Questlove, Norah Jones, and Christian McBride recently collaborated while recording an episode of Jones’ PlayingAlong podcast and have shared a seriously funky cover of The Staple Singers‘ “Why Am I Treated So Bad” captured during the session.
Questlove and McBride were both guests on the podcast and their “30-year camaraderie” made for a conversation and jam session well worth a listen. Despite their divergent musical paths—with Questlove veering towards hip-hop as the foundational beat-keeper of The Roots and McBride becoming a world-renowned jazz virtuoso and aficionado—the two musicians started out together at the same Philadelphia high school, and they have both become recognized for their journalism, scholarship, and public appreciation of music in addition to their playing abilities. Their similarities become more and more apparent as they nerd out analyzing their musical influences and reminisce about their high school days.
The episode is peppered with collaborative covers including songs by D’Angelo, Pops Staples, Kris Kristofferson, and more. The first couple songs feature the duo of McBride and Jones on acoustic piano and bass, but things turn up a notch when Questlove enters the studio and adds his signature pocket.
Listen to Questlove, Norah Jones, and Christian McBride get funky on “Why Am I Treated So Bad” by The Staple Singers and check out the full episode of Norah Jones’ Playing Along podcast below. Click below for a list of Christian McBride’s upcoming tour dates, including shows with his New Jawn band, Nate Smith Quartet, and more.
Christian McBride Tour Dates:
09/16/23 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center (Santa Fe Jazz Fest)
09/23/23 – Monterey, CA – Monterey Jazz Fest #
09/24/23 – San Francisco, CA – Miner Auditorium #
09/26/23 – Seattle, WA – Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley #
09/27/23 – Seattle, WA – Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley #
10/06/23 – Brussels, Belgium – BOZAR #
10/07/23 – Creteil, France – Maison des Arts et de la Culture #
10/08/23 – Cagliari, Italy – Teatro Massimo #
10/10/23 – Tourcoing, France – Tourcoing Jazz Festival #
10/12/23 – Seixal, Portugal #
10/13/23 – Mantua, Italy – Mantova Jazz #
10/14/23 – Milan, Italy – Triennale Milano Teatro #
10/16/23 – London, UK – Ronnie Scott’s #
10/17/23 – London, UK – Ronnie Scott’s #
10/19/23 – Paris, France – New Morning #
10/28/23 – Fairfax, VA – George Mason University Center for the Arts !
10/29/23 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery #
11/01/23 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse #
11/02/23 – Rockport, MA – Shalin Liu Performance Center #
11/04/23 – Toronto, ON – Koerner Hall #
11/09/23 – Zapopan, MX – Conjunto de Artes Escenicas #
11/11/23 – Mexico City, MX – Centro Cultural Roberto Cantoral #
11/30/23-12/03/23 – Baltimore, MD – Keystone Korner %
12/03/23 – Philadelphia, PA – Zellerbach Theatre #
12/05/23-12/10/23 – New York, NY – Village Vanguard
12/12/23-12/17/23 – New York, NY – Village Vanguard ^
01/18/24-01/25/24 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Jazz Cruise ^
02/16/24 – Chapel Hill, NC – Memorial Hall
02/23/24 – Charlotte, NC – Belk Theater ~
03/06/24 – Durango, CO – Community Concert Hall
03/09/24 – Lone Tree, CO – Lone Tree Arts Center
04/13/24 – Germantown, TN – Germantown Performing Arts Center
05/22/24 – Roanoke, CA – Shaftman Performance Hall ^
05/24/24 – St. Louis, MO – The Sheldon Concert Hall ^
# Christian McBride’s New Jawn
! Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra with Christian McBride
% Nate Smith Quartet – Nate Smith, Christian McBride, Geoffrey Keezer, Marquis Hill
~ The Movement Revisited
^ Christian McBride & Inside Straight
View Tour Dates
Norah Jones, Questlove, & Christian McBride – “What Am I Treated So Bad” (The Staple Singers)
