BRIAN BROMBERG - Thicker Than Water
Artistry Music ART 7056
Brian Bromberg acoustic, electric and piccolo (b), (p); Gannin Arnold, Paul Jackson Jr (g); Lee Thornburg, Randy Brecker, Tony Guererro, Willie Murillo (tp); Everett Harp (ts), Najee (ts), Brandon Fields (ts), Gary Meek (ts), Mark Visher (as, bar), Marion Meadows (ss), Vince Trombetta (ts), Doug Webb (various sax); Nick Lane, Jason Thor (tb); Mark Hollingsworth (bamboo fl); Tom Zink (p, kbs), Brian Simpson (kbs), George Duke (el p); Zach Bromberg (loops, kb programming); Franklin Richardson III (d); Lenny Castro, Alex Acuňa (per); June Kuramoto (koto);
The Rising Sun Orchestra (strings)
Recorded at Be Squared Studios and Slice of Heaven studios (no date given)
Brian Bromberg is one of those musicians whose profile doesn’t do justice to their track record, versatility or virtuosity. A bassist who is equally proficient on both acoustic and electric bass, he has played with Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Ritenour, Phil Upchurch, Michel Legrand, Shirley Horn and many others. Bromberg is also a producer, arranger, composer and engineer – he composed or co-composed all the tunes on this album, and co-engineered this recording.
Bromberg has released around 20 albums under his own name, and this latest, once again, highlights his desire to explore the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic possibilities offered by the bass guitar. On this album, Bromberg plays acoustic, electric (fretted and fretless) and piccolo bass. The piccolo bass is tuned like a guitar and sounds like one – the liner notes state “There are no guitar melodies or solos on this recording.” That said, guitar fills and rhythm guitar are included on ten of the tracks. There are thirteen tracks, although two of them are intro bass solos. Naturally, Bromberg’s bass playing is to the fore, and he used no fewer than eleven different basses on this recording (many tracks feature several basses). But this is no bass-fest album with long, tedious solos: Bromberg’s playing is always tasteful, and restrained when it needs to be.
The calibre of support musicians, which includes, Lenny Castro, Randy Brecker, Doug Webb, Paul Jackson Jr, Everette Harp and the late George Duke (playing on one of his last recordings) tells you all you need about the musicianship on this album. It has also been superbly recorded and mixed – the sound clarity is excellent.
The album opens on a high-energy note, starting with the jazz-funk ‘Is That The Best You Can Do?’, with its heavy slap-bass lines, followed by ‘Minneapolis’, 1978, a tribute to the fast, furious funky sound the likes of Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry
Lewis were producing in the 1980s, On both numbers, Bromberg is supported by a tight horn section, with stabs, punchy lines and gutsy sax solos (from Everette Harp and Brandon Fields respectively) underpinning the funk.
The tempo slows down for the third number, the title track written by Bromberg and his nephew Zach, which includes a fine tenor solo by Najee. ‘Coupe De Ville’ is a catchy number featuring more solo sax from Najee. The reflective ‘Changes’ features Bromberg on four basses, including a nylon string acoustic piccolo. ‘Trials And Tribulations’ is a dramatic number, cinematic in its scope. At the coda, Bromberg plays a piccolo bass solo that sounds like scorching guitar.
Fans of Bromberg’s acoustic bass playing will enjoy the short solo he plays as an intro to ‘It’s Called Life (For Mom)’ The sound of ‘UH-HuH’ reminds one of the music of George Duke (who provides an extended funky electric solo) and 1980s Miles Davis (the track includes muted trumpet).
This album starts off on a funky groove, but it ends on a more restrained note for the final three numbers. The ballad ‘Your Eyes’ features some fine playing by Marion Meadows on soprano sax, and in addition to the bass, Bromberg plays both the piano melody and solo. Bromberg’s single-note soloing on piano is simple but very effective on this lovely track.
‘Land Of The Rising Sun’, includes bamboo flutes (played by Mark Hollingsworth) and koto (played by June Kuramoto from the band Hiroshima) to evoke the sound and spirit of Japan. With sweeping strings from ‘The Rising Sun Orchestra’ and Bromberg on acoustic, fretless and acoustic piccolo basses, this six-minute number takes the listener on a joyous musical journey to the East. The album ends with ‘A Familia’ a two-minute acoustic bass solo.
This fine album deserves a wide audience. If you’re one of those people who normally listens to albums from bassists such as Marcus Miller or Stanley Clarke, you should check out Thicker Than Water, because you’ll be surprised and delighted by what you hear.
