Christian McBride facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christian McBride
McBride at the 2009 Detroit Jazz Festival
Background information
Born	(1972-05-31) May 31, 1972 (age 53) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, big band
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Double bass, bass guitar
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Verve, Warner Bros., Ropeadope, Mack Avenue

Christian McBride (born May 31, 1972) is a very talented American jazz musician. He plays the bass, writes music, and arranges songs. He has played on over 400 recordings with many different artists. Christian McBride has also won nine Grammy Awards, which are big awards in music!

He has performed and recorded with many famous jazz musicians. Some of these include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Wynton Marsalis. He has also played with pop, hip-hop, and classical artists. These include Sting, Paul McCartney, Queen Latifah, and James Brown.

Early life and musical start

Christian McBride was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 31, 1972. He first started playing the bass guitar. Later, he switched to the double bass, which is a much larger string instrument. He went to the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. After that, he studied music at the famous Juilliard School.

Music career highlights

McBride (left) with jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath

Christian McBride was seen as a musical genius when he was a teenager. At just 17 years old, he joined saxophonist Bobby Watson's group, Horizon. From age 17 to 22, he played with many older, experienced musicians. He also played with musicians his own age, like Joshua Redman.

In 1992, another jazz bassist named Ray Brown started a group called SuperBass. McBride and John Clayton were also in this group. They released two albums together.

Leading his own groups

Christian McBride performing at New York Bass Collective

In the early 1990s, McBride was part of saxophonist Joshua Redman's Quartet. He started leading his own music groups in 1995. This was after his first album, Gettin' to It, came out. Many talented musicians played in his early groups.

From 2000 to 2008, McBride led his own band, the Christian McBride Band. They released two albums: Vertical Vision and Live at Tonic.

Christian McBride mostly plays the double bass. But he is also very good at playing the bass guitar. He played both instruments on the album The Philadelphia Experiment. He can also play his bass using a bow, which is called the arco style.

Important roles and collaborations

In 2006, McBride became the Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This was a big role where he helped guide jazz music for the orchestra. He held this position for four years.

In 2008, McBride joined a jazz fusion supergroup called the Five Peace Band. This group included other famous musicians like John McLaughlin and Chick Corea. Their album, Five Peace Band Live, won a Grammy Award in 2010.

In 2011, McBride released his first big band album, The Good Feeling. He won a Grammy for this album too!

Today, Christian McBride leads five different music groups. Each group has its own unique style and musicians. He also hosts a radio show for NPR called Jazz Night In America. In March 2016, he became the artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival. This means he helps decide which musicians play at the famous festival.

Personal life

Christian McBride is married to Melissa Walker. She is a jazz singer and teacher. Together, they help run Jazz House Kids. This is a jazz school in their hometown of Montclair, New Jersey. Every summer, they both perform at the Montclair Jazz Festival. Students and teachers from the school also perform there.

Discography

Christian McBride has released many albums as a leader and has played on many more as a sideman. Here are some of his albums:

As leader

As sideman

Christian McBride has played bass on many albums for other artists. Here are just a few examples:

See also

In Spanish: Christian McBride para niños