Christian McBride returns to the musical world of The Mothers of Invention jazz rock fusion keyboards legend George Duke for the first track from his forthcoming album with new group Ursa Major. Have a listen ahead of his Ronnie Scott’s dates in London on 1 and 2 October:
‘No Rhyme, No Reason’, Duke’s 1992 single, is the sole cover on Points of Light, which McBride and Ursa Major release at the end of next month just before Halloween through American jazz label Mack Avenue.
Philly icon McBride knew Duke well. Duke produced McBride’s third album, A Family Affair in the late 1990s, and the bassist also played on several of Duke’s projects. McBride has spoken of Duke as an important link between jazz and R&B, and of his particular interest in Duke’s work with Cannonball Adderley and Gerald Wilson.
George Duke, left, with Christian McBride an image that is found on Christian’s blog. Therein he writes by explaining more of their collaborative work together:
So many of my greatest memories of George were related to music – him producing my third CD, A Family Affair, making my first appearance on one of his CDs (After Hours), getting my first call to play with the George Duke Band playing electric bass, auxiliary keyboards and background singing (I so wish social media existed then!), playing with him on the first domestic performance of his “Muir Woods Suite”, playing with him on many Montreux Jazz Festival “Jams”, playing with him once in LA when the original George Duke Band – Sheila E., Byron Miller and Leon Ndugu Chancler – came and bum rushed the stage, having him sit in with my band on numerous occasions, sharing the stage with him on keyboards, Stevie Wonder on Rhodes and Herbie Hancock on piano, and playing on George’s final two productions – Jeffrey Osborne’s A Time For Love and his own final CD release, Dreamweaver.
In 2011, George wrote a bass concerto for me entitled, ‘Concerto For McB’ which was performed at UCLA with the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra. George explained that he wanted my ‘full arsenal’ on display in this piece – acoustic bass (pizzicato and arco), fretless electric bass, and fretted electric bass. Until this very day, it doesn’t feel right saying ‘George Duke wrote a bass concerto for me.’ I don’t know that it ever will sound right. Just sounds too heavy, you know?
Christian McBride
Duke died in 2013. His career included prominent musical associations as a member of The Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa, the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, and the Clarke/Duke Project alongside bassist Stanley Clarke. His solo discography spans 32 studio albums, highlighted by key releases such as the jazz fusion records Faces in Reflection (1974) and The Aura Will Prevail (1975), the commercial funk breakthrough Reach for It (1977), and the much loved Latin-influenced A Brazilian Love Affair (1979).
The new version of Snapshot track ‘No Rhyme, No Reason’ also brings producer and multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin into the frame. Known like McBride for his work with Herbie Hancock, Martin adds Oberheim, Mini Moog and vocoder, giving the track a more electronic setting around McBride’s acoustic bass, Nicole Glover’s soprano saxophone, Mike King’s piano, organ and synths, Ely Perlman’s guitar and Savannah Harris’ drums. Martin produced Points of Light, with McBride as associate producer.
Check live footage of Ursa Major, a band that has been going for around 4 years, above
McBride describes the band as a hybrid group, with the music drawing on acoustic jazz alongside funk, soul, hip-hop and electronic influences.
The album consists mainly of original material by members of the group. Other tracks include ‘Sakura’, ‘Two Check’, ‘Cows’, ‘Same Folks’, ‘Familiar Steps’, ‘A Morning Story’ and ‘Orquídea’.
McBride piece ‘A Morning Story’ fans will know in another guise found on late 1990s album, Number Two Express.
For McBride, the project also continues a long-standing role as a presenter of younger musicians. Glover and the other Ursa Major members represent a new generation of players he has brought into his musical orbit. Read a review of Artemis player Glover’s Memories, Dreams, Reflections issued a year ago above.