How Christian McBride Opened the Door for My Career
Never let where you are today, limit where you go tomorrow.
In Spring of 1994, I was a junior at University of Missouri School of Journalism (Mizzou), while working at Streetside Records and interning at Columbia, Missouri-based Jazz Promotions Company National Pastimes Productions.
National Pastimes Productions was and is still owned by Mizzou Alum and Jazz Promotions visionary Jon W. Poses, hailing from Queens, NY. After earning his Master’s of Journalism at Mizzou, Poses planted his company in our small college town of ~60,000 people in Columbia, MO in 1986. After seeing Mr. Poses at a local concert venue, I noticed him at Streetside Records in the jazz section (my section). I approached him to ask if I could work for him. He invited me to pitch more about what I wanted to do in the music industry, and after I passed his test, Mr. Poses granted me a PAID internship for $8/hour, which I was thrilled about. My duties included taking flyers to local businesses to promote upcoming National Pastime Productions shows, alphabetizing new CDs mailed to him weekly into his massive CD collection, and serving as his assistant for big shows he produced.
One of those big shows was the Contemporary Piano Ensemble Tour. In April 1994, Poses brought this show to Columbia, Missouri for a show at Mizzou’s Jesse Hall. The Tour featured pianists Harold Mabern, James Williams, Mulgrew Miller, Geoff Keezer, and Donald Brown, bassist Christian McBride on bass and drummer Tony Reedus.
For this big show, I picked up various band members from the airport in my ’93 Ford Escort hatchback, and brought them to campus. I made myself busy before and during this show. I remember this being a very big show for Mr. Poses, so wanted to be as helpful as possible. I also attended to the artists before & after their show. After what I remember being a magical show, we went to an afterset at a smaller venue. I ensured the musicians had a somewhat private table in the club. As a nervous 20-year old, I suggested that I leave the gentlemen to themselves.
As I announced that I would leave them, I’ll never forget Composer, Jazz Bassist & Bandleader Christian McBride saying, “no, please stay, if you leave, the groupies will come over.” I was a bit starstruck and felt intimidated, so uncomfortably, yet obediently & quietly sat because I was with “stars”.
McBride struck up a conversation, which I recall going something like this:
McBride: What do you want to do with your life kid?
[What’s funny now is learning that he’s only 1 year older than me — so at that time was the kid amongst jazz greats, who was starting his career too].
Me: I want to work in the music business in New York.
McBride: Is that so? Well, there’s a woman I want you to call, her name is Michelle Taylor. She runs Atlantic Jazz Records in New York. You call her and tell her that Christian McBride said to give you an internship. Here’s my #, let me know how it turns out.
So I did. I called NYC information at 212–555–1212 for the phone number to Atlantic Records. Calling information to get phone numbers or the Yellow/White Pages was our only resource then, as this era preceded Google or LinkedIn. After calling the main line to Atlantic, I sat still, puffed up my chest and found my big girl voice to ask the switchboard operator “Michelle Taylor, please.” She answered. Pant. Upon reaching Ms. Taylor, I stated “I want an internship in NYC, and that Christian McBride said to call and say that he said to consider me.” I distinctly recall Ms. Taylor replying with, “ Oh did he? Where did you meet him?” I explained that I met him on a show date in Columbia. I went on further to say that I was coming to NYC, and wanted to meet with her. NOTE: I did not have a trip planned.
After she agreed to meet with me, I pulled money saved from my National Pastimes internship and Streetside Records jobs, to purchase a plane ticket to NYC to meet with Michelle Taylor. I also met her colleague, the late great jazz promotions/radio director Eulis Cathey, and their lovely assistant Nicole Sutherland, who hailed from New Orleans. Since I was going to work for Nicole, she was very influential in this decision. Nicole was very pretty, and short, just like me, was super smart with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Music, and was Miss Howard University 1991. She was also a southern belle just like me, hailing from New Orleans.
I looked up to her, and was grateful for her time and interest in me. She respected my hustle, and advocated for me to ultimately get the internship. After Nicole’s call letting me know that I was hired, I left a message on Mr. McBride’s answering machine that I got the internship (never expecting a return call because I knew he was on the road), and then set off to NYC for the Summer of 1994 to intern with Atlantic Jazz.
Throughout the years since my Atlantic Records internship (which was incredible foundation for so much in my life), I’ve held a very beautiful space for Christian McBride in my heart. While living in NYC, I saw him perform at NJPAC twice, ready numerous articles about the ascension of his career (and included his song Lady In My Life on my Freedom at The Mat yoga playlist.
32 years after my internship, on Sunday, May 4, 2026, I attended his show with Nicolas Payton and Robert Glasper at the New Orleans Jazz Market green room, patiently waiting for him to come out. Glasper and Payton traipsed back and forth, but no sign of McBride. I recalled his words about groupies, so humbly asked Payton and a young intern guy to please ask McBride to come out so that a woman who met him in 1994 could thank him, and gave my card.
He ultimately emerged, and I was able to thank him personally for his kindness. I explained that his one question of “what do you want to do with your life, kid” was the most beautiful door anyone has opened for me. It led the way for me moving to NYC to live out my dreams beyond my wildest Memphis, TN-reared imagination including leading marketing campaigns for VIBE Magazine, Live Nation, Carol’s Daughter, iN DEMAND, to name a few.
For a Memphis girl who was told my a relative that the music business was for people who knew people, and that I should eschew my dreams and settle on the idea of advertising & marketing at FedEx in Memphis, Mr. McBride opened not only a door, but a world with that one question.
I am forever appreciative for my chance encounter with Christian McBride, and to Jon Poses for opening the door to his firm too, and of course to Michelle Taylor and Nicole Sutherland.
As I’m now mid-career (as McBride proclaimed on Sunday night), I carry forward a spirit of paying it forward and opening doors for others.
We all have the capacity to be change agents in this life.
Who are you opening the door for? I am a firm believer that we experience life more richly and fully when we give more than we take.
And for my students and young people reading this, never let where you are, no matter how small the town, limit your dreams or where you want to go. With God (and a bit of grit and hard work too), all things are truly possible.
Olivia is a C-Suite Marketing Exec, Author of 51 Brand Marketing Tips for Creators & Founder of Omerge Alliances & Freedom at The Mat. An NYU & Loyola Professor, she has led marketing at influential organizations such as Carol’s Daughter, VIBE, Live Nation, Ogilvy & more for 25+ years. A Native Memphian, now based in New Orleans, is a forever Harlemite (NYC) who travels extensively and blooms where she is planted.
