BRIAN
BROMBERG
Some take the easy
way. Perhaps they master a simple
path that they venture through again and again because it’s safe, comfortable
and familiar. Then there is Brian
Bromberg, an astute musician/producer/songwriter, who has taken the opposite
route. His muse is jazz and his
voice is the acoustic and electric basses.
Bromberg’s journey has been anything but simple. The path that he has brazenly forged
encompassed the mastery of his instrument advanced through a diverse body of
musical compositions - contemporary and traditional, acoustic and electric -
that demonstrate a level of integrity and technical excellence that is virtually
unmatched.
Bromberg has a full-slate
of current projects that enable him to draw upon his vast experience: he’s
releasing and reissuing four albums this year; he’s a partner in the Artistry Music record label that now
releases his music; he recently earned his first gold record as a producer and
he’s writing and producing tracks for a number of artists this year in his own
recording studio; he’s designed an innovative line of basses for Dean Guitars
that will be in stores this summer; and he passes on his knowledge by teaching
clinics and classes throughout the world.
Professionally it began in
traditional jazz and over his twenty-five-plus year career, Bromberg has delved
into be-bop, fusion, smooth jazz, rock, funk and R&B. In fact, he proudly boasts that he’s
never made the same album twice. “I
know that I have challenged my listeners from project to project by recording
different styles, which is not the norm for a solo artist, but for me the thrill
is in working without limits,” explains Bromberg, a native of
It’s hard to believe that
an artist who has demonstrated such a high level of instrumental prowess and has
conquered the charts repeatedly would be striving for legitimacy. However, Bromberg has achieved the
unusual feat of creating accomplished music for both sides of the jazz
dichotomy, which are indeed on separate ends of the spectrum. He’s the rare artist who has managed to
gracefully meander amongst the jazz traditionalists and the commercial smooth
jazz crowd. Bromberg, who is one of
only a handful who have achieved mastery of both the electric and acoustic
instruments, offered, “I’ve probably used the bass a zillion ways, but it is a
never ending exercise and I’m always trying to evolve and grow.”
Earlier this year, Bromberg
released, Metal, a new rock/fusion record that
is the answer to his 2002 award-winning straight-ahead album, Wood, a gorgeous assemblage of
acoustic jazz compositions. Metal recalls the rock guitar gods
except, amazingly, there are no guitars on the entire album. The potent melodies and fierce “guitar”
solos are performed by Bromberg on a piccolo bass. This kind of album has never been done
before, but then again, Bromberg is used to pushing the envelope innovatively
and creatively. What you hear on
his albums may not be what you think you are hearing. Metal was recorded by Bromberg with
drummer Joel
Taylor and keyboardist Dan
Siegel, who guests on two tracks.
It’s an aggressive collection that not only challenges your
preconceptions about the bass, but impressively it unveils an entirely different
side of the musician that we haven’t seen before. Jim Roberts, founding editor of Bass
Player magazine and author of American Basses, wrote in the
album’s liner notes, “And when it comes to hearing it all, and playing it all,
nobody does it better than Brian Bromberg…Maybe I’m prejudiced, but you can
always tell that Brian is a bass player at heart – even his most wailing
‘guitar’ solos display the logic that comes from a deep knowledge of
harmony. And you can tell that he
knows jazz, too, because of his attention to thematic development and
contrasting solo voices.”
Being reissued this spring
is the Choices album, which Bromberg calls
the best smooth jazz album he’s ever made.
It was originally released last year, but the artist remixed half of the
record and the entire disc was remastered.
One track was removed and replaced with the radio hit, “Relentless,” a
duet with sax star Richard Elliot that previously was only released on the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards compilation
CD. Smooth jazz is often criticized
as being light-weight, but not Bromberg’s
efforts in the genre. His hooks are
memorable and infectious yet the writing is mature and substantive and the
productions are richly textured.
Soulful R&B, funk, jazz, pop, dance and African rhythmscapes, which
include guest turns by Jeff Lorber, Brian Culbertson, David Benoit and Eric
Marienthal, serve as the backdrop for Bromberg’s melodies. Again, no guitars were used on the
album, although you’ll swear otherwise.
Although primarily an instrumental album, Bromberg’s intention was for it
to unfold like a collection of short stories.
Also reissued this spring
was Bromberg’s 1991 release, It’s About Time, which he describes
as his “first hardcore, New York-type of jazz record that is still
accessible.” The record was remixed
and remastered and now sounds as if it was recorded using today’s sophisticated
audio technology. The album finds
Bromberg playing his 300-year-old acoustic bass while interacting with jazz
greats Freddie Hubbard, Ernie Watts, Mitchell Forman, David Bromberg and Mike
Garson. Musically, the tracks
swing, bop, romance and caress while the performances are stellar.
