Eight-time Grammy Award-winning bassist and bandleader Christian McBride takes the Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater stage (May 2-3) with two powerhouse ensembles, delivering two nights of swing, soul, and serious groove.
McBride, host of the popular Jazz Night in America, spoke to his WBGO colleague Brian Delp about the two special evenings at JALC.
In the opening "Remembering Ray Brown" set, McBride honors his mentor, Ray Brown, with a hard-hitting trio featuring pianist Benny Green and drummer Greg Hutchinson, delivering hard-driving rhythm and effortless swing.
"Ray was like a second father to me. I think most people who played with Ray Brown felt that way about him. In the early 90's, Ray sort of resurged his career as a talent scout for the younger generation. He hired Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson. He then went to hire Geoffrey Keezer, Karriem Riggins and Larry Fuller. He would up being a mentor to Diana Krall. I was fortunate to be one of his musical kids."
Then in the second set, McBride shifts gears with his boundary-pushing quintet, Ursa Major, featuring Nicole Glover, Ely Perlman, Mike King, and Savannah Harris. With fresh originals and fearless energy, this intergenerational group brings bold new sounds to the forefront.
"We played our first show together in 2022. We've done a couple of long stretches on the road since then. This is where I've been focusing my efforts certainly over the last year. We have a new single that was released last month called "More Is" and I just love playing with this group."
