Christopher McBride
Make Jazz Residency:
January 1 – March 30, 2022

Christopher McBride is a saxophonist based in Harlem whose work includes education, arranging and composition in addition to performance. He has been slowly but steadily turning heads with his ubiquitous work as an invaluable sideman since the mid-aughts. Now Christopher is gaining respect amongst fans, critics, and his peers as one of the most versatile saxophonists in the world. His 2012 debut album Quatuor de Force certainly establishes his ability to front a group and write his own soulful, melodically indelible tunes. Applauded for his ability to play in all musical situations, McBride has the ability to unleash a fiery attack and serrated tone, but on his recent album he explores a more measured, mellow sound heavily influenced by contemporary R&B—with a strong shot of Cannonball Adderley’s post-bop sensuality—but his improvising is very rigorous and cogent.

Born in Chicago, and starting his professional career there in 2007, Christopher made the move to NYC in 2013. His group The Whole Proof has played venues all over New York such as Minton’ s Playhouse, Smalls Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Ginny’s Supper Club & Fat Cat. The musicians he has performed for spans many genres with artists such as Billy Preston, Jimmy Heath, Bobby Broom, Percy Gray, Roy Hargrove, Pete Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Guy Sebastian, Solange, Ne-Yo, Jennifer Hudson, Alice Smith, Brandon Flowers, Lea DeLaria, 88 Keys, Milton Mustafa, Winard Harper, and the Marquis Hill Blacktet.

Christopher also serves as the Director of Education for the Second Line Arts Collective, a non-for-profit organization based out of New Orleans. His primary duties include writing curriculum for the Little Stompers division and teacher development. He has also worked as a journalist and consultant with Forbes Ignite, the innovation coalition of Forbes.

18th Street Arts Center is pleased to present a culminating concert of new compositions from alto saxophonist Christopher McBride, live streamed from the World Stage in Leimert Park on March 26, 2022 at 7 pm. As 18th Street Arts Center’s 2022 Make Jazz Fellow,  McBride brings his dedication in creating stories for the audience through soulful and melodically indelible tunes to a new body of work he will create while in residence at 18th Street Arts Center. These never-before-heard compositions will be live streamed from the World Stage in Leimert Park on March 26. Register to get a reminder! The livestream of the concert will be available on 18th Street’s website and Facebook page.

This concert and Christopher McBride’s 18th Street Arts Center residency is generously supported by the Herb Alpert Foundation.

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