Christian McBride's Big Band Returns With 'Without Further Ado, Vol. 1'

Summary

All Of It — Christian McBride's Big Band Returns With “Without Further Ado, Vol. 1”

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Christian McBride
Date: August 27, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of "All Of It" dives into the creation and context of Christian McBride's new big band album, “Without Further Ado, Vol. 1.” The Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader joins Alison Stewart for an in-depth listening party featuring unreleased tracks and behind-the-scenes stories. The conversation spans artistic collaboration, the legacy and logistics of big bands, arranging music for different ensembles, and McBride's deep connections to his musical peers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genesis of the Album and Its Standout Collaborations

• McBride’s latest project features his big band and notable guests including Samara Joy, Dianne Reeves, Jeffrey Osborne, and members of The Police (Sting and Andy Summers).
• The idea for covering The Police's “Murder by Numbers” came about while McBride and Sting were planning another song; a serendipitous conversation led to the inclusion of Andy Summers and reimagining the track for big band.
  Quote:
  • “Next thing I know, within 20 minutes, I’m on an email chain with Sting and Andy Summers. So I’m like, this is surreal.” — Christian McBride (02:45)

2. Reimagining The Police's "Murder by Numbers"

• McBride updated the arrangement based on a live bootleg version from The Police's 2008 reunion tour.
• The transformation of the song considers Sting’s evolved vocal range and places the tune squarely in a big band context.

3. Big Band Dynamics: Size, Structure, and Democracy

• McBride’s big band comprises 16 or 17 musicians, recorded at Power Station in Midtown Manhattan.
• He likens the band’s internal decision-making to a democracy: he hires section leaders and entrusts them with selecting and guiding their sections.
  Quote:
  • “I’ve always felt that a big band is a perfect example of what a democracy actually is, because there’s someone who is the leader. That is me. But... you hire people who you trust, and you have them put the team in place.” — Christian McBride (04:44)
• Section leaders manage phrasing decisions; ultimate responsibility flows from the band members up to McBride.

4. Why Big Band?

• McBride expresses deep love for big band composition and orchestration, even referencing influences like Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Maria Schneider, Steven Feifke, and John Clayton.
• He notes that touring with such a large group is financially prohibitive, so projects like this album let him indulge his passion for the format.

5. Performing in a Big Band vs. Small Ensembles

• Playing with a big band is “like driving a sports car versus an 18-wheeler,” requiring a different focus and sense of balance.
• Emphasis on the rhythm section as the ensemble’s “engine.”
  Quote:
  • “In any big band, I think in any band, period, no matter the size, it’s all about the bass and drums. That’s the heartbeat, that’s the engine, that’s the central nervous system.” — Christian McBride (06:52)

6. Curating Collaborations: The NJPAC Connection

• McBride has served as artistic advisor for New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) since 2012; his big band often acts as house band for their events.
• Over the years, he has amassed many big band arrangements for various guest vocalists at NJPAC galas and festivals—a driving force behind the album’s repertoire.
• Vocalists from past performances include Al Jarreau, Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo, Fantasia, Jose James, and more.

7. Spotlight on Album Tracks and Guests

a. Samara Joy (“Old Folks”)

• At just 25, Samara Joy delivers a soulful rendition of a song about age, prompting McBride to call her "an old soul."
• Joy’s discovery came during her win at the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition at age 19. Quote:
  • “She’s 25 going on 80 in that voice of hers.” — Alison Stewart (09:41)
  • “She specifically loves singing jazz, which you don’t hear from a lot of people at 25.” — Christian McBride (11:09)

b. Jeffrey Osborne (“Back in Love Again”)

• McBride shares the story of first meeting Osborne via George Duke and fanboying over his longtime idol.
• The rendition is a funky, danceable highlight, met with enthusiasm in the WNYC control room. Quote:
  • “As you can see, entire control room’s dancing.” — Alison Stewart (14:26)

c. Dianne Reeves (“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”)

• Inspired by Reeves’s 1990s arrangement (originally crafted by Russell Ferrante), McBride expanded and softened it for big band using instruments like flute, clarinet, and muted trumpet for extra emotional resonance. Quote:
  • “There’s another emotion you can tap into when you have those kind of instruments doing an arrangement like that...” — Christian McBride (17:39)

8. Funk, Jazz, and Musical Lineage

• McBride describes funk as “a child of jazz,” tracing its roots to the crossover of jazz, jump blues, rock and roll, and R&B, ultimately shaped by artists like Louis Jordan, Ray Charles, and James Brown.

