But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?
But Who's Gonna Play the Melody? is a studio album by American jazz bassist Christian McBride recorded together with bassist and composer Edgar Meyer.[3] The album was released on by 22 March 2024 via Mack Avenue.[4]
| But Who's Gonna Play the Melody? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 22, 2024 | |||
| Studio | Ingram Hall, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University | |||
| Genre | Bluegrass, jazz-funk, new acoustic, post-bop | |||
| Length | 66:08 | |||
| Label | Mack Avenue | |||
| Producer | Edgar Meyer | |||
| Christian McBride chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz |   [1] |
| AllMusic | [2] |
Background
editMcBride explained: "Edgar and I come from two different places... I come from the jazz and R&B worlds with a little bit of classical, and he comes from the bluegrass and classical worlds with a little bit of jazz. With this album we're meeting each other in uncharted territory."[5]
The album contains original tracks written by bandmembers as well as several strandards. Each musician also plays piano on two different tracks, meaning that four out of fifteen have piano/bass duets.[6]
Reception
editMatt Collar of AllMusic stated, "While both McBride and Meyer are acclaimed in their own right and largely considered two of the best, if not the best bassists of their generation, they come to improvisational music from slightly different perspectives. A jazz star from a young age, McBride is steeped in the acoustic post-bop, R&B, and funk traditions with a strong classical technique underpinning his work. Conversely, Meyer, who teaches at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, is largely known for playing classical and progressive bluegrass music with a strong harmonic and improvisational jazz sensibility informing his work."[2] Mike Jurkovic of All About Jazz commented, "It is not known exactly how many duets of this nature have fallen into the lackluster bin of audio history. But rest assured that But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is as far from that incalculable number as the moon is from the sun."[1]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Green Slime" | Meyer | 5:55 |
| 2. | "Barnyard Disturbance" | Meyer | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Bebop, of Course" | McBride | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Bass Duo #1" | McBride | 5:15 |
| 5. | "Solar" | Miles Davis | 3:59 |
| 6. | "Canon" | Meyer | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Philly Slop" | McBride | 3:25 |
| 8. | "Interlude #1" | Meyer | 1:54 |
| 9. | "FRB 2DB" | Meyer | 4:18 |
| 10. | "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" | Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers | 5:59 |
| 11. | "Bass Duo #2" | Meyer | 6:08 |
| 12. | "Lullaby for a Ladybug" | McBride | 5:06 |
| 13. | "Days of Wine and Roses" | Henry Mancini | 5:34 |
| 14. | "Interlude #2" | Meyer | 1:45 |
| 15. | "Tennessee Blues" | Bill Monroe | 4:02 |
| Total length: | 66:08 | ||
Personnel
edit- Christian McBride – acoustic bass, piano
- Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass, piano, producing
References
edit- ^ a b Jurkovic, Mike (12 March 2024). "Christian McBride, Edgar Meyer: But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ a b Collar, Matt. "But Who's Gonna Play the Melody? - Christian M... | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ Simon, Scott (23 March 2024). "A bassist duo brings out a new album called 'But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?'". NPR. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer - But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?". Mack Avenue Music Group. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ Major, Michael (23 January 2024). "Christian McBride Announces New Album With Edgar Meyer 'But Who's Gonna Play The Melody?'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ "But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? (clear blue vinyl pressing) (2024 Record Store Day Release)". Dusty Groove. Retrieved 3 July 2024.