Christian McBride 

Christian McBride is one of the top young jazz bassists on the scene.  He was born on May 31, 1972 in Philadelphia.  His father and uncle both played bass and this played a major influence on him.  While in high school, he met Wynton Marsalis, who spread word of McBride to many musicians.

He moved to New York and spent a year studying at the Julliard School of Music, while playing gigs around town, including Bobby Watson's Horizon Quintet.  He left Julliard to tour with Roy Hargrove's first group.  In 1990, he toured with Freddie Hubbard.  

In 1993, after working with Benny Green and Benny Golson, he joined high-profile guitarist Pat Methaney's "Special Quartet", whose group included drum master Billy Higgins and up-and-coming tenor sax wizard Joshua Redman.  The next year, he recorded and toured with Redman, and was then signed by Verve records and recorded his first album as a band leader.  His group included Hargrove and Redman.  

He has played on well over 100 recordings, with artists such as Ray Brown, Betty Carter, Chick Corea, Bruce Hornsby, Bob James, Chaka Kahn, Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis, David Sanborn and Wayne Shorter.

In addition, he is a recipient of a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts to compose an extended work for jazz quartet and gospel choir that will premiere at the Portland Performing Arts Center in Maine. He was commissioned by Jazz at Lincoln Center to compose "Blues in Alphabet City," a full-scale work premiered by Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, featuring McBride as a special guest.  Furthermore, he taught at the Berklee School of Music giving master classes, became a visiting instructor for the California-based Henry Mancini Institute.

To learn more about Christian McBride, check out these sites:

Christian McBride - the official site
Interview with Christian McBride - C.M. talks with "All About Jazz" about Jazz, life, and sports.