Down Beat (p.69) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he bassist sets the stage with a fast-moving metallic figure that rapidly gives way to a bowed improvisation before Ron Blake pushes ever harder on tenor saxophone....[A] rhythm-intensive band..."
Personnel: Christian McBride (bass instrument); Eric Krasno, Charlie Hunter (guitar); Jenny Scheinman (violin); Rahsaan Patterson (trumpet); Jason Moran (keyboards); DJ Logic (turntables); Scratch (background vocals).
One of the leading jazz bassists of the 1990s and 2000s, Christian McBride is known for his formidable technique, his infallible chemistry with other players, and his restless sense of experimentation. The three-disc set LIVE AT TONIC is an impressive demonstration of these qualities. Recorded over two nights at New York City's avant music nightclub Tonic, LIVE finds McBride playing with a killer backing band and being joined by some of the hottest musicians on the scene, including pianist Jason Moran, guitarist Charlie Hunter, and turntablist DJ Logic. This is a hefty dose of compelling, joyful contemporary jazz.