9. Live Performances and Community Work

• Upcoming appearances:
  • Blue Note (Sept 2–7): Week of duets with pianist Brad Mehldau.
    • Transitioning from big band to duo performance: “There’s not really much adjusting that I need to do. The adjusting you really have to do is when you’re playing with people you’re not used to.” (18:48)
  • Montclair Jazz Festival (Sept 13): Organized with his wife, Melissa Walker, through Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ.
    • Features performers like Luisito Quintero, Jasmia Horn, Lakecia Benjamin, and McBride’s own group, Ursa Major.

10. Looking Ahead: Volume 2

• Volume 2 of “Without Further Ado” is already complete; McBride teases its roster but keeps details under wraps.
  Quote:
  • “That’s what that means… It’s actually Volume two is already done, but I’m not gonna tell you who’s on it.” — Christian McBride (20:23)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Surreal Collaboration:
  “Next thing I know, within 20 minutes, I’m on an email chain with Sting and Andy Summers. So I’m like, this is surreal.” — Christian McBride (02:45)
• On Big Band Leadership:
  “I’ve always felt that a big band is a perfect example of what a democracy actually is...” — Christian McBride (04:44)
• On Section Leaders:
  “You hire people who you trust, and you have them put the team in place... I just hired the section leaders.” — Christian McBride (04:44)
• On Funk’s Lineage:
  “Funk is a child of jazz.” — Christian McBride (14:44)
• Samara Joy’s Artistry:
  “She’s 25 going on 80 in that voice of hers.” — Alison Stewart (09:41)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• The Police cover origin & email exchange: 02:10–03:05
• Big Band democracy & section leadership: 04:44–05:50
• Passion for big band arranging: 05:52–06:42
• Big band vs small ensemble performance mindset: 06:52–07:38
• Discussion of album collaborations & NJPAC influence: 08:07–09:36
• Samara Joy's emergence and approach: 09:41–12:18
• Jeffrey Osborne backstory & performance: 12:24–14:36
• Funk as jazz’s offspring: 14:44–15:47
• Dianne Reeves collaboration arrangement: 16:01–17:39
• Live appearances (Blue Note, Montclair Jazz Festival): 18:24–20:15
• Confirmation of Volume 2: 20:15–20:27

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Conclusion

This episode offers a vibrant deep-dive into both the mechanics and the magic of big band jazz, with Christian McBride providing candid insights into collaboration, arranging, and the genre’s living lineage. For fans of jazz (and curious newcomers), the episode demonstrates how traditions evolve while honoring their roots—and how every chart tells a bigger story.

Transcript

[Christian McBride]

Foreign.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Bassist, composer and bandleader Christian McBride has a new album featuring his big band and a few special guests, including Samara Joy, Diane Reeves, Jeffrey Osborne, and 2/3 of the Police. As in Sting and Andy Summers, check out McBride's cover of the Police song Murder by Numbers.

[Christian McBride]

Cause that's murder by numbers. 1, 2, 3. It's as easy to learn as your ABC murdered by numbers. 1, 2, three. It's as easy to learn as your ABC. Now if you have a taste for.

This experience.

You'Re flush with your very first success. You must try a twosome or a threesome. And you'll find your conscience bothers you much less. Because murder is like anything you take to. It's a habit forming need for more and more. You can bump up every member of your family than anybody else.

[Alison Stewart]

Chris McBride is here now for a listening party, including an exclusive listen to some yet to be released songs from the album. It is really nice to see you.

[Christian McBride]

How lucky am I to spend time with the legend herself? Are you kidding?

[Alison Stewart]

Listening to that song, it always sounds like, of course it should be played that way. Of course it should be played that way. You knew Sting a long time. When did you realize I'm gonna put this to a big band?

