Christian McBride Band—Vertical Vision

(Warner Bros. 48278-2)

After spending time "overground" gigging in Sting's band, then heading underground gigging and recording with the Hip-Hop/Jam Band/Jazz amalgam, Philadelphia Experiment, super bassist Christian McBride is poised to make his major label reentry. Vertical Vision, his first for Warner Bros., was a springboard from the Fusion/Pop/R&B/Jazz mixture McBride first explored on the Sci-Fi release on Verve. If you were detecting a pattern here, it would be that McBride is one eclectic musician. On Vertical Vision, the McBride band (including keyboardist Geoff Keezer, saxophonist Ron Blake, and hot young drummer Terreon Gully) keeps the electronic (and electrifying) effects in the forefront. Traditional changes and agile Wayne Shorter-styled improvisations weave through the modernized aural canvas. Angular traces of 1990s' M-Base pokes its head into songs like "Tahitian Pearl." McBride interchanges freely between acoustic bass, electric funk bass, bowed bass, wah-wah bass, and more at a measure's notice. Keezer mixes a lot of electronic keyboards with grand piano and drummer Gully is as relentless as "Tain" Watts or Dennis Chambers, particularly on the aggressive plugged-in remake of Weather Report's "Boogie Woogie Waltz." For more melodic textures, try the non-electric "Song For Maya," showcasing Blake on flute. In spite of McBride's busy schedule, Vertical Vision has benefited nicely from the band playing and touring together for a couple years prior to hitting the studio.