Bass CDs
Available Now – Bassist-Leader Brian Bromberg Reissuing Five Albums
Bassist-Leader Brian Bromberg Reissuing Five Albums He Recorded for Japanese King Records Label Between 2003 and 2011
Available on Digital Platforms on July 8 via Bromberg’s Be Squared Productions…
Respected bassist-leader Brian Bromberg has been a busy sideman and producer for many years, working with such renowned artists as Stan Getz, Diana Krall, Freddie Hubbard, Jeff Lorber and many in the smooth jazz/contemporary jazz space. Along the way, Bromberg has built up a sizable solo discography, up through his 2021 pandemic-period album A Little Driving Music.
His discography expands retroactively with the forthcoming digital reissue of five albums, recorded between 2003 and 2011 for the Japanese King Records label and made widely available only this year. As a whole, the handful of archival projects — including his ambitious solo bass album Hands, the jazz-revised classical collection A Bass Odyssey and three group sessions under the title The JB Project: Brombo — fills a gap in Bromberg’s recorded legacy and broadens the overall profile of his creative energies and talents.
Bromberg, who has also worked on the business side of recording industry in the past, is taking charge of the reissue project, with freshly remastered tracks which mostly showcase his acoustic bass playing. In part, the effort rises out of a desire to have valuable past work unearthed and made available on the market.
“When you do something that you’re proud of and it sits on a shelf and doesn’t get released, it’s very frustrating,” Bromberg says. “So it’s doubly exciting that I can now get this out to the world and people can actually hear it now. Whether they like it or not is entirely up to them, but at least I feel good about the fact that at least it’s out there.”
Bromberg’s strong ally at King Records was Susumu Morikawa, head of the jazz division, who often suggested varied, inventive themes for Bromberg’s albums. The “JB Project” started as a collaboration with famed Japanese drummer/composer Akira Jimbo — the “J” of the acronym — whose resume includes work with the noted fusion band Cassiopeia. On the three volumes of music, under the heading of “Brombo,” the central players were joined by keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz on each session, with celebrated Bromberg keyboardist comrades Patrice Rushen and Jeff Lorber appearing on the third release.
Material-wise, tunes range from originals to covers from jazz and pop sources, including “Giant Steps” and Seals and Croft’s “Summer Breeze” on the first album, “Nardis” and Sting’s “Fields of Gold” on the second and Herbie Hancock’s intricate “Actual Proof” and the Eagles’ “I Can’t Tell You Why” on the third. Bromberg recalls that the “JB” recordings were “really fun, because they were just things that I never would’ve thought of or never would’ve done, with some different types of arrangements. The records did really well in Japan. We talked about it and picked some tunes in advance, but it’s not like we rehearsed. Akira came in from Japan, we recorded it live.”
Speaking of Brombo titles, Bromberg asserts, “I’m really excited to get those records out in this country because I think there’s some really decent music on there. There are some good tunes and really good playing. Otmaro’s amazing. A lot of people in America are not familiar with Akira. I get to expose, you know, this talented guy to America and also just get some of this music out.”
At Morikawa’s request, Bromberg turned his attentions to music from the classical canon for A Bass Odyssey, on which he blends bass, piccolo bass (with a higher, guitar-like register, it’s a unique voice on the bass that Bromberg has mastered, especially as a soloing voice) and drums—on which the leader also does the honors. Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, immortalized in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, kicks of a selection also touching on such classical playlist favorites as Ravel’s Bolero and Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”
“I used to play a lot of classical music when I was young,” Bromberg says. “The project was cool because it really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to figure out how to do things and make them work as a jazz player and as a bass player and, and to make it unique. It was just cool to take some of these popular things and just do a different twist on them. It’s a record that it’s really all over the map, but when you look at it, it’s like a coffee table book of short stories, all played by this bass player.”
Hands involves a very different challenge and focus, as an entry the rare art of the solo bass record. After battling nerves about the idea of going solo, Bromberg recalls getting into the studio and diving in with an open musical mind. He started wisely, with the familiar standard “Stella by Starlight” and ended up covering a broad, 18-track swath of material, from “Teen Town” (sounding fresh on acoustic bass), to the Police hit “King of Pain” and Dave Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way.”
“I’m really glad I did the record,” Bromberg says. “I don’t know if I’ll ever do another solo record just because you gotta be on your game. It’s live. You can’t fake it. It takes a lot of focus to really nail the performance and nail the pitch and get it right. It was a wonderful experience. That’s off my bucket list and now I’m good. Maybe someday, if I have the nerve, I’ll do it again.”
On a larger scale, Bromberg is enthusiastic about his digital rebirthing endeavor. “The thought of this music going out to the world is a very rewarding thought,” he says. “You want people to hear what’s in my heart, and the passion and the intensity and the honesty.”
Visit online at brianbromberg.net
In an exciting announcement for Rush fans and rock enthusiasts alike, Anthem Records in Canada and Rhino Records will reissue the first-ever solo albums of Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee. Lifeson’s 1996 album Victor and Lee’s 2000 offering My Favourite Headache will be re-released on August 9, 2024, in various formats, including a range of vinyl configurations.
My Favourite Headache, Geddy Lee’s only solo album to date, was initially released on November 14, 2000. This reissue marks its first vinyl pressing since a limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive in 2019. The fourth side of the album features two instrumental mixes. Produced by Lee, Ben Mink, and David Leonard, the album includes contributions from Mink and drummers Matt Cameron (Soundgarden/Pearl Jam) and Jeremy Taggart (Our Lady Peace).