[Christian McBride]

Well, Sting had already agreed to be a guest on the album, and we had been discussing doing another song. We were gonna do Shadows in the Rain, and I heard the original version of Murder by Numbers on the radio. Just by chance. I said, man, I forgot what a great song this is. And so I sent him a message just saying, hey, I heard Murder by Numbers on the radio. Man, I forgot what a great song that is. He thought that I was trying to change the song that we had already started to work on. And he said, would you rather do that instead with the big band? I said, no, no, no. I just was mentioning what a great song it was. He said, if you did want to do Murder by Numbers instead, I bet I could talk Andy into doing it with us. And at that point I went, okay, let's change. Next thing I know, within 20 minutes, I'm on an email chain with Sting and Andy Summers. So I'm like, this is surreal.

[Alison Stewart]

What did you change in the song?

[Christian McBride]

Well, so the original song was done in, you know, 42 years ago. And I'm sorry. Well, you know, we all were there, right? And so I thought that. Well, I'm sure he doesn't sing the song in the original key. So with the help of YouTube. I went and found some live recordings of the Police on their reunion tour from 2008. Fortunately, they did it on the reunion tour. And so I used a version of something I heard on. I bet he sings it like that now. So whatever bootleg version I heard of Murder by Numbers, that's what I kind of use as the template for the big band version.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, so this is the big band. How many members are we talking? How many people are you rocking with?

[Christian McBride]

17, 16, 17. Something. I don't. I don't really count.

[Alison Stewart]

Where do you record a band of this size?

[Christian McBride]

Oh, there's a couple of studios left. Not. Not as many as there used to be, but there's a few studios that can hold a band that big. You know, Manhattan center on 34th street and power Station, which is where we recorded right there in Midtown. So there's a couple, but we did ours. I've done most of my recordings at Power Station. I should say officially. Power Station, I think, is Power Station at Berkeley.

[Alison Stewart]

I see. When you're looking at someone to be in the big band, what kind of musician are you looking for?

[Christian McBride]

I think a big band. I've always felt that a big band is a perfect example of what a democracy actually is, because there's someone who is the leader. That is me. But I don't play the saxophone. I don't play the trombone. I don't play the trumpet. I don't play the drums. I don't play the piano. At least not very well. And so you hire people who you trust, and you have them put the team in place. So what I did was I usually just hire the section leader. So in the saxophone section, it would be Steve Wilson. So I said, steve, you're the leader of the saxophone section. Who do you think should be in the section? I trust you're your cabinet, sort of. Exactly, exactly. Yeah. And even within the section, you know, Steve is the leader of the saxophone section. But if someone else in the section says, hey, why don't we phrase it like this? You know, then everybody makes a quick decision and says either yay or nay. But that. That final decision lies with Steve. And then Steve looks at me and says, hey, you good with this? And I was like, yes, go. So I just hired the section leaders.

[Alison Stewart]

Why did you want to work with the big band this time around?

[Christian McBride]

I love working with my big band. I don't get a chance to do it enough because it's so big, you know, not a lot of people, not a lot of promoters or presenters can aff a 17 piece band, you know, so when people ask, hey, you gonna go on tour? I'm like, really? Who's gonna pay for that? Right? But I love writing and arranging and orchestrating For a band that big, it's always been one of my favorite things. I've studied a lot of Duke Ellington's music, a lot of Quincy Jones music, a lot of contemporary composers like Maria Schneider. I love what she does. This young man, Steven Faifke, is one of my favorite big band arrangers. The great John Clayton is one of my favorites. So I just love the big band.

[Alison Stewart]

How about performing for you when you're in a big band setting as opposed to when you're in a quartet or a trio, how does it change your performance?

[Christian McBride]

You know, it's like driving a sports car versus an 18 wheeler. You gotta be. I would think it's a different type of focus, you know, you're balancing a lot more weight with an 18 wheeler, you know. And so, you know, with my big band, I have a very specific job as a bass player. I like that job. I like just laying down the rhythm and making sure there is a red carpet for the rest of the band. You know, in any big band, I think in any band, period, no matter the size, it's all about the bass and drums. That's the heartbeat, that's the engine. That's the central nervous system, the bass and the drums. For me, that's. That's one instrument.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Grammy award winning bassist, band leader and composer Chris McBride. We're discussing his new album Without Further Ado Volume One featuring his big band. The album's out this Friday and we're getting an exclusive listening party. You can also catch Christian playing at the blue note from September 2nd through September 7th. Let's talk about your collaborators on the record. How did you go about pairing the song with the collaborator?

