ACE OF BASS

By David E. Thigpen

Bassists are the bricklayers of the jazz world. Their job--to lay down a solid rhythmic foundation that their fellow musicians can build on--may not be sexy, but it's indispensable. In just four years as a pro, bassist Christian McBride has developed a strong but unobtrusive rhythmic style that has made him a ubiquitous musical presence. Although he's only 22, he has played on some 70 recordings and has toured with the top soloists, most recently saxophone wunderkind Joshua Redman. Now McBride's solo debut, Gettin' to It, should establish him as more than just a hotshot accompanist.

McBride's roots are in soul music. At eight he taught himself bass, playing along to Stax and James Brown records at home in Philadelphia. Arriving at Juilliard at 17, he studied jazz and classical bass. But his education really began a year later, he says, when he dropped out to try to make it on his own. Moving into a small Harlem apartment with four roommates ("There was always somebody jamming in the living room," he recalls), McBride spent his days practicing his instrument. Nights he hung out in Greenwich Village clubs studying the techniques of his idols, bassists like Ron Carter. "I could get an informal lesson anytime I wanted," McBride says. "I'd come home so inspired, I'd play all night."

All his preparation is paying off. Since his first gig, in 1990, he's had steady work. "I'm like a snowball rolling downhill," he says. He can even afford his own apartment now. Gettin' to It showcases his wide-ranging skills-in swing, bebop, blues, free jazz-and his full, throbbing sound. McBride may be the most promising and versatile new bassist since Charlie Mingus. To some people, that may not sound so sexy, but for jazz fans, it sure is exciting.