Driven by an endless need for expressing herself creatively, composer and multi-instrumentalist
Chelsea McBride is establishing herself as a mainstay of the Canadian and American jazz scenes. Now
based in New York City, McBride recently made her first international trip guest conducting at the
Perth International Jazz Festival and Sydney International Women's Jazz Festival in support of her
recent big band recording, Aftermath. She successfully completed an 11-city cross-Canada tour with
her big band, Chelsea McBride's Socialist Night School, in the summer of 2018, and has performed at
JazzYYC, the Halifax Jazz Festival, and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival among others. She has been named
one of Canada's top 35 jazz musicians under 35 by the CBC and was the inaugural recipient of the
Toronto Arts Foundation's Emerging Jazz Artist Award.
Born and raised in Vancouver B.C., Chelsea was surrounded and fascinated by music. She started
playing piano at the age of 3, and saxophone throughout elementary school. By the end of high school
she had already performed in competitions at provincial and national levels. She is currently pursuing
a masters in jazz arranging at William Paterson University and making waves with her mature sound
and multilayered approach to composition.
Whether it’s her big band (Chelsea McBride’s Socialist Night School), her pop-jazz sextet (Chelsea and
the Cityscape) or her jazz trio (Chelsea McBride Group), Chelsea is a diverse musician who refuses to
stay in one creative box. Chelsea is currently pursuing masters studies at William Paterson University
but maintains a busy Canadian performance schedule. She has released three albums with Chelsea
and the Cityscape and three with her Socialist Night School.