THE STONE DOESN’T GATHER MUCH MOSS WHEN THE ROCK IS BASSIST CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE. OWNER OF THE MOST DISTINCT SOUND ON THE BASS, MCBRIDE HAS BEEN ON A CREATIVE ROLL THE PAST YEAR, RELEASING HIS FUNKY NEW JAWN ALBUM BEFORE PUTTING OUT THREE AMBITIOUS PROJECTS THIS PAST SIX MONTHS.
THE FIRST, THE MOVEMENT REVISITED WAS A MOVING COLLECTION OF PORTRAITS OF ROSA PARKS, MUHAMMAD ALI, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., AND MALCOM X. THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY ROUNDAGAIN, A SUPERGROUP SUMMIT WITH BRAD MEHLDAU, BRIAN BLADE AND JOSHUA REDMAN. ROUNDING OUT THE MUSICAL TRIANGLE IS HIS LATEST, A TRIBUTE TO THE CLASSIC TEAMING UP OF HAMMOND MASTER JIMMY SMITH WITH GUITARIST WES MONTGOMERY, WITH ARRANGEMENTS BY OLIVER NELSON, FOR JIMMY, WES AND OLIVER.
LAST YEAR, HIS TRIO ALBUM WITH CHICK COREA AND BRIAN BLADE GOT “TOP TEN” VOTES AS WELL FOR THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR, AND THE SUBSEQUENT TOUR FILLED CONCERT HALLS.
ALL OF THESE ALBUMS SHOW THE WIDE RANGE OF COLORS AND MOODS THAT MCBRIDE IS ABLE TO PAINT WITH THE BRUSH OF HIS BASS.
WHILE KNOWN BEST FOR HIS SMALL GROUP EFFORTS, MCBRIDE’S BIG BAND MATERIAL AND FUNKY FUSION WORK HAS BEEN QUITE IMPRESSIVE. I HAVE SEEN HIM IN EACH OF THESE SETTINGS, AND HE MAKES EACH STYLE OF MUSIC SOUND LIKE HE INVENTED IT. WATCHING HIM PERFORM IS ALWAYS A CELEBRATION OF SOUND.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH THE PHILLY NATIVE AND PICK HIS BRAIN A BIT. ENJOY THE CHAT!
MY DAD GREW UP IN PHILLY 53RD AND DELANCEY
That’s right around the corner. I used to eat at a place called Gennaro’s, and I don’t eat the cheesesteaks anymore as it’s too easy to load up on the carbs at my age (laughs)
YOUR DAD PLAYED WITH GROUPS LIKE THE DELFONICS. DID HE INSPIRE YOU TO PLAY MUSIC?
Just watching him play was an inspiration. He gave me my first initial lessons on the bass.
I was really excited about playing the electric bass and I took to it fairly quickly. After that he didn’t have too much to say to me; I just went and practiced on my own.
It was my mother who saw that I was starting to progress, and she decided that I should go to a good music school program to get some private tutoring and training.
YOUR TONE ON THE BASS IS SO BIG. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THAT?
I watched Ray Brown. (laughs)
I watched, listened and spent a lot of time with Ray Brown. He was like a second father to me.
I learned a number of things from him.
You know, jazz musicians are just so incredibly serious, and they can get this grim, somber look on their faces when they play this very serious music. Ray Brown was the one that let me know that it was ok to actually enjoy what you’re doing on stage.
The first time I saw Ray Brown play, he seemed to be enjoying himself while still playing the most difficult stuff in the whole world. He destroyed the myth that with all this great music, you don’t have to be look like you’re not enjoying yourself
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“Ray Brown was the one that let me know that it was ok to actually enjoy what you’re doing on stage.He destroyed the myth that with all this great music, you don’t have to be look like you’re not enjoying yourself”
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IT’S FUNNY THAT YOU SAY THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS SEEING THE MUSICIANS ON STAGE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME AND SMILING (UNLIKE ANGRY OR SULLEN ROCK MUSICIANS) THAT GOT ME INTRIGUED WITH IT. WHY WAS EVERYONE SMILING? MY FIRST BASSIST WAS MILT HINTON.
Well, who’s happier than The Judge?
YOUR EARLY GIGS WHERE WITH BENNY CARER AND FREDDIE HUBBARD> WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THEM?
