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Detroit & Philadelphia: A Brotherhood of Bassists

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What do many of the best in jazz history have in common? Ties to Detroit and Philadelphia

If it weren't for Detroit and Philadelphia, the history of modern jazz would be a lot shorter and a lot less hip. These two meccas are so similar in substance, style and the sheer number of musicians that rose from their streets to prominence that they could be twins separated at birth.

But when you narrow the focus specifically to bass players, the connections become even more striking. The roll call includes more gods per capita than from any other city.

“It's not an accident that almost all of my favorite bass players are from Detroit or Philadelphia," says Christian McBride, the Philadelphia-born bassist who serves as artist-in-residence at the 29th annual Detroit International Jazz Festival, which begins Friday and runs through Labor Day. “You take away Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Percy Heath, Jimmy Garrison, James Jamerson, Alphonso Johnson and the others and you're left with a very short list."

Billed as “A Love Supreme: The Detroit-Philly Connection," this year's festival features a gaggle of headliners with roots in one city or the other. One of Detroit's signature cultural events, the festival -- held on six stages that stretch from Hart Plaza up Woodward into the downtown core -- showcases more than 100 national, local and school bands. It remains the largest free jazz festival in North America.

McBride's position at the top of the bill -- he performs in five different settings -- brings Detroit and Philadelphia's landmark production of bass players into especially sharp relief. With that in mind, the Free Press asked the 36-year-old jazz star to curate a survey of the most important bassists produced by both cities.

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