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Album Review

Christian McBride & Ursa major: Points of Light

Read "Points of Light" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
October 28, 2026

Every great hostess knows that who you invite incites the party. And when is there not a party goin' on at a Christian McBride new jawn? Which is what, coincidentally, happens to be Points of Light, the hot debut of Ursa Major. For the invitees--the midnight intensity of tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, the perpetual rhythm of drummer Savannah Harris, overactive pianist/keyboardist Mike King, the mod, t-bone blues of guitarist (Ely Perlman aided and abetted by keyboardist, producer Terrace Martin and ...

Album Review

Christian McBride and Ursa Major: Points of Light

Read "Points of Light" reviewed by Andrew Schinder

by Andrew Schinder
October 7, 2026

Bass superstar Christian McBride seemingly has an infinite number of active projects at any given moment, but his group Ursa Major may be his most exciting. With Ursa Major, McBride leads a group of dynamic young musicians whose collective mission is to essentially fulfill McBride's creative impulses--an “all-in" band, as McBride has described it. Over the course of his distinguished career McBride has seemingly explored every jazz and jazz-adjacent genre and sub-genre out there, and he created Ursa Major to tie all ...

Album Review

Zaldivar | McBride | Mela: Meeting in New York: Vol. 1

Read "Meeting in New York: Vol. 1" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
October 5, 2026

Depending on what part of town one finds their jollies, Cuban-born pianist Rafael Zaldivar may or may not be a well-known curiosity seeker in these parts, as he is in Montreal, where he characteristically burns up stages both big and small. But he damn well should be, as evidenced by the music emanating forth from Meeting In New York: Vol.1, the pianist's first for 577 Records. Spending time with raconteur bassist Christian McBride and equally rancorous drummer Francisco ...

Live Review

Ursa Major at Miner Auditorium

by Steven Roby
September 15, 2026

Christian McBride's Ursa Major Miner Auditorium San Francisco, CA September 13, 2026 Christian McBride stood toward the rear of the Miner Auditorium stage Sunday night, directing traffic from behind Nicole Glover and Ely Perlman. Even when he switched from upright to electric bass and began one of his fleet, muscular solos, he remained there. The placement suited Ursa Major. McBride may have assembled the quintet, but its final concert of SFJAZZ's season-opening residency drew its force ...

In Pictures

Christian McBride and Ursa Major at Garcia's Chicago

by Sandra Kozintseva
June 19, 2026

Christian McBride and Ursa Major performed at Garcia's Chicago on June 6, 2026 delivering an engaging set to a packed Chicago audience. Joining McBride were Nicole Glover on saxophone, Ely Perlman on guitar, Mike King on piano, and Savannah Harris on drums. Much of the evening featured material from the group's upcoming debut album, Points of Light, expected to be released in August. One of the highlights of the night came when Ely Perlman stepped into the role of vocalist ...

Live Review

Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau at Presidio Theatre

by Steven Roby
October 20, 2025

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau Presidio Theatre San Francisco, CA October 16, 2025 Listening became the real instrument onstage, a single invisible string stretched between Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau and humming all night. At the Presidio Theatre, they approached repertoire as conversation and memory as form, leafing through familiar tunes like a well-loved book, reading passages aloud, underlining new meanings, and showing how a lifetime of music speaks through them. The set ...

Radio & Podcasts

Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring, Tierney Suttion, George Coleman, Christian McBride and more

by Benjamin Boddie
September 3, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring, Josh Lawrence, Michika Fukumori, Tierney Sutton, Linda Dachtyl, Mike Pope, Marc Seales, Jen Allen, Joe Bowden, Randy Napoleon, George Coleman, Alberto Pibiri, Jaleel Shaw, Christian McBride, Kelly Green, Irving Flores, Caelan Cardello, Eric Byrd, Roger Glenn, Birdland Big Band, Conrad Herwig, Ira B. Liss, Paul Cornish, Juanjo Lopez, and more.Playlist Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring “A Peck A Sec" from Split Decision (Smoke Sessions) 00:00 Josh Lawrence ...