Christian McBride’s “Without Further Ado, Vol. 1” Arrives with All-Star Guests and Major Tour
Christian McBride has returned with his big band to release Without Further Ado, Vol. 1. The star-studded affair was announced in June with the lead single, “Murder By Numbers,” which reunited Sting and Andy Summers of The Police for the first time since 2008. The bassist/composer/producer also welcomed Dianne Reeves, Samara Joy, José James, Cécille McLorin Salvant, Jeffrey Osborne, and Antoinette Henry across the eight-song collection.
Check out the breathtaking arrangement and performance of “Old Folks,” featuring Samara Joy:
As vocal-forward as the album is, there’s plenty of love for the instrumentalists. McBride wrote and recorded the song “Op. 49 – Cold Chicken Suite, 3rd Movement” in homage to his fellow working musicians.
“Is this really my 49th piece ever? Who knows? Opus 49 sure sounds official, though, right?” he reflects. “In 2020, I was commissioned by the North American Saxophone Alliance (yes, NASA) to compose a piece. I composed a three-movement suite dedicated to the official food of the working musician, cold chicken. This is for all the musicians who don’t get to eat until after the gig when the chicken is cold, or you have to go to the hotel pantry and get one of those ready-made chicken caesar salads, of which the chicken can break concrete. May this piece take your mind off the dangerous late-night hunger pains.”
Watch McBride perform the song live with his big band at the Newport Jazz Festival:
Without Further Ado, Vol. 1 is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (Apple Music, and Amazon Music). Christian McBride is one of the hardest-working men in show business, so he’ll be on the road for much of the next year with his band, Brad Mehldau, Ursa Major, Benny Green, and Edgar Meyer. He’ll also be shipping off in January for McBride’s World at Sea. See below for his full itinerary.
Christian McBride 2025/2026 Tour Dates:
| Date | Location | Band Format |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 2-7 | New York, NY | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Sept. 12 | Philadelphia, PA | Christian McBride & Ursa Major |
| Sept. 13 | Montclair, NJ | Montclair Jazz Festival |
| Sept. 26-27 | Monterey, CA | Christian McBride & Ursa Major |
| Oct. 2 | College Park, MD | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 4 | Burlington, VT | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 5 | Cambridge, MA | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 7 | Minneapolis, MN | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 9 | Kansas City, MO | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 10 | Chicago, IL | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 13 | Eugene, OR | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 15 | Beverley Hills, CA | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 16-17 | San Francisco, CA | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 18 | La Jolla, CA | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 19 | Mesa, AZ | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Oct. 21 | Winston-Salem, NC | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| Nov. 4 | London, England | Remembering Ray Brown with Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson |
| Nov. 6 | Weimar, Germany | Remembering Ray Brown with Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson |
| Nov. 7 | Vienna, Austria | Remembering Ray Brown with Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson |
| Nov. 8 | Paris, France | Remembering Ray Brown with Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson |
| Nov. 9 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Remembering Ray Brown with Benny Green and Greg Hutchinson |
| Dec. 21-22 | Aspen, CO | Christian McBride & Benny Green with Niki Harris |
| Jan 20-27 | McBride’s World at Sea | Jazz Cruise with Four McBride-led ensembles and Special Guests |
| Feb. 14 | Notre Dame, IN | Christian McBride & Ursa Major |
| Feb. 21 | Vienna, VA | Christian McBride & Ursa Major |
| Feb. 27-28 | Boston, MA | Christian McBride & Ursa Major |
| March 15 | Hamburg, Germany | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 18 | Paris, France | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 19 | Brussels, Belgium | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 20 | Amiens, France | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 21 | Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 24 | Lyon, France | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| March 27 | Munich, Germany | Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau |
| April 7 | Santa Fe, NM | Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer |
| April 9 | Mesa, AZ | Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer |
| April 11 | Costa Mesa, CA | Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer |
| April 18 | St. Louis, MO | Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer |
| April 21 | Philadelphia, PA | Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
