Christian McBride Finds Fresh Inspiration With Ursa Major on “Points of Light”
Christian McBride‘s latest project, Ursa Major, has released its long-awaited debut album, Points of Light. Produced by Terrace Martin, the record captures the size and scope of the band’s adventurous nature.
McBride assembled Ursa Major in 2022 and landed on a roster of fresh talent: saxophonist Nicole Glover, drummer Savannah Harris, pianist Mike King, and guitarist Ely Perlman.
“I had been itching to put together a new band, what I like to call a ‘hybrid band,’ for some time,” he explains. “I didn’t know at first what form that band would take, but I knew that it had to be a young band.”
Points of Light covers lots of musical ground while still feeling like a cohesive collection of tunes. The album opener, “Sakura,” is an exploration of space and feel as Glover’s sax and McBride’s fretless play off of each other. Things go swing on “Two Check,” driven by the bassist’s quarter-note pulse and marvelous solo, to boot.
Perlman’s “Cows” gets into a funkier realm. McBride is back to the bass guitar for the blues-oriented tune’s bass riff. Again, he takes a killer solo that perfectly blends melody and blazing chops.
Watch him lay it down in this video from the studio:
The album seamlessly weaves all of these sounds and textures together, making it the kind of record you put on and leave on. As McBride explains, it’s just a reflection of the band itself.
“This album is basically an extension of what we’ve been doing live for the last four years,” he concludes. “It’s been fun to watch a band develop and grow and progress when everything is so wide open. They don’t say no to anything, which is a wonderful thing.”
Points of Light is available now on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download (Apple Music, and Amazon Music).
Points of Light Track List:
- Sakura
- Two Check
- Cows
- Same Folks
- Familiar Steps
- A Morning Story
- Orquíeda
- No Rhyme, No Reason
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
