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Christian McBride

Jefferson Center, with its capacity recently reconfigured to 924, was mostly empty on Sunday night for Christian McBride & Inside Straight. The show drew 385, and the rest of you missed what was one of the best displays of jazz mastery you're likely to hear in Roanoke.

McBride, though, appreciated what he had, particularly in light of the band's long journey to get here from French Guiana. Read details of that jazz odyssey and more in the print review. He also was impressed that the valley has hosted him three times -- twice as a bandleader (he played Roanoke College a decade ago), and once with Pat Metheny.

There are plenty of big cities in the United States that haven't booked him this many times.

"Roanoke, you deserve your due," he said, to audience applause. "This is a hip, swinging town, baby. Give me Roanoke and Vegas any day, baby."

The McBride show climaxed a great weekend of music in Roanoke. On Friday, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen played Kirk Avenue Music Hall. On Saturday, Delbert McClinton headlined the Big Lick Blues Festival, sounding his roadhouse hot best with his rock-solid band, Dick 50 -- more on that show in an upcoming column.

McBride and his band, though, might have been the best band playing *anywhere* this weekend. Amazing.