Brian Bromberg

Brian Bromberg - Wood - 2002 - A440

" WOOD" This is a totally acoustic digital recording featuring Randy Waldman on piano and David Bromberg on drums. Jazz standards and classics ranging from Cole Porter to the Beatles. © 2008 Brian Bromberg. All rights reserved

A mainstream jazz album with a difference. Even if you are not into jazz, give this album a listen. You have all heard some of the great musicians doing the seemingly "impossible". Jan Akkerman plays inspired guitar. Pink Floyd's Richard Wright has played some incredible keyboards. How about Dr. John's piano style, Charles Parker's incomparable sax playing, or the sublime classical guitar of Julian Bream. The list goes on. Brian Bromberg is one of the world's greatest bassists. Whether it be acoustic, electric, Piccolo, synthesizer, or wood bass, Brian is a master of the instrument, and using primarily wood bass on this album, he "makes the music talk". There is a good description of Brian's playing style from Wikipedia, which states that Brian plays "jazz renditions of pieces that other artists in his field would not touch. Songs such as Kansas’ “Carry on Wayward Son” and Paul Mcartney’s “Let ‘Em In” are tackled by Bromberg alone. One may think that the solo tracks would feel empty when played by only one instrumentalist. However, on these tracks, Bromberg showcases all of his techniques, such as tapping on the upright bass and his ability to play two and three note chords on demand, and musical ability to sound often like four players at once, having his 300 year old Matteo Guersam Italian upright bass digest the rock pieces and spit them out with jazz flavoring that doesn’t completely alter their original feel". Brian has spoken about the music on one of his albiums, saying, “I've done a lot of acoustic playing lately so I wanted to feature my electric basses more. But I wasn't trying to make a showy, NAMM show demo kind of record for bass players only - -that's not me. Within the songs and arrangements, I use my various basses in many ways. Since I play a lot of piccolo bass (which is a bass tuned to the register of a guitar) it allows me to play lead melodies and some rhythm groove parts that are quite a different role than what you would normally play on a bass with standard tuning. That helps me express myself in different ways and not have everything I play sound the same. I want the music to stand on its own in song--oriented ways yet also push the envelope as a bassist. The result is very in your face--unapologetically so--with a very discernible level of integrity.” Brian has played with some of the greatest contemporary jazz musicians, and some of his instrumental albums have received glowing praise, including "Wood". Brian Bromberg proves that every genre of music has something to offer. You don't have to be a fan of mainstream jazz or be interested in the bass to enjoy this music, or Brian Bromberg's amazing technical skill. Listen to his version of The Beatles' "Come Together". You just have to admire the playing. Brian also covers a few jazz standards, and Randy Waldman's beautiful piano work is just wonderful. If you are interested in Brian's jazz style, listen to his albums, "Jaco", "Choices", or "Wood II". If you have any difficulty locating these great albums, please contact A.O.O.F.C. There is a great article about Brian Bromberg @ All About Jazz

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers (S.Kuhn)
Dolphin Dance (H.Hanhock)
Come Together (Lennon/McCartney)
Goodbye {For My Father} (B.Bromberg)
Speak Low (K.Weil)
Freedom Jazz Dance (E.Harris)
I Love You (C.Porter)
Straight No Chaser (T.Monk)
All Blues (M.Davis)
The Days Of Wine And Roses (H.Mancini/J.Mercer)
Star Spangled Banner (J.S.Stafford)

