Christian McBride

The more vulnerable and the more confused the song is, the equal and opposite effect is how I feel after having written it.

The blues tells a story in itself. It can make you happy or give you a feeling to swing.

A Jazz performance centers upon the process of creation. The final objective is not only the finished product, but the path and process taken towards it.

If a guy’s got it, let him give it. I’m selling music, not prejudice.

Most jazz players work out their solos, at least to the extent that they have a very specific vocabulary.

My audience was my life. What I did and how I did it was all for my audience.

As long as musicians have passion for spontaneity and creating something that’s never been before, Jazz will flourish.

Play what you want and let the public pick up on what you doing even if it does take them 15, 20 years.

You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.

Man, if you gotta ask you’ll never know.

I’ve had those people very interested in my writing. Since I think of myself as a composer, I feel really good. I’ve had lots of guys call me up. I’ve gotten two or three commissions to write things. I’ve written lots of movie scores.

I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can’t define it beyond that.

The true musician is to bring light into people’s hearts.

If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all

I learned my songs from the birds of the Brazilian forest.