Ray Brown With John Clayton & Christian McBride – SuperBass

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SuperBass
Since Louis Armstrong, jazz has been a music of strong dominant soloists deliverirng personal imnprovised messages of emotion. These players have become the "stars" of the music, but at becomes increasingly evident that the best of these musicians also know how to integrate their statements into the group - shining while creating an enviroment where others can shine as well. And it takes an especially generous spirit to allow others to shine on the same instrument.
Generosity of spirit, why name is Ray Brown. Throughout his career, his massively supportive bass sound and rhythm have given a foundation to the greats and the near-greats the veterans and the newcomers, the instrumentalists and the vocalists. But in the context of SuperBass he surpasses even his own customary beneficence as he stands on stage with two other world-class bassists. The wonderful thing is that the result is no ego-driven stugfest but racher a gloriously rewarding confluence of what seems for all the world to be a family - almost a first family - of bass artistry. Ray stands atthe center, with the Basie veteran Clayton on the left and the wonderkind McBride on the right, and together they say everything necessaryon the instrument with nary a wasted note. Theyseem to be talking to each other constantly and what's more, listening too. On stage, they cake visible delight in their cornmunication. Finally, though they're playing the bass, each individual images to say his piece in different shades of rich, dark, and low. Often each is playing with a different feel on the same tune, but all are miracuiously right.
It would be simple to say that Ray Brown and John Clayton embody the old swing-rooted traditions, and McBride speaks for the hip new youth, but that would be to miss the way all of these men both reflect the past and its traditions and open their ears and minds to the present and future. None of these men could have achieved the extraodinary things they have without those qualities. And there is virtuosity galore here, but a listen to any one of the tunes shows howthat prowness is completely in the service of joyful expression.
Listen, for breathtaking example, to Mack the Knife. With Ray and John skillfully bowing, Christian plucks the melody in happy harmony with his brothers. This is not a sinister Mack but rather an exuberantly swaggering fellow. Ray's opening solo seems to paint a full and well-rounded portrait of the"hero," but then the other two complement him in deft fashion and the result is a more fully fleshed picture.
The "Sweets" Edison germ, Centerpiece, has perhaps neverbeen given a more soulful reading. With McBride in a funk mode, and Clayton slappinq his insrtrument with the spirits of the still-thriving Milt Hinton and a handful of past masters gleefully looking on, the music is vigorous and alive and complete in its mastery of melody, harmony, rhythm, and instrumental tone. None ofthese bassists aggressively makes himself the "centerpiece," istead they work together to make the turne and its feeling the focus.
On Blue Monk, Clayton and McBride seem tobeset off in delisious dark relief against the somehow lighter, but no less blue or articulare shaping and styling of Ray Brown. It's another lovely "seminar" in how in the best of jazz performances the playerscan build and grow from each other. And,on christian McBride's Brown Funk, the three get down.
SB is a master-class recital with the bassists revealing the treasures in American jazz and popular song. These are tunes that have been wich us forever,but they simply cannot grow old when they're rejuvenaced by such solid presences. And set beside the bass performances are two state-of-the-art trio tunes byRay and hiscurrent group. Benny Green only grows as a pianistwith an incredible dexterity that has been tempered byexperience and the exarnple of RayBrown. And Gregory Hutchinson shines without overstating his case. knowing when to speakloudlyand when to lay back and support the talk of the others. What the trio encomplishes with the Gershmin chestnut Who Cares? proves that the best match is a great tune and great intepreters.
Ray Brown and his friends have provided an experience that is superinthe very best sense - out of the ordinary and larger than life but small and interiate enough to involve us all.
- Donald Elfman