MUSICIANS

Brian Bromberg - Wood Bass
Randy Waldman - Piano
David Bromberg - Drums

REVIEWS

Wood is Brian Bromberg's debut for the A440 Music Group, and it is a very strong example of his extraordinary straight-ahead jazz skills as presented in three exciting formats. In addition to the six tracks he performs in a trio setting with drummer David Bromberg and pianist Randy Waldman, Brian Bromberg duets with Waldman on the inimitable "Days of Wine and Roses" and the beautiful tribute "Goodbye (For My Father)," which was previously released on You Know That Feeling. Two amazing solo performances — "Come Together" and "Star Spangled Banner" — add further credence to Bromberg's technical and creative virtuosity as one of the premier jazz bassists of his generation. This set is also remarkable because Brian Bromberg is playing the same upright acoustic bass — a 300-year-old Matteo Guersam, crafted in Milan in the 18th century —- that he used for his professional debut with saxophone legend Stan Getz. Despite its age, the wood (hence the title) emanates rich, mellow sounds that perfectly complement such jazz gems as Miles Davis' "All Blues," Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance," and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser." Bromberg's tapping method on "Come Together" provides clear and convincing evidence of his mastery of this technique, while his awesome pizzicato chops are burnin' on "Speak Low." Wood is a radical departure from Bromberg's world-renowned smooth jazz releases — New Day, Magic Rain, BASSically Speaking, and You Know That Feeling — but nevertheless showcases the exceptional bass techniques that garnered him critical acclaim as one of the 100 best bassists of the 20th century. A definite must have. © Paula Edelstein, allmusic.com

Perhaps his stint with Stan Getz rubbed off on him. As jazz bassists go, Brian Bromberg evokes a tender lyricism out of his instrument that few of his peers are capable of. On Wood, Bromberg performs 11 tunes in a trio, duo, and solo format, with his 300-year-old upright bass at the fore. From a bouncy bebop version of "Speak Low" to a funky take on the Beatles' "Come Together," this album is remarkably consistent. Bromberg performs Eddie Harris's "Freedom Jazz Dance" and Miles Davis's "All Blues" solo, and you forget you're hearing just a single bass. His technique is refined but soulful, and his take on the "Star Spangled Banner" is more understated than flashy (no small feat). Though Randy Waldman backs him ably on the piano and brother David on drums, Bromberg is clearly the star on this remarkable effort, and the warm studio sonics emphasize his instrument over all the others. You can hear the influence of Charlie Haden on his playing, but that's OK. Bromberg is a talent to watch, and this low-key album is a solid introduction to his many skills. © Jason Verlinde, amazon.com

Very talented Smooth Jazz artist Brian Bromberg has released his latest CD titled Wood and Wow! It's good. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. Wood has a nicely varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are his own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard. Overall Wood is a solid release. Quite possibly Brian Bromberg's best to date. Really spectacular from beginning to end. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD. While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 1, The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers, track 2, Dolphin Dance, and track 10, The Days Of Wine And Roses. My Smooth Lee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6, Freedom Jazz Dance. It’s a great track! © Clyde Lee Dennis, © 2009 EzineArticles.com - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

SHORT BIO

A very versatile acoustic and electric bassist capable of playing straight-ahead jazz, funk, and fusion, Brian Bromberg is also one of the few bassists to master the tapping technique made famous by Stanley Jordan, sometimes sounding like three bassists at once during his often-thunderous solos. Although he was a drummer at the age of 13, the following year Bromberg started classical lessons on bass. He developed quickly and by the time he was 19, he was part of Stan Getz's group. Bromberg has been a valuable sidemen with many bands since including those led by Horace Silver, Monty Alexander, Dizzy Gillespie, Richie Cole, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, and Freddie Hubbard. He recorded his first album as a leader in 1986 (A New Day for the Blackhawk label) and has since led sessions for Intima and Nova; unfortunately, all of those record companies have since gone out of business. Into the next century, Brian Bromberg remained one of the most underrated bassists in jazz. That would change. Bromberg's initial albums as a leader were smooth jazz affairs, including 1986's A New Day, 1988's Basses Loaded, and 1989's Magic Rain, but he switched gears for 1991's It's About Time: The Acoustic Project, a more mainstream acoustic jazz record. The next release, though, 1993's self-titled Brian Bromberg, saw him return again to the smooth jazz feel of his earlier albums. Signing with Zebra Records, Bromberg released 1998's You Know That Feeling, which featured Rick Braun, Joe Sample, Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp, and other notables from the smooth jazz genre. Bromberg next went back to straight jazz for 2002's Wood, followed by a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius — simply titled Jaco — a short time later in 2003. A sequel to Wood, Wood II, appeared in 2005, and Bromberg had clearly moved out of the box of his smooth jazz phase, particularly with the rapid-fire, amazing bass solos that made up Metal, which appeared later in 2005. He also became a highly sought after record producer, with several charting projects in his résumé. Continually stretching himself on bass, Bromberg continued to move outside of the box with 2009's It Is What It Is. © Scott Yanow & Steve Leggett, allmusic.com