This summer, 1993’s Brian Bromberg album will be
reissued. It’s an expansive
contemporary jazz collection graced with performances by Lorber, Lee Ritenour,
Kirk Whalum and Toots Thielemans and anchored by Bromberg’s bass, which
vacillates between deep rhythmic grooves and gentle, beautiful and emotive
melodies.
Earlier this year, Bromberg
teamed with soul singer-songwriter Rahsaan Patterson, their long-time manager
Lucille Hunt, and veteran marketing executive Denny Stilwell to launch the
Artistry Music record label, which is distributed in the
Another project that
Bromberg is amped about is the B²
line of basses that he designed for Dean Guitars, which debuted in January at
the NAMM Convention. The basses are
scheduled to start arriving in stores this summer. “They’re versatile, ergonomic and they
sound great,” enthused Bromberg, who first designed a bass shape in 1981. “The cool thing is that the basses were
designed by someone who actually plays so they are innovative, highly
functional, and comfortable.”
Originally a drummer,
Bromberg picked up the acoustic bass as a teenager and started his professional
career with a legend in 1979. At
the age of 19, Bromberg was asked to tour for a year playing in Stan Getz’s
band. He packed up, moved to
The album was
well-received. Bromberg followed it
up with a couple of strong albums and emerged as an image artist for the newly
evolving radio format that became known as “smooth jazz.” Occasionally his albums mixed electric
and acoustic styles and although sometimes the purists may have been put off by
the more commercial smooth jazz material, they could deny neither his
extraordinary technique as a player, nor his unequaled versatility.
The 1991 disc, BASSically Speaking, was Bromberg’s
first to enter the Top 10 of Billboard’s contemporary jazz album
chart where it peaked at #7. On his
seventh solo album, 1997’s You Know That Feeling, Bromberg
notched his first #1 smooth jazz radio single, “By The Fireplace.” He went on to become the first bassist
ever to have four consecutive smooth jazz radio hits.
Throughout
the years, Bromberg has consistently been hailed for his own virtuosity as an
innovator and master of a variety of bass techniques. Jazz Times wrote, “Bassist Brian
Bromberg is blessed with that uncommon combination of superb technique, and
astounding versatility…” Downbeat declared, “Bromberg’s sound
is beautifully resonant, his timing impeccable, his articulation clean and
clear, and his intonation superb.”
Jazziz stated, “Bromberg is his own
man, a musical pioneer of sorts, boldly going where no acoustic bassist has gone
before…This guy has more chops than he knows what to do with.”
In great demand as a
touring and a recording musician, Bromberg has played with some of the
luminaries in music, including Getz, Dave Grusin, Arturo Sandoval, Chris Botti,
Lee Ritenour, David Foster, Nancy Wilson, Lalo Schifrin, Diane Schuur, Peter
White, Joe Sample, Lou Rawls, Kenny Rankin and Michael Buble. He’s also performed on film and
television soundtracks ranging from “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “The Preacher’s
Wife” and “Housesitter” to “
Bromberg produces his own
albums and he began producing other artists in 1999, something that he hopes to
do more of. He produced and
co-wrote the #1 smooth jazz radio hit, “
produced Kim Waters, Alan
Broadbent, and Richard Smith, and has several projects that promise to keep him
busy in the studio this year.
Although Bromberg skipped
college to become a professional musician, he supports music education in the
schools. More importantly, he
believes in education through experience, which is how he learned. He has given clinics around the world,
offering encouragement and instruction to aspiring players. “One of the most significant lessons I
try to impart upon the students and young musicians I meet is the importance of
developing your own thing. You must
find your own voice, whether you are using your actual voice or a particular
instrument. There really aren’t any
limits or rules so you shouldn’t be afraid to take chances and be unique.”
Looking ahead, Bromberg
still has a number of aspirations.
“For years, I’ve been interested in making a Brazilian record and I’d
like to explore a World Music setting.
I’d also like to make a record with a full orchestra and a funky urban
adult album.”
With an abundance of
projects that consist of a variety of recordings, writing for and producing
other artists, serving as a partner in a record label, designing cutting-edge
basses, and teaching others how to excel as musicians, Bromberg certainly keeps
himself fully engaged. “Being
involved in so many different things is rewarding and it’s what keeps it (music)
fresh for me. But it’s got to be
real. I can’t fake it just because
I want to do something. It has to
be able to stand on its own. I’m
proud of whatever I pour my heart and soul into.”
Musicians are abundant, but
rare are the artists who possesses the vision, skill, passion and ambition that
Brian Bromberg has. Although he’s
already taken his instrument and musical eruditions to exciting new places, one
gets a sense that perhaps Bromberg was merely warming up. As he hits full stride, he’s certain to
elevate the art of the bass and jazz music to dimensions previously unimagined.
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Contact: Rick Scott/Great Scott P.R.oductions 310.398.0260 greatscottpr@pacificnet.net