Christian Lee McBride was born on May 31, 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is an American jazz bassist and record producer. His father, Lee Smith, and great-uncle, Howard Cooper, were both accomplished bassists who helped guide McBride during his formative years. He initially learned to play the electric bass before transitioning to the double bass. McBride later honed his craft at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City.
A recognized prodigy, McBride joined saxophonist Bobby Watson’s group at just 17 years old. Between the ages of 17 and 22, he performed with numerous jazz legends including Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Benny Golson, Milt Jackson, and Hank Jones. He also collaborated with fellow rising stars such as Roy Hargrove, Benny Green, and Joshua Redman.
During this early period, McBride was a member of the Joshua Redman Quartet, performing alongside pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade. In 1995, McBride debuted as a band leader, forming a group that included saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianists Joey Calderazzo and Charles Craig, and drummers Carl Allen and Greg Hutchinson.
In 1996, McBride joined jazz icon Ray Brown and bassist John Clayton in the ensemble "SuperBass," releasing two albums: SuperBass: Live at Scullers (1997) and SuperBass 2: Live at the Blue Note (2001).
From 2000 to 2008, McBride led the Christian McBride Band, which featured pianist Geoffrey Keezer, saxophonist Ron Blake, and drummer Terreon Gully. The group released two albums: Vertical Vision (2003) and Live at Tonic (2006). These projects helped solidify McBride’s reputation as an influential band leader in modern jazz.
In 2006, McBride was appointed Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He performed with jazz greats Roy Haynes and Sonny Rollins at Carnegie Hall in 2007. A year later, he joined the "Five Peace Band" alongside John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Their self-titled album, Five Peace Band (2009), won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
McBride's debut big band album, The Good Feeling (2011), earned him another Grammy, winning Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance in 2012.
| Birth Date: | 31 May, 1972 |
| Age: | 47 yrs |
| Occupations: | Jazz musician |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American musician |
| Net Worth 2021: | 10 million |
