Christian McBride & Inside Straight
Village Vanguard178 7th Avenue South, New York 10014
Christian McBride brings Inside Straight, his acoustic jazz quintet, to the Village Vanguard. The group was formed in 2007 for a Vanguard engagement and says it was “birthed at the Village Vanguard,” making this a return to the room woven into its history. McBride plays bass with Steve Wilson on alto and soprano saxophones, Warren Wolf on vibraphone, Peter Martin on piano, and Carl Allen on drums. Expect the band’s straight-ahead, hard-swinging approach, built for five distinctive voices and improvisation.
Philadelphia-born McBride is a bassist whose work reaches from James Brown, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis to Sting, The Roots, Bruce Hornsby and Paul McCartney. Inside Straight is often described through its drive and collective detail: NPR calls the music “straight-ahead, hard-swinging jazz,” while McBride has called it “no-holds-barred-swinging.” Reviewers hear more than momentum in the quintet. DownBeat says its real strength is “the writing”; Jazzwise points to the “strength of the other soloists,” and OffBeat hears “straight-up, solid jazz with improvisational vigor.”
A narrow basement staircase leads to a triangular room with a red curtain and a stage at the point, where musicians play for a small audience of 123. Tables open like spokes from the stage, and the walls hold portraits of jazz legends. The acoustics are excellent, and the only sound before the music begins is the hum of the room. No food is served, only drinks at a bar. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with seating beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively. The atmosphere is focused entirely on the music, with silence requested before the concert begins.