Frank Sinatra - "Sinatra at the Sands (w/ the Count Basie Orchestra)" - Reprise Records - 1966 There's not a whole lot to say about this CD. Frank, Splank, and Q.....nuff said. I mean, what else should I say? Basie behind Frank was always the best. Joe Williams with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - Solid State Records (Blue Note) - 1966 The soulful, bluesy voice of Joe Williams with these fantstically sick, wild, and crazy arrangements of Thad Jones make this CD the bomb! Thad's arrangement of Allen Toussaint's "Get Out My Life, Woman!" is so slick and hip, you have to listen to it a second time because the first time, you'll be going "HUH?" Herbie Hancock - "Sextant" - Columbia Records - 1973 For Herbie's Mwandishi band, this was the final curtain. All I can say is, I think this might be the perfect fusion album. I know that's a strong opinion, but this is how I feel at the moment. It's dense, light, funky, free, loose, tight, acoustic, electric, odd-meters, etc... To show you how bad this record is, I was playing this in Dianne Reeves' tour bus, and after hearing it for a few minutes, she said, "Oh yeah, isn't this Herbie's new CD??" 1973? - HELLO! Dianne Reeves - "Bridges" - Blue Note Records - 1999 Speaking of Dianne, my friend and soulmate, this is my favorite album of hers. She's made a lot of great ones, but something about this one hits home. Dianne's always had the natural ability to transcend category. She's successfully found that area where isn't jazz, but it is jazz. That's what I've been trying to do for a while, as well as a lot of other artists, but I don't think anyone's come as close as Dianne in recent times. On this CD, Billy Childs' arrangement of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is worth the price of the CD alone. The Count Basie Orchestra - "One More Time: Music from the pen of Quincy Jones" - Roulette Records - 1960 This is just some good ol' down home country swingin'! Quincy sadly has had a few "playa hatas" who won't give him his just due as an arranger, but he deserves it. He's not "Q" for nothing, you know? All of the records he arranged and produced for Mercury in the early 60's, to Michael Jackson in the 80's, his vibe has always been "on." You go, Q! Quincy Jones - "Gula Matari" - A&M Records - 1970 This was Quincy's follow-up to "Walking In Space." (which, of course, is on my top 20 list) The band is just about the same as "Walking In Space" except Herbie Hancock and Milt Jackson are on this. The title track and "Walkin'" are smoking on this CD. Sting - "Brand New Day" - A&M Records - 1999 Well, seeing as though I'm working with Sting, I HAD to have this CD in my CD player! Although I must say that this CD has completely grown on me. Sting deserves all of the recognition he gets as a musician and a writer. His lyrics are pure poetry. Miles Davis - "Live-Evil" - Columbia Records - 1971 I used to like this CD for the loud rock vamps, but now Miles' performance with the legendary brazilian artist Hermeto Pascoal on "Little Church" is worth the whole CD. If you're one who thinks this CD is wonderfully angry and loud, it is. But "Little Church" is a beautiful 180 degree turn. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - "Tarkus" - Atlantic Records - 1971 My man, Billy Childs asked me if I was into ELP. I said, "not really." He says, "Man, you would really dig them. You gotta check out "Tarkus." The writing on there is just ridiculous." Was he right, or what? I love this CD. These cats were on a high level of musicianship. Cream - "Wheels Of Fire" - Polydor Records - 1969 Cream has long been one of the most influential groups of all time. When I heard George Clinton say that Cream was a big influence on Funkadelic, I knew I had to start listening to them. However, Ginger Baker had no business trying to duel Elvin Jones in a drum battle. Remember that??

Christian McBride has risen to the top as the leading acoustic bassist of the younger generation of jazz masters. In the past decade, McBride's bass has been featured on well over 100 recordings with a variety of artists ranging from Kathleen Battle to McCoy Tyner. His relentless drive, technical proficiency and dedication to swing above ego often motivates and inspires the best performances from those with whom he¹s playing. McBride spent hours in high school playing James Brown rhythm charts with Thompson at the Philadelphia High School of Creative and Performing Arts, and this little-known fact makes a lot of sense when you hear the grooves the two develop on this record. McBride used to be driven to and from some of his earliest jazz gigs by the remarkable pianist who got on board with him for what was to become the Philadelphia Experiment.

Visit Christian's website at www.christianmcbride.com/.