Chick Corea, James Brown, GRAMMYs, Drummer Legends, Leadership
Christian McBride is back for Part 2 of one of the most compelling conversations in Go With Elmo history. The nine-time Grammy-winning bassist, bandleader, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director brings the same depth and candor to this second hour that made Part 1 such essential listening — but now the conversation moves into deeper territory.
This time, McBride opens up about his deep friendship and musical relationship with Chick Corea — a pianist he considers one of the most joyful and inventive musicians he ever shared a stage with. He talks about James Brown and the bass philosophy that underpins all groove-based music, about his own GRAMMY journey, and about the drummer legends who have shaped his understanding of rhythm and time. He also gets into what it really means to lead — a band, an institution, a conversation in the culture.
Part 2 of this conversation is where McBride goes deepest. Don't miss this one.
"McBride at his most reflective and open — talking Chick, James Brown, GRAMMYs, drumming legends, and what great leadership actually means."
McBride's deep friendship and creative partnership with the late piano legend — what made Chick's musicality so singular, their shared adventures in jazz, and what his passing meant to the community.
What the Godfather of Soul taught everyone who plays rhythm about the pocket, about feel, and about the non-negotiable importance of groove as the foundation of all popular music.
What it has meant to win nine Grammy Awards over the course of a career — what the recognition represents, what it doesn't, and how McBride thinks about awards in relation to artistic integrity.
The drummers who have had the biggest influence on how McBride thinks about bass and rhythm — the ones he studied, the ones he played with, and what listening to great drumming taught him about the instrument.
What it means to lead a world-class band and what it means to lead an institution like Jazz at Lincoln Center — the responsibilities, the challenges, and the vision that makes great musical leadership possible.
McBride's deeper philosophy about the bass — not just as an instrument but as a role in music, as a responsibility to the ensemble, and as a voice that can lead, follow, and inspire all at once.
McBride's personal tribute to Chick Corea — a deeply felt reflection on what Chick meant to him as a musician and as a friend.
His breakdown of what James Brown's bass lines actually do rhythmically — and why everything from funk to hip-hop traces back to the James Brown groove.
A candid reflection on what it's like to win a GRAMMY and whether the award actually changes anything about how you approach your work.
The drummer who McBride says changed the way he hears rhythm completely — and why that drummer doesn't always get the credit they deserve.
His most honest thoughts on what makes a great bandleader — and the specific mistakes he's seen musicians make when they first take the reins.
How McBride thinks about his role as a public advocate for jazz and why he believes the genre's future depends on reaching people who have never been inside a jazz club.
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