Jazz great Christian McBride won’t name his five favorite Philly musicians. Here’s why.
"Whoever I don’t name, I’m gonna hear from," said the West Philly raised bassist, composer, arranger and radio host. His experimental quartet plays March 30 at Delaware's Arden Gild Hall.
Christian McBride has a New Jawn.
The West Philadelphia-raised bassist, host of NPR’s Jazz Night in America, is one of the most prominent figures in jazz. He’s the leader of several ensembles, including his latest, New Jawn — the edgy, experimental quartet that has just released its acclaimed second album, Prime.
The composer and arranger was named artistic director of the storied Newport Jazz Festival in 2016, succeeding founder George Wein. McBride will bring the New Jawn to the Arden Gild Hall in Wilmington on March 30.
McBride graduated from the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in South Philadelphia in 1989 in an illustrious class that also included The Roots’ Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter. Jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, his close friend who died in September, was also in the same class along with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and members of Boyz II Men.
The eight-time Grammy winner wore a CAPA T-shirt while speaking by Zoom from his home in Montclair, N.J., where he lives with his wife, jazz singer and educator Melissa Walker.
Before we get to the New Jawn, I want to ask you about a couple of people we’ve lost recently. You did a special episode of ‘Jazz Night in America’ on Wayne Shorter.
I feel like Wayne was so singular in the way that he processed things around him. He could see life in so many different ways. He saw it as a comic strip, as a living movie. He really did believe in the superpowers of women. He was into science fiction, Greek philosophy.
The first time that I played in his Quartet I subbed a gig for John Patitucci ... I call Wayne and I say, ”Anything you can tell me about the music, anything I need to know?”
There was a long pause and Wayne said “Well, Christian, if I remember correctly, you like those old comedians? I know you are a big Red Foxx fan, and Flip Wilson and Moms Mabley? Just play that.” I surely did play some funny notes that night.
The other person is Joey DeFrancesco. You’re wearing your CAPA shirt.
He was one of my oldest friends. I don’t know what else I could possibly say about how important that guy was to me. I’m glad to know that we kept in touch and he always knew how I felt about him. That was my guy. We will never see the likes of him again.
CAPA must have been incredible place in that era.
They should make a documentary on us, man. The class of 1989! ... We were totally inspired by one another because everybody was good. Everywhere you went, you had amazing people who were great at what they did.
Let’s go back further. Did you have a formative experience at the Atlantic City Jazz Festival?
I was 8, in 1980. I went with my grandfather. We went down to Atlantic City and saw my dad [bassist Lee Smith] play with my uncle in Mongo Santamaria’s band. That was the concert that made me want to try the electric bass.
How many bands do you have? There’s the New Jawn, The Big Band, Inside Straight …
Out of my active stuff, there’s only those three. Oh, I’m sorry, then later in the year I’m going to start working more with this young band I have, this still unnamed band. It’s my first Gen Z band.
What does that mean musically?
It’s what I call an all-in band. It’s acoustic, it’s electric. It’s jazz, funk, EDM, a little avant-garde, a little Ellington. It’s all inclusive.
Within the framework of those four, what’s the New Jawn?
It’s my experimental, almost off-the-cliff band. Certainly out of all of the bands I’ve ever had in my career, it’s the most abstract.
The creative center of the band has been Nasheet Waits, because of how expansive a drummer he is. [Tenor sax and bass clarinet player] Marcus Strickland can do anything. And Josh [Evans] is a brilliant trumpet player. … We can go out to the stratosphere, but also bring it back here.
Will there be another Philadelphia Experiment record?
If Questlove says so. That cat’s booked through 2041!
How do you stay rooted in jazz, but play in so many styles?
I think I’m more of an R&B kid than a jazz guy. I’ve made my life in jazz, but my bone marrow is actually R&B-soul.
And funk? It all comes back to James Brown, doesn’t it?
That’s right. It’s very practical. I want to keep a gig. I want musicians to call me for the work. So that means learning as much music as I possibly can.
Who are your five favorite Philadelphia musicians?
Five? Here’s what I know about Philly. Whoever I don’t name, I’m gonna hear from. So I’m going to stay away from that.
Tell me this then. Who made you want to play?
It was my dad that got me. He sparked my interest in the bass. My great uncle Howard Cooper sparked my love of jazz. He’s in his 80s now and still the swingingest, hippest cat I know. Meeting Joey when I was in middle school, and our band director Lovett Hines. He is a great, great man. I will give a very special shout out to the Landham brothers, Robert and Byron Landham. They were two of the greatest teachers I had.
When you come to Philly, where do you go to feel you’re home?
My go-to was always Gennaro’s Pizza. When I was in high school, it was on 12th and South. Now it’s 13th and Bainbridge. That was the place me, Joey, and Ahmir would haunt after school and get the belly filler mushroom cheesesteak.
Christian McBride’s New Jawn at Arden Gild Hall, 2126 The Highway, Wilmington, at 8 p.m., March 30; $33.99. ardenconcerts.com.