I only played with Benny Carter a handful of times. I made one recording with him, interestingly enough called legends, which meant I had no business being on the recording (laughs)
That was in 1992. I had just turned 20. Doc Cheatham played trumpet and Louis Nash was the drummer. Nash and I were the happiest people in the world right then being with these legends from another era, just watching how they carried themselves, their professionalism, even to the point to where their casual dress would be considered classy.
Hank Jones’ casual wear was a blazer and slacks, with nice dress shoes. Watching those gentlemen in their 70s and 80s at that time was a reflection of another era. What we missed by not being around in the 30s and 40s and seeing how people carried themselves. 700
And the way that they played; there was such an ease ,lyricism and dignity in their being, beat and improvisations. Their music came from a source of joy rather than a source of angst, pain and desire to change things around. That’s how it seemed to me. Their music came from a sense of being happy to be alive.
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“Their music came from a source of joy rather than a source of angst, pain and desire to change things around.”
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YOU CONVEY THAT IN CONCERT. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THE AUDIENCE NOTICES ABOUT YOUR TRIOS IS THAT THEY ARE DRESSED SHARP!
I know that there is going to be a generational thing about what they think is hip, but a lot of dressing nice and appearance comes with age. I look at some of the things I wore in my twenties and think “I’ll never wear that thing again.” (laughs)
My teenage years were in the 80s, so it was stoned wash jacket and shell top adidas and the Gumby haircuts so I had my own ridiculous fashion growing up.
WHAT ALBUM OR BAND WAS YOUR BAPTISM BY FIRE?
I had a lot of those.
The first one that comes to mind is the live album I did with Freddie Hubbard, called Live At Fat Tuesday’s.
We were making this live album, and right on the spot while the tapes are rolling, Freddie decides to play a new ballad that we had never played before.I jor eternity ust couldn’t believe that he would do something so risky. It was “But Beautiful”. I didn’t know the song!
For eternity, there will be this version of “But Beautiful” for anyone to listen to it at any time and hear me playing all of the wrong notes. I don’t think I’ve ever sweat so hard in my whole life.
Once he brought in the rhythm section and I didn’t know what song we were playing, and the tapes were rolling for a “live” album, I just wanted to disappear.
THAT’S A TOUGH ONE. YOU ALSO SPENT AL LOT OF TIME WITH PIANIST BENNY GREEN.
Benny Green’s trio was Freddie Hubbard’s rhythm section, so when we stopped working with Freddie, we just decided to do trio gigs.
Benny Green is one of my closest friends, brothers and teachers. I can’t say enough about him. He’s just a rock to me through the years.
AS A BASSIST, WHO DO YOU LOCK INTO ON STAGE?
It’s the drummer. I think that the bass and the drums should be one instrument.
I always tell people “If you would have been to my wedding, it actually would look like a drum convention because all of my groomsmen were drummers.That’s who my best friends are, especially in a band. We have to walk in rhythm together.
Almost every drummer that I know, or knew at the time,..Tony Revis was there, Jack DeJohnette, Terry Montgomery, Antonio Sanchez, Carl Allen, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, Louis Nash were all my ‘drummer brothers”.
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” I think that the bass and the drums should be one instrument.If you would have been to my wedding, it actually looked like a drum convention because all of my groomsmen were drummers… We have to walk in rhythm together.”
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SO, WHAT’S YOUR PET PEEVE ABOUT DRUMMERS?
I think drummers understand that they have the ability to take over any band in terms of volume and where they place the beat. I do like a drummer who takes the time to asses the situation.
Sometimes they just play what they play, and you just eventually have to adjust to them. So, I really like a drummer who takes the time to figure out what’s happening and then makes a decision on what to play.
HOW ABOUT BASS PLAYERS? WHAT BUGS YOU ABOUT YOUR OWN GUYS?
I’ve been guilty of this, and this is why I’m quite sensitive to it.
I cannot stand bass players who will play two bars, stop, turn around, fiddle with their amp, turn around, play two more bars, fiddle with their amp, play two more bars, and fiddle with their amp, on and on. Meanwhile, the band has played only half of the song because he keeps fiddling with his amp.
If you already have a good sound that you’ve developed, the amp won’t be that important to you. Particularly for acoustic bass players.
