Thicker Than Water - Album

Frogtoon Music Album Info: Thicker Than Water

Published: 07 Jul 2018, 11:47

Brian Bromberg Specializes In Smooth Jazz. That's Music With Rough Edges Removed. He Plays It On Basses Upright And Electric And On Piccolo Basses Which Are Tuned To Sound Like Guitars. It's All Fiendishly Clever But Bromberg Remains Modest. He Uses A Whole Side Of The Album's Cover To Thank Everyone Including God "for Trusting Me With The Gifts That You Have Given Me." He's Had His Ups And Downs. In 1979 When He Was Just 19 Bromberg Toured With Stan Getz Then Went On To Release A Series Of Solo Albums Used All Over The World To Demonstrate High Quality Stereo Equipment And Was Nominated For A Grammy. Then Two Years Ago An Accident Resulted In Him Breaking His Back In Two Places With Severe Trauma. He Made An Amazing Recovery Celebrated Here With What He Describes As "high Energy Funky In-Your-Face Original Music Ensconced In Memorable Melodies Infectious Grooves And Deep Pocket." George Duke Randy Brecker Brandon Fields And Gary Meek Helped In Its Creation. There's Actually A Reflective Almost Melancholy Feel To Many Of The Tracks With Bromberg Paying Homage To The Blue-Eyed Soul Sounds Of His Youth. Most Are Based On Funky Repetitive Bass Riffs Kicking Off With "Is That The Best You Can Do?" And "Minneapolis 1987." The Title Track Is Looser More Jazzy. "Coupe De Ville" Builds Slowly Before Settling On A Bass Riff Followed By A Tenor Solo From Najee Which Keeps The Proceedings Very Much On The Smooth Side Of Soul. "Trials And Tribulations" Sees Bromberg In Thoughtful Mood But With Some Very Fast Piccolo Bass Work Sounding Like Guitar . "Uh-Huh" Shows Off His Orchestrating Skills With A Cast That Includes George Duke Playing One Of His Last Gigs. "Your Eyes" Is A Lovely Relaxed Ballad And Is Followed By "Land Of The Rising Sun " Bromberg's Take On Japan. This Comes As A Welcome Surprise After All The Bass Riffing Featuring Mark Hollingsworth On Bamboo Flutes And June Kuramoto From The Band Hiroshima On Koto. To Close Bromberg Reverts To Upright Bass For "A Familia " Keeping It Short And Sweet Which Is How Upright Bass Solos Should Be. Track Listing Is That The Best You Can Do? Minneapolis 1987 Thicker Than Water Coupe De Ville Intro Coupe De Ville Changes Trials And Tribulations It’s Called Life Intro It’s Called Life For Mom Uh-Huh Your Eyes Land Of The Rising Sun A Familia. Personnel Brian Bromberg Upright Electric And Piccolo Bass Everette Harp Najee Doug Webb Brandon Fields Gary Meek Mark Visher Vince Trombetta Marion Meadows Saxophone Lee Thornburg Randy Brecker Willy Murillo Tony Guererro Trumpet Nick Lane Jason Thor Trombone Tom Zink Brian Simpson George Duke Keyboards Gannin Arnold Paul Jackson Jr. Guitar June Kuramoto Koto Franklin Richardson III Drums Lenny Castro Alex Acuna Percussion Mark Hollingsworth Bamboo Flutes Zack Bromberg Loops. Title Thicker Than Water | Year Released 2018 | Record Label Mack Avenue Records