[Christian McBride]

Since 2012, I've been the artistic advisor for jazz programming at NJPAC New Jersey Performing Arts center in Newark. And every year when we have our annual gala, my big band is the house band. And so between the gala and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, which happens every November, my big band is guaranteed at least two gigs every year. But with those two gigs, we work with singers. And so since 2012, I've just piled up this stack of big band music that I've written for all of these different singers who have joined us for these galas and these performances. And they only been played once and I thought it's a shame to write all this music every year for these different singers, and they'll never be played again. So I thought, that's my next album. And so, you know, everyone has had a chance. I can't think of all the singers who have been with the Big bad all through the years. The late, great Algereau, Jeffrey Osborne, Diane Reeves, Liz Wright, Cyril I made Jasmia Horne, Fantasia, Jose James, Philip Bailey, Kenny Lattimore.

[Alison Stewart]

All the songs are going through my head.

[Christian McBride]

Yeah, right. Leslie Odom Jr. Cynthia Erivo. They've all have performed with my big man at some point. So I just had this big stack, and I'm like, I'm gonna record this.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's start with Samara Joy. She's on the record doing Old Folks, which is hilarious. Cause she's 25.

[Christian McBride]

I know, right? She's 25 going on 80 in that voice of hers.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen.

[Christian McBride]

Everyone knows him as old folks like the seasons he'll come and he'll go Just as free as a bird and as good as his word. That's why everybody loves him so.

[Alison Stewart]

Always.

[Christian McBride]

Leaving his spoon in his coffee Tucks his napkin up under his. His chin. And that yellow car, baby, it's a me, it's right. You needn't be ashamed of him.

[Alison Stewart]

So Samara's only 25. Christian, what have you made of her progression as an artist and a vocalist since she once. Since she won the Grammy?

[Christian McBride]

Yeah, it's been beautiful to see. Yeah, I love her so much. She's an old soul, you know, particularly when she's singing. When we first heard her, because speaking of NJ Pack, that's how we all discovered her. She won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, and Dee Dee Bridgewater was one of the judges that year. We're sitting next to each other. And when she came out and sang, you know, at that time, she was 19 and didn't sound a lot different than how she sounds now. So I remember Dede and I looked at each other like, what? Who is that? She's how old? And of course, things just exploded for her shortly thereafter. And I love it. She's such a nice person and so incredibly talented. And she specifically loves singing jazz, which you don't hear from a lot of people at 25. They can't wait to, you know, go to the next thing, which is always something not exactly jazz, but she's like, no, I like singing jazz.

[Alison Stewart]

That's interesting. Yeah, that is really interesting. On the other end, let's talk about Jeffrey Osborne.

[Christian McBride]

Come on, now.

[Alison Stewart]

When I saw Jeffrey Osborne on your record. I was like, what? It gets really funky. He does a cover of Back in Love Again. When did you first meet Jeffrey Osbourne?

[Christian McBride]

I first met Jeffrey Osborne in 2000 through the late, great George Duke. George produced a Duke Ellington tribute album, and Jeffrey was on it, along with Rochelle Pharrell and take six, Al Jarreau. And I got to play on it. And he is the nicest again. He's the coolest guy in the world. And I had to fanboy him. When I first met. I said, hey, I saw you in 1970, 1979, at the Spectrum in Philly when Ltd opened for the Jacksons.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice.

[Christian McBride]

So, like, getting to call him a friend and getting to work with. That's. That's a dream come true. And to play Back in Love Again with the man that made it. Come on now. Play it.

Back in the day Every time I move I lose When I look, I'm in and every time I turn around Back in love I can mix emotions it's the way my feelings flow Excuse me, I'm only human love Sometimes I just don't know and every time I move I lose When I look around and every time I turn around Back in love Back in love again.

[Alison Stewart]

As you can see, entire control room's dancing.

[Christian McBride]

They are jamming.

[Alison Stewart]

The whole control room is going off.

[Christian McBride]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

Christian. When you think about the relationship between funk and jazz, what is it for you?