You need to develop a good sound on the acoustic bass before you go to the amplifier. That way, when you do use an amplifier it’s just going to amplify the great tone that you have already put into your instrument.
FOR THE TRIOLOGY ALBUM WITH CHICK COREA AND BRIAN BLADE, YOU’RE LOCKED IN WITH ONE OF THE BEST THERE. YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR WEDDING, SO MAYBE HE’LL BE A PALL BEARER!
(laughs) I guess you’re assuming I’m going to die before him! If I do go first, I want him there!
THIS TEAM HAS THREE STRONG PERSONALITIES. DOES CHICK GIVE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH SON, OR DO YOU JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS?
It’s obviously both, but it’s more of the second. When you hire someone like Brian Blade, there’s nothing you need to tell him; he knows what to do.
We’ve been working as a trio for quite some time now. Chick knows what Brian and I are going to do with this music. But we’re learning a new song and he might suggest that we do something, but he’ll also say “Put something here and let’s see what you’ve got.”
I don’t think there can be a dictatorial thing in jazz. I guess there had been in the past with the Big Band leaders, because when you’ve got an orchestra with 20 people on stage you have to be more exacting in telling people what to play.
But, in a small trio like this, especially with someone as broadminded as Chick Corea, we don’t have to be told much
I’VE SEEN YOU IN ACOUSTIC SMALL GROUPS, TRIOS, BIG BANDS AND ELECTRIC FUSION, SOMETIMES ALL IN ONE NIGHT! WHICH OF THESE STYLES IS YOUR “COMFORT FOOD”?
All of them. That’s the truth.
I like to think of myself as someone who loves music, period.
My core is with soul music and jazz, but I really do like to explore as many territories as I possibly can. There has been a lot of music made in the last century, and I want to learn and play as much of it as I can.
I know that it’s a challenge to do all of it in a meaningful way with one band and in one set. That’s why in the past I would mix an acoustic set with an electric set and I didn’t know how to make it smooth enough for both things. But I at least have to give the music a shot.
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“There has been a lot of music made in the last century, and I want to learn and play as much of it as I can”
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TALKING ABOUT SOUL THINGS, YOUR BASS TRIO ALBUM WITH JOHN CLAYTON AND RAY BROWN DELIVERED A CLASSIC TAKE OF THE TEMPTATIONS’ “PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE”.
That was Ray Brown’s idea, believe it or not.
When we had that Superbass Band that Brown started with myself and Clayton, he was big on John and myself bringing in material.
He said, “I know I’m the veteran; I’m the old guy, but don’t put all of the pressure on me. I want you guys to write and be as responsible for the repertoire as I am. He said, “McBride, you’ve got all that funky stuff, so why don’t you bring some of it in.” So, what R&B song has a more iconic bass line than “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”?
NOT ONLY HAVE YOU CREATED YOUR OWN WORLD, BUT YOU HAVE ENTERED THE WORLD OF A UNIQUE ARTISTS, PAT METHENY. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
It was great. The first time I played with Pat was 1993 along with Billy Higgins and Joshua Redman. We toured for much of that year.
Pat is as iconic as anyone in the music world. He has such an identifiable sound and style of writing. He’s one of the greatest musicians ever. He’s also an incredible person; I love just being around him.
AND TALKING ABOUT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE-BEING WITH METHENY AND BILLY HIGGINS COULD BE CONTAGIOUS.
I miss Billy a lot. He mentored so many young musicians like myself and was a champion for young people learning about this music.
I SAW HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME BACK IN 1980 WITH GEORGE COLEMAN, AND THE SMILE WAS NEVER OFF OF HIS FACE.
It’s almost like his muscles were locked! (laughs) He just couldn’t stop smiling.
YOU MUST HAVE PUT ON YOUR SERIOUS HAT FOR YOUR TOUR WITH JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, AS THAT MUSIC CAN GET INTENSE!
That was an unbelievable band. That whole experience of being on the road with those musicians I still often pinch myself and can’t believe that I was in a hard core fusion unit with John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett and Vinnie Colaiuta, and later on with Brian Blade.
The first time I toured with Chick (in 1996) not many people knew that I played the electric bass, and if they knew that I played it, they didn’t know that I was a fusion head as well. I had gotten cast as a kind of “Wynton Marsalis Young Lion Protégé’” and the “Heir Apparent to Ray Brown,” a straight-ahead swinging bass player.
