The universally acclaimed bassist, bandleader, artistic director, and prodigious collaborator joins the podcast to discuss his many ongoing projects, the evolution of jazz education, and how bass players are like baseball catchers.
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Today, the Spotlight shines On Christian McBride, a musician, recording artist, prolific composer, arranger, producer, cultural curator, dedicated educator, and mentor.
Christian has been called the hardest-working person in jazz, and based on what I just rattled off, that might be underselling it. From his early days in Philadelphia soaking up the sounds of Philly Soul to sharing stages with legends like Ray Brown and Chick Corea, Christian has become a bridge between jazz’s rich history and its vibrant future.
These days, you’ll find him leading his new band, Ursa Major, hosting NPR’s Jazz Night in America, mentoring the next generation of musicians, and somehow finding time to work on a new big band album featuring twelve different vocalists. He’s also preparing for an upcoming funk tribute show with none other than George Clinton and Savion Glover at NJPAC.
Whether laying down the groove with Inside Straight, his Big Band, or any other celebrated ensemble, Christian brings an irresistible combination of soul, swing, and storytelling to everything he touches. Today, we’ll explore his journey from Philly to the world stage, his passion for record collecting, and why he believes being uncomfortable might be the best way to grow as a musician.
Quick note: this conversation occurred when our baseball teams were still in contention. One had a better outcome than the other, and neither made it all the way…
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0:00 Introduction & Baseball Talk
2:05 Early Sports & Boxing
3:33 Bass Players as Baseball Catchers
5:35 Record Collecting & The Village Vanguard Sound
9:33 Looking Forward: Supporting Young Musicians
11:47 Jazz Education: Schools vs. Real World Experience
15:15 The Evolution of Jazz Education
19:42 Learning Through Discomfort
21:25 Mentorship: Ray Brown's Influence
23:19 Extended Technique in Bass Playing
26:17 Ursa Major: The New Project
28:08 Building the Perfect Band
31:48 The Nikki Giovanni Project
34:18 Upcoming Big Band Show with All-Star Vocalists
35:20 Tribute to Funk with George Clinton
36:58 Dream Newport Festival Lineup
37:44 Learning Standards: The Sinatra-Basie Connection
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Visit Christian McBride at https://www.christianmcbride.com
Listen to Christian McBride on Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/interpreter/christian-mcbride/39076
Bandcamp → https://christianmcbride.bandcamp.com
or your streaming platform of choice → https://songwhip.com/christian-mcbride
Follow Christian McBride on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/chrmcbride
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/officialchristianmcbride
and YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/user/ChristianMcBrideTV
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Be sure to check out The Tonearm, our new magazine site featuring fascinating perspectives and conversations with creative people → https://www.thetonearm.com/
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