Friends for more than 35 years, bassist Christian McBride and pianist Brad Mehldau kicked off their month-long concert tour in College Park at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland on Oct. 2.
With just the two of them on stage, the gentlemen’s performance not only highlighted their immense talent and underscored their years of friendship, but was part of a 25th anniversary celebration for the University of Maryland arts venue, often called “The Clarice.”
The dynamic duo opened with an arrangement of “Nobody Else But Me,” composed by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II from the Broadway musical “Show Boat” (1946). Then the artists moved into the Wayne Shorter composition “Angola,” originally recorded in 1965 and released by Blue Note in 1979.
The McBride/Mehldau set also included a ballad called “Love is Fragile,” which blended into an interpretation of “America the Beautiful,” offering a subtle commentary. The encore was Stevie Wonder’s “Golden Lady,” with audience members moving their heads to the rhythm.
Before they were Grammy-winning friends’ early years, McBride and Mehldau met as freshmen in college in New York. Much of their set was inspired by their early years as friends as rising artists.
“I was at Juilliard, and Brad was at the New School. Of course, we met at a club called ‘Augies,’ now called ‘Smoke,’” said nine-time Grammy winner McBride. “A lot of what is heard tonight is what we did in the late 80s and early 90s.
Mehldau emphasized the beauty of collaborating with his longtime friend on this tour.
“It is a dream come true to play with Christian in this duo setting,” he said according to a press release from The Clarice. “I’m so honored to be on stage with him.”
Brad Mehldau Social Media
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Christian McBride Social Media
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