For years I kept trying to tell people “Please don’t forget that I’m a James Brown kid. I’m into Motown and also Jaco Pastorius, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Mwandishi.” I got the sense from people that they’d say “That’s nice, but stick to what you’re strong at.”
Chick Corea was the first person that said, “Christian, I want to start an electric project with you. I want to put something together with John McLaughlin, and I want you to play bass. I know that you play electric bass, but not many talk about it, but I’ve heard you and I want to do something with McLaughlin.”
It took twelve years for that to happen, so I credit Chick Corea with having the idea and never forgetting it. He only said it that one time and never said it again for twelve years, but he made it happen.
For that, I will be eternally grateful to Chick for having me in that band. That was some intense music!!
YOU’VE ALWAYS CONVEYED A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. WAS THERE SOMETHING YOUR PARENTS TAUGHT YOU OR THAT YOU READ IN A BOOK THAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED?
I don’t think it’s that difficult to be inspired. I really love what I do.
When you think about what I could be doing in life, I don’t need much inspiration to wake up every day and be able to make more music.
I think that there are some real basic things in life that no matter what your religious beliefs are, that there are some basic tenets that seem to be true.
Number one is that “You get what you give”. If you put out bad vibes you’ll probably get back bad vibes. Great vibes get back great vibes.
Number two is that “You should always do your best, even when you think that no one is watching”. I believe that you do get repaid for that.
When you think nobody is watching, someone always is. Someone will come up to me and say “I heard this extremely rare record that you played on” or “Mr. McBride, I saw you having dinner. You were by yourself and I didn’t want to say anything”. You never know who’s got their eye on you, man, so always be at your best even when you think no one’s paying attention.
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“I don’t think it’s that difficult to be inspired. I really love what I do”
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YOU HAVE HAD A SCHOOL THAT HAS SPAWNED TWO MAJOR OFFSPRING, CHRISTIAN SANDS AND WARREN WOLF. YOU ALWAYS BOAST ABOUT THE YOUNG GUYS IN YOUR BANDS.
Warren is only ten years younger than I so I really can’t call him a kid, but I’m so proud of him I don’t know what to do about it.
When I first heard him play, he came to my summer camp in Aspen, Colorado. He knocked me out; I hadn’t heard a vibraphone played like that, especially from a young vibraphonist. He was only about 19 years old.
Not only was he a great player, but he had done all of that extra homework, which I really paid attention to. For instance, he knew that I was the Artistic Director at the summer camp, and not only did he know the music that he was supposed to know for the camp, but he also learned songs off of my records. I thought “This kid is something else”!
I created my Inside Straight quintet just because of him.
AND GETTING BACK TO OUR FIRST POINT; EARLIER THIS YEAR I SAW THE MONTEREY ALL STARS AND CHRISTIAN SANDS WAS WELL DRESSED. OBI WAN TAUGHT HIM WELL!
That’s now his thing as well (laughs)
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
To stay healthy mentally and physically.
I don’t exercise like I need to, but I love boxing. I had a boxing trainer for awhile and I need to get back with him. I wasn’t training to fight, but for the cardio. The type of training that the boxers get for that is incredible. Rope skipping and hitting the heavy bag gets your heart in shape
ADRIAN!!
That’s right!
About eight years ago I threw my back out and I started taking yoga, and it got my body back in order.
But with my schedule and all of these projects that I juggle I have not developed the disciple to do it every day.
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“You should always do your best, even when you think that no one is watching”. I believe that you do get repaid for that”
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WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER YOU FOR?
That I never tried to hurt anybody. I always try to make people laugh
WHILE TAKING IN THE SOUNDS FROM HIS WIDE RANGING CATALOGUE IS A TREAT, CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE MUST BE SEEN, OR ACTUALLY, BE FELT, TO BE APPRECIATED. THE SOUND EMANATING FROM HIS BASS, BE IT ACOUSTIC OR ELECTRIC, COMBINED WITH THE INFECTIOUS JOY RADIATING FROM HIS ENTHUSIASTIC WAY OF APPROACHING THE TOOLS OF HIS TRADE ARE INSPIRATIONAL. UNLIKE COVID, MCBRIDE HAS AN INFECTION THAT YOU WANT TO CATCH.