Victor, originally released on January 9, 1996, marks Alex Lifeson’s solo debut. Lifeson took on the roles of songwriter, producer, and mixer for this album. For the first time, Victor will be available on vinyl, featuring a complete remix by Lifeson himself to enhance the audio quality. The fourth side of the album includes four instrumental tracks previously exclusive to Lifeson’s website. Guest artists include lead vocalist Edwin from I Mother Earth, Primus bassist Les Claypool, and Canadian powerhouse vocalist Lisa Dalbello. The 15-song collection is paired with striking 2024 reimagined artwork by Fantoons Animation Studios.
For more details on the Geddy Lee reissue and to preorder, https://lnk.to/MyFavouriteHeadache
For more details on the Alex Lifeson reissue and to preorder, https://lnk.to/AlexLifesonVictor
Acclaimed bassist and composer Ben Wolfe is thrilled to announce the August 9, 2024 release of The Understated.
This evocative new album features a collection of new original compositions by Wolfe paired, with re-imaginings of some of the composer’s classic material, with a particular emphasis on the ballad song-form. The album features ten tracks, five of which are ballads – a bold move for any composer – Wolfe creates a cohesive narrative here that challenges the listeners perception of the classic ballad. The Understated features Wolfe alongside artists who make up the very frontline of modern jazz, including pianist Orrin Evans, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, drummer Aaron Kimmel, guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Sullivan Fortner.
Wolfe has always been drawn to finding beauty in subtlety. He perceives a certain tranquility and elegance in the Coltrane Quartet, Louis Armstrong’s Hot Fives and Sevens, the legendary Miles Davis bands and rhythm sections, and the music of Charlie Parker. While he, of course, revels at the immense world-building energy of this music, it’s the “other side” – the elusive, magical aspect that endlessly captivates him – the understated. The composer draws inspiration most from the ensemble work of these hallmark jazz ensembles. Despite the individual parts being extraordinarily beautiful on their own, the musicians in these archetypal ensembles play only what is needed to serve the music, paying particular attention to the band-sound more-so than their individual sound. The Understated embodies this ethos with a tremendously impactful ensemble-oriented approach.
Wolfe sought to continue the thread started by “Lullaby in D” from his previous critically acclaimed release Unjust. Wolfe indicates, “Something about that take was so perfect to me. It had been brought to life, and it had that ensemble thing.” Wolfe assembled the quartet who recorded “Lullaby” (including longtime collaborator Orrin Evans, as well as recent frequent collaborators Aaron Kimmel and Nicole Glover) and two very special guests, Russell Malone and Sullivan Fortner. The recording process took place in one room with no headphones or isolation booths, further emphasizing the group’s collective awareness.
This record succeeds in bringing Wolfe’s expansive music to life through extremely conscientious group playing. Nothing is forced or pushed; everything that needs to be stated is stated. The single from the album, “Waltz,” encapsulates the spirit of the project. Wolfe says, “I view albums like a complete painting, so singles have been difficult for me. This song is very much in the spirit of the whole but doesn’t give away the record.” The piece features a sentimental melody delivered with grace by tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, before Glover and Evans embark on stirring solos dancing in and out of the tune’s harmony.
Other new original compositions featured here include “Ballad in B”, which perhaps best demonstrates the group’s stunning cohesion. This tune is a refreshing diversion as it features a serene repeated melody without overt melodic improvisation. The following track, “Anagram”, begins with Kimmel’s rhythmic refrains and a unison melody played by Glover and Wolfe and is a true ensemble piece. On this track, Wolfe shines with a lyrical solo. The moody short interlude “So Indeed” is a lyrical masterwork that leaves the listener wanting even more. “Beautiful You” features master guitarist Russell Malone on the track’s melody. The emphasis here on restrained lyricism is a prime reminder of the old adage “it’s not the notes you play, it’s the notes you don’t play”. Each pocket of space in between melodic moments leaves room for the listener to breathe deeper and deeper into the song. The driving “Triangle Man” features fantastic improvisation from Glover and Kimmel. The tender “Barely Spoken” concludes the album with a feature for pianist Sullivan Fortner.
The album also weaves in references to Wolfe’s past works, creating a personal musical universe. “The Poet Speaks” is the opening track on his first record, 13 Sketches. “Occam’s Razor” was composed years ago for a collaboration with a choreographer and painter, and was a much different composition in its original form. “Love Is Near” was originally found on The Whisperer. With ballads in particular, Ben uses voicings and sounds that represent certain things to him, intentionally referencing his other compositions to generate connections between his songs.
Wolfe’s tremendous compositions on this album are also influenced by the group of musicians that he assembled for this release. Wolfe remarks “One of the things these five musicians share in common is that not only are they true ensemble players, they will always play something unexpected and special.” Listeners will find calm and beauty within the ensemble performances throughout The Understated.
Visit online at benwolfe.com/
Bassist, band leader, and composer Orlando le Fleming continues to make music that crosses genres as readily as he crosses the Atlantic, with this new album ‘Wandering Talk’, to be released physically on 23rd August via the UK’s premiere jazz label, Whirlwind Recordings.
After 20 years in New York City, he’s back in his native UK, forging new pathways and renewing old partnerships. His