Brian
Bromberg’s career began as a teenager backing saxophonist Stan Getz. In the
nearly forty years since and over 20 projects in his catalog, Bromberg has
established himself as a first-call master of the upright as well as electric
basses, releasing more than 20 albums globally as a leader and providing
low-end for the likes of Chris Botti, Lee Ritenour and Michael Bublé.
“Thicker
Than Water is a record I’ve been wanting to make for a very long time,” says
the dynamic bass virtuoso Brian Bromberg. “I love the upright bass. It’s where
my heart and soul is. My connection with that instrument is unlike anything in
my life. I also love the electric bass and really wanted to explore its endless
possibilities on this project.” That love of the bass is evident across the
wide-range of irresistible grooves found on Thicker Than Water, available July
13 on Artistry Music.
Across 13
tracks, Bromberg utilizes 11 different basses to create an orchestra of unique
tones and rapid-fire runs. Helping Bromberg wield the groove are trumpeter
Randy Brecker, saxophonists Marion Meadows, Najee, Everette Harp, Brandon
Fields and Gary Meek, as well as one of the last performances from the late
keyboard master George Duke.
Punchy brass
and powerful energy from saxophonist Everette Harp ensure that everybody is
going to have a good time on the album opener “Is That the Best You Can Do?”.
Bromberg immediately displays a technical mastery that is focused like a
fine-point laser. “Minneapolis 1987” is a funkified time machine cleansed by
the waters of Lake Minnetonka. “Take your pick. It could be Jimmy Jam, Terry
Lewis, Prince. It could be Larry Graham. It could be Morris Day. Pick one or
all,” says Bromberg. “It’s all a vibe and a sound. Minneapolis absolutely had a
sound. Look at the talent that came out of there. You hear the first eight bars
and you are done. It says everything.”
The title
track comes from the bond that Bromberg shares with the album’s resident
beatmaker, his nephew Zach Bromberg. “He’s a computer guy,” says Bromberg. “He
writes loops and on this CD he came up with some grooves that are badass which
inspired me to write songs around those grooves that work in the instrumental
world of contemporary jazz.” Breezy handclaps and a percussive pulse provided
by Lenny Castro keep the mid-tempo tune in the pocket. Zach also contributes a
vibe for “Changes,” a soothing stroll carried by Bromberg’s steel string
piccolo bass. He plays no less than five completely different basses on the
track.
“It’s not
for the sake of playing a lot of basses,” explains Bromberg. “It’s not for
credit or how many notes I’m going to play. What’s going to work for the music?
Because the music dictates what I’m going to play and the end result is all
about the music. The music always wins! It’s rewarding to be able to use all
these instruments to express what I’m feeling inside."
“Coupe de
Ville” also addresses the feelings on the outside. “Sometimes songs just show
up in my head,” says Bromberg. “This one just showed up and the name popped
into my head immediately. We’re just cruising here in a big Cadillac.” Tenor
saxophonist Najee and rhythm guitar work from Paul Jackson, Jr., takes the tune
into the stratosphere with ebullient brass encouraging fleet-fingered runs from
Bromberg.
The slow
groove of “Trials and Tribulations” gives Bromberg ample space to highlight his
electric bass talents. “This is the most powerful song on the CD. It’s the
epic. I’m really proud of it. It’s so cool to have strings and horns together
on the same song.” The large ensemble is in sync with Bromberg’s outrageously
funky fills while the song “Your Eyes,” which Bromberg wrote as a homage for
his cat, cruises with sensitive strings and Bromberg’s piano debut. “I play the
melody and a little solo. I’m not a piano player. I have no chops but for a
solo ballad with one note at a time I can do it.”
“That one is
for my mom,” says Bromberg about the sweetly personal “It’s Called Life.” “The
tune showed up in my head. Sadly, she passed away before she got to hear it,
but this is one of those songs that really has emotional calories.” The
ballad’s gospel swing is amplified by Brandon Fields’ rich tenor saxophone who
works in tandem with Bromberg’s piccolo bass, gelling easily into a natural
partnership.
Bromberg
calls in the big guns for “Uh-Huh,” a fiery funk number that features trumpeter
Randy Brecker and one of keyboardist George Duke’s last performances. The tune
rises to the prestige of the performers with a big band heft and a
finger-popping beat. “Land of the Rising Sun” is Bromberg’s homage to Japan.
With help from June Kuramoto of the band Hiroshima on koto, the ensemble
embarks on a languid tour of the island nation.
“When I
write songs, especially if they have a vibe of a specific culture, I just want
the sound to sound as much like the culture as possible,” says Bromberg. “It’s
very rewarding to hear something in my head. Until it’s finished you don’t know
if you did a good job or not but when you hear this, first thing you think of
is Japan.”
“I started
on upright. I was a purist jazz guy,” Bromberg proudly explains but when he got
electrified, his palette expanded beyond his wildest imagination. He returns to
those early experimentations by closing out the album with a solo soulful hymn
entitled “A Familia.”
Recorded
comfortably at his home studio in Southern California, Bromberg surrounded
himself with musicians he trusts to record an album that resonates with
personality and personability. Bromberg’s virtuoso skills are in service to the
groove and each track moves with a refreshingly funky honesty.
“I hope
people listen to it with open mind and open heart,” says Bromberg. “A lot of
people familiar with me may not be expecting a record that grooves this hard. I
think a lot of people are going to be surprised by the vibe and the pocket.
Some people think the bass should sound like it did in 1965. Thump, thump,
thump. But, hey, that’s not for everyone.”
Brian
Bromberg · Thicker Than Water
Artistry
Music · Release Date: July 13, 2018
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