Appreciating Christian McBride

Friday night chill-out music

Protean bassist Christian McBride has played with everyone, recorded countless albums, and played in many styles, from straight-ahead to fusion. Here’s one small but consistent way that I appreciate McBride’s music: I often play his 2001 album, Sci-Fi, early on Friday evenings. It’s a fine way to decompress at the end of the week and anticipate the weekend. The music on this album is both relaxing and energizing. I usually don’t get through more than the first two tunes:

• "Aja": Steely Dan’s tune arranged in a moderately spacey way
• "Uhuru’s Moment Returned": McBride says in his album notes that this tune is a combination of the Star Trek theme and "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson. I recall reading an interview with him in which he said he loved to watch Star Trek just for Uhuru. This tune has a magnificent solo by guitarist David Gilmore — not David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, David Gilmore the jazz guitarist. His solo simmers steadily, reaching a thoughtful, expansive high point.

This much of Sci-Fi is usually enough to create the chill-out effect I seek. But there’s much more on the album, including a version of Sting’s "Walking on the Moon" with James Carter on bass clarinet, and "Via Mwandishi," a tune dedicated to Herbie Hancock’s early-70s spacey electronic band.

I saw McBride last month at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis with the Ray Brown Tribute Band, a trio with Benny Green on piano and Greg Hutchinson on drums — fat swinging grooves and spectacular musicianship.

As I post this, there’s still time to download Sci-Fi (Amazon) for Friday night chill-out. Or next Friday, or any time ...