Christian McBride was born in Philadelpia, Pennsylvania on May 31, 1972. His father Lee Smith is a well-known bassist in Philly. McBride started playing the electric bass when he was 9. Two years later, he started playing the acoustic bass. He was classically trained, but always had a love for jazz.

In 1989, McBride graduated from Philadelphia’s High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and recieved a scholarship to attend Julliard. Once he got to New York he started gigging around town almost immediately. After one year of attending Julliard, he dropped out to tour Europe with Roy Hargrove.

Here he is performing with his band.