important and most omnipresent figures in the jazz world for 20 years, plus Christian Sands (Piano) and Ulysses Owens (Drums). They pride themselves on their ability to cover the whole spectrum of jazz music, from the traditional origins and fundamental basics of jazz, to the more adventurous and esoteric regions of be-bop and modern jazz. For this trio the focus isn’t on simply wowing the audience with technical virtuosity, they want you to feel what McBride calls “soul satisfaction” from their performances, and feel that that’s the factor some emerging groups lack.
These musicians have developed great chemistry, with Owens having played alongside McBride in his quartet Inside Straight before the trio’s formation, and pianist Sands was headhunted especially by McBride who was wowed by his obvious appreciation for the traditional side of jazz, as well as his technical style. Their latest recording “Out Here” has received excellent reviews, including a 4 star Guardian review, and the work summarises the bands ethos of paying homage to the classics with a few standards on the album alongside compositions. The Guardian say “Jazz has been played like this for decades, but that doesn’t stifle the cheers when experts like these go for it”, perfectly summarizing the timeless appeal of this excellent excellent trio.