Christian McBride: Prime

Prime's opening track, "Head Bedlam," opens with a cacophony of horns playing in a style reminiscent of Sun Ra's Arkestra. This transforms into a quiet, cool riff with bass and drums leading the way, shifting the music into a more accessible groove before returning to the aptly titled bedlam in the track's closing seconds.

It is a brave opening to Christian McBride's New Jawn's second release because it is not the easiest way to attract the casual jazz listener. But one would surmise that McBride & Co are not aiming at the smooth jazz fan, but rather at a listener willing to spend time with a record and hear its complete musical story. As the album progresses, the quartet of bass, drums, sax and trumpet offers a varied mix of sounds and tempos that should appeal to a wide audience, so the choice of "Head Bedlam" as the opener is curious.

Cut two is the title song, an upbeat piece with saxophonist Marcus Strickland and trumpeter Josh Evans playing in tandem and then soloing. In the third cut, "Moonchild," we are met with the low registers of a bass clarinet and the upright bass playing a somber but appealing melody, then joined by the trumpet. "Lurkers" opens with McBride bowing his upright and drummer Nasheet Waits joining him in evoking the mystery of something or someone lurking beneath the surface. "The Good Life" is another upbeat and melodic track driven by the sax with a nice bass and drum duo midway. Overall, the album tells a musical story well worth listening to.

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