| Jazz |
Christian McBride’s “Without Further Ado, Vol. 1”: A Joyful, Genre-Spanning Summit of Talent.
By now, Christian McBride hardly needs an introduction. A towering figure in contemporary jazz, McBride has built a career not only on extraordinary musicianship but on a kind of magnetic joyfulness that follows him from project to project. Whether playing, producing, or performing, he brings to every endeavor a rare blend of intelligence, spontaneity, and sheer musical delight. With Without Further Ado, Vol. 1, McBride once again delivers an album that feels at once effortless and masterful, a vibrant, summer-ready celebration that defies categorization and reaffirms his role as one of jazz’s most generous collaborators.
This is not just another outing for the acclaimed bassist-composer-producer. It’s an event, an invitation to a musical block party where the guest list spans genres and generations. One needn’t look far to find examples of McBride’s fearless genre-crossing: a quick search will turn up footage of him accompanying the elegant and endlessly soulful Keb’ Mo’. That same spirit of openness infuses Without Further Ado. The album plays like a mixtape curated by someone with both encyclopedic taste and an unerring instinct for chemistry. Whether your leanings are toward jazz, R&B, pop, or rock, there’s something here to love—because above all, this is a pleasure album, executed with polish, precision, and a producer’s intuitive understanding of flow.
McBride’s touch on the bass remains gold, fluid, lyrical, and commanding. But his virtuosity extends far beyond the strings. As a composer, as a bandleader, and especially as a talent scout, he has few equals. His previous discoveries, pianist Christian Sands, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., have since gone on to forge dazzling careers of their own. And here again, the 17-piece Christian McBride Big Band is not just a backing ensemble but a vital, breathing organism. The arrangements sparkle with life, as does the astonishing roster of vocalists assembled for this volume: a cross-section of today’s most compelling voices.
There’s a sense, throughout this album, of artists meeting not just in a studio but in a spirit of celebration. McBride draws on his wide-ranging friendships and musical alliances, bringing in voices from far-flung corners of the musical world. Some come from jazz proper; others hail from pop, R&B, even rock. Yet McBride adapts with the chameleon-like grace of a true collaborator, never imposing his own voice but amplifying theirs, crafting a unified whole from distinct elements. The result is an album of rare vitality, alive with contrast and cohesion alike. For newcomers to jazz, this might just be the perfect entry point: the music is accessible without ever being simplistic, joyful without being frivolous.
The album’s vocal highlights are many, but Dee Dee Bridgewater’s spellbinding performance may well be its soul. Her presence, powerful, seductive, and vocally resplendent, elevates the material to something close to sublime. Alongside her, José James, Samara Joy, and Antoinette Henry deliver standout turns, each one revealing a different facet of McBride’s curatorial brilliance.
Albums like this are, for me, particularly precious: they stand apart. Without Further Ado, Vol. 1 is, at heart, a high-wire act, an ambitious collision of personalities, styles, and sonic textures. That it works so seamlessly is a testament not only to the talents of the guest performers, but to McBride’s singular vision as a producer. Balancing so many artistic identities on a single record is no small feat. But McBride, as always, makes it sound easy. And in doing so, he reminds us once again that jazz, like joy, is at its best when shared.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 31st 2025
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Track Listing:
1. Murder by Numbers feat. Sting and Andy Summers
2. Back in Love Again feat. Jeffrey Osborne
3. Old Folks feat. Samara Joy
4. Moanin’ feat. José James
5. All Through the Night feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant
6. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow feat. Dianne Reeves
7. Come Rain or Come Shine feat. Antoinette Henry
8. Op. 49 – Cold Chicken Suite, 3rd Movement
Vinyl features exclusive track-by-track written commentary by Christian McBride.