[Christian McBride]

Funk. Funk is a child of jazz. You know, you go back to the late 40s, early 1950s, where you had this sort of crossroads of jazz jump music, which was like the end of the big band era, when people could no longer afford to maintain a big band. They started making compact versions of big bands. And probably the most popular one at that time was Louis Jordan's band. And people credit Louis Jordan with kind of, you know, starting rock and roll. And then you had Ray Charles shortly thereafter. So you had, like, this. This jazz, this blues, this dance music that all kind of came together at one point, and you had these offshoots. So, you know, you had what was known as R and B. And then funk came after that, you know, thanks to Mr. Brown, Mr. James Brown. But it's all related to jazz. It all points back to that swing.

[Alison Stewart]

We're Talking to Christian McBride. His new album is called Without Further Ado, Volume One. We're gonna listen to a song called Will youl Still Love Me Tomorrow, first recorded by the Shirells. When did you first hear this song?

[Christian McBride]

Well, the original version, I don't. I probably Heard it on the radio, you know, one of those. One of those oldies stations, you know. But then the one and only Diane Reeves did her own version of it sometime in the 90s. And it's just. It's just so. It's a genius arrangement. The original arrangement was written by Russell Ferrante of the Yellow Jackets. And I asked Diane, could we do that as a big band song? She said, please, have at it. You know, turn it into a big band. So it. This is not classic big band in the sense of shouting trumpets, but, you know, I brought in some flutes and clarinet and tried to make it a little softer.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen.

[Christian McBride]

Tonight you're mine completely. You give your love so sweetly tonight. The light of love is in your eyes. Will you still love me tomorrow?

[Alison Stewart]

That's so interesting. What's the process of taking a song like that, which we all know, but that sounded so different, that sounded so elegant, and making it a big band song?

[Christian McBride]

Well, again, I didn't really think of it so much as a big band song, quote unquote, but just a larger ensemble. I want it to be something pretty, something emotional, you know. And when you have the colors, like clarinets and flutes and bass trombone and things like that, there's another emotion you can tap into when you have those kind of instruments doing an arrangement like that, you know, muted trumpets. You know, you don't want to have like these screaming trumpets and saxophones and that big driving beat which is usually associated with big band playing. Just wanted to bring something tender to it.

[Alison Stewart]

I want to get a couple of gigs that you're going to have in the neighborhood. You're going to be at The Blue Note September 2nd through the 7th. Who are you playing with?

[Christian McBride]

I'm playing with my dear friend, the great pianist Brad Meldow. We're just gonna be playing a week of duets.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, that's kind of interesting.

[Christian McBride]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

So what do you have to do to get in that mindset after being with the big band, all 17 of them, to just the two of you?

[Christian McBride]

Well, you know, Brad has been a friend. And we've been playing together on and off for over 35 years. So there's not really much adjusting that I need to do. The adjusting you really have to do is when you're playing with people you're not used to playing with. Cause your antenna is up and you're like, okay, let me check out what's happening. Let me make sure I'm playing something that makes everything work. But, well, you playing with an old.

[Alison Stewart]

Friend, you know, you're like, coded in, you know.

[Christian McBride]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

In Montclair, September 13th.

[Christian McBride]

September 13th festival.

[Alison Stewart]

What's happening?

[Christian McBride]

My wife, the great Melissa Walker, your college homegirl. You Brownie Bears. We started an organization over 20 years ago called Jazz House Kids, based in Montclair, where we live. And an offshoot of Jazz House Kids is the Montclair Jazz Festival, the largest free jazz festival in the area. And when I say the area, I mean the Tri State area, not just New Jersey. And I'm very excited that we're going to have people like Luisito quintero, Jasmine Horn, Lakeisha Benjamin, and my group, Ursa Major is going to be performing. And yes, that's September 13th, Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair, New Jersey. Come on out.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. Your album is called Without Further Ado, Volume One. Does that mean there'll be Volume two?

[Christian McBride]

That's what that means.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice.

[Christian McBride]

It's actually Volume two is already done, but I'm not gonna tell you who's on it.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, maybe when the mics go off, he'll tell me a little bit.

[Christian McBride]

I might.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest has been Chris McBride. Without further ado, volume one is due out this Friday. Thank you for coming by. We really appreciate it.

[Christian McBride]

Always great to see you, my friend.

[Ira Flatow]

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