Christian McBride Quartet featuring Roy McCurdy
Village Vanguard178 7th Avenue South, New York 10014
The 8 p.m. bill is advertised as the Christian McBride Quartet featuring Roy McCurdy. The venue information available for this date lists McBride on bass with Marcus Strickland on saxophone, Josh Evans on trumpet and Nasheet Waits on drums, a piano-less quartet formation. It does not name McCurdy, so his participation in this particular performance cannot be confirmed from the supplied information. The concert takes place in the Village Vanguard’s basement room, where the stage faces a 123-seat audience and attention is kept on the music.
Philadelphia native Christian McBride is a leading jazz bassist whose collaborators have included Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard and Pat Metheny. His playing has been praised for its “sumptuous tone,” “exceptional technique” and “charismatic manner.” A Los Angeles Times review of an earlier McBride quartet singled out its “tight ensemble play” and “give-and-take,” qualities that point to the conversational possibilities in a bass, saxophone, trumpet and drums lineup. Those notices concern McBride’s work and earlier groups, rather than this December 2026 set.
A narrow basement staircase leads to a triangular room with a red curtain and a stage at the point, where musicians play for a small audience of 123. Tables open like spokes from the stage, and the walls hold portraits of jazz legends. The acoustics are excellent, and the only sound before the music begins is the hum of the room. No food is served, only drinks at a bar. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with seating beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively. The atmosphere is focused entirely on the music, with silence requested before the concert begins.