Reviewed by George Cole
Artistry Music ART 7056
Brian Bromberg acoustic, electric and piccolo (b), (p); Gannin Arnold, Paul Jackson Jr (g); Lee Thornburg, Randy Brecker, Tony Guererro, Willie Murillo (tp); Everett Harp (ts), Najee (ts), Brandon Fields (ts), Gary Meek (ts), Mark Visher (as, bar), Marion Meadows (ss), Vince Trombetta (ts), Doug Webb (various sax); Nick Lane, Jason Thor (tb); Mark Hollingsworth (bamboo fl); Tom Zink (p, kbs), Brian Simpson (kbs), George Duke (el p); Zach Bromberg (loops, kb programming); Franklin Richardson III (d); Lenny Castro, Alex Acuňa (per); June Kuramoto (koto);
The Rising Sun Orchestra (strings)
Recorded at Be Squared Studios and Slice of Heaven studios (no date given)
Brian Bromberg is one of those musicians whose profile doesn’t do justice to their track record, versatility or virtuosity. A bassist who is equally proficient on both acoustic and electric bass, he has played with Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Ritenour, Phil Upchurch, Michel Legrand, Shirley Horn and many others. Bromberg is also a producer, arranger, composer and engineer – he composed or co-composed all the tunes on this album, and co-engineered this recording.
Bromberg has released around 20 albums under his own name, and this latest, once again, highlights his desire to explore the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic possibilities offered by the bass guitar. On this album, Bromberg plays acoustic, electric (fretted and fretless) and piccolo bass. The piccolo bass is tuned like a guitar and sounds like one – the liner notes state “There are no guitar melodies or solos on this recording.” That said, guitar fills and rhythm guitar are included on ten of the tracks. There are thirteen tracks, although two of them are intro bass solos. Naturally, Bromberg’s bass playing is to the fore, and he used no fewer than eleven different basses on this recording (many tracks feature several basses). But this is no bass-fest album with long, tedious solos: Bromberg’s playing is always tasteful, and restrained when it needs to be.
The calibre of support musicians, which includes, Lenny Castro, Randy Brecker, Doug Webb, Paul Jackson Jr, Everette Harp and the late George Duke (playing on one of his last recordings) tells you all you need about the musicianship on this album. It has also been superbly recorded and mixed – the sound clarity is excellent.
The album opens on a high-energy note, starting with the jazz-funk ‘Is That The Best You Can Do?’, with its heavy slap-bass lines, followed by ‘Minneapolis’, 1978, a tribute to the fast, furious funky sound the likes of Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry
Lewis were producing in the 1980s, On both numbers, Bromberg is supported by a tight horn section, with stabs, punchy lines and gutsy sax solos (from Everette Harp and Brandon Fields respectively) underpinning the funk.
The tempo slows down for the third number, the title track written by Bromberg and his nephew Zach, which includes a fine tenor solo by Najee. ‘Coupe De Ville’ is a catchy number featuring more solo sax from Najee. The reflective ‘Changes’ features Bromberg on four basses, including a nylon string acoustic piccolo. ‘Trials And Tribulations’ is a dramatic number, cinematic in its scope. At the coda, Bromberg plays a piccolo bass solo that sounds like scorching guitar.
Fans of Bromberg’s acoustic bass playing will enjoy the short solo he plays as an intro to ‘It’s Called Life (For Mom)’ The sound of ‘UH-HuH’ reminds one of the music of George Duke (who provides an extended funky electric solo) and 1980s Miles Davis (the track includes muted trumpet).
This album starts off on a funky groove, but it ends on a more restrained note for the final three numbers. The ballad ‘Your Eyes’ features some fine playing by Marion Meadows on soprano sax, and in addition to the bass, Bromberg plays both the piano melody and solo. Bromberg’s single-note soloing on piano is simple but very effective on this lovely track.
‘Land Of The Rising Sun’, includes bamboo flutes (played by Mark Hollingsworth) and koto (played by June Kuramoto from the band Hiroshima) to evoke the sound and spirit of Japan. With sweeping strings from ‘The Rising Sun Orchestra’ and Bromberg on acoustic, fretless and acoustic piccolo basses, this six-minute number takes the listener on a joyous musical journey to the East. The album ends with ‘A Familia’ a two-minute acoustic bass solo.
This fine album deserves a wide audience. If you’re one of those people who normally listens to albums from bassists such as Marcus Miller or Stanley Clarke, you should check out Thicker Than Water, because you’ll be surprised and delighted by what you hear.
Reviewed by George Cole
