Nine-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride visited Community High School last week, offering a rare opportunity for students to learn from one of jazz music’s living legends.
McBride, in town for a performance at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, took time to work with CHS jazz ensembles and share his wealth of experience with aspiring young musicians.
The visit was orchestrated by CHS Jazz Program Director Jack Wagner, who leveraged his connections in the jazz world to bring McBride to the school. Wagner’s friendship with Grammy-winning pianist Benny Green, a close associate of McBride’s, helped make the event possible.
“Benny is a big fan of our program,” Wagner explained. “He encouraged McBride to give us a master class whenever he was in the Detroit area. Benny helped me connect and get us back on Mr. McBride’s radar recently.”
The event was open to all CHS students, with select jazz ensembles prepared to perform for McBride’s critique. Wagner expressed his excitement about the prospect of McBride performing for the students as well.
“To hear him up close in our humble theater will be something else,” he said before McBride’s visit. “He is one of the greatest and most important bassists to ever live.”
Wagner said his hopes for the students’ experience with McBride were to gain inspiration from witnessing world-class musicianship; learn unique insights through Q&A sessions and demonstrations; understand the realities of thriving in the music industry; and discover paths to becoming fully actualized artists.
“Musically, he represents the pinnacle,” Wagner said. “What he sees and hears are different. We want a glimpse and we hope for insight into how to get ourselves up there, too.”
After the event, Wagner said McBride was “oozing with wisdom.”
“Christian McBride came in with a big smile and excitedly lit up the room with his brilliant, soulful, virtuosic playing,” he said. “The kids were floored to hear someone with that power only a few feet away. His discussion points left us with hours of things to unpack. We’ve been comparing notes in all of our classes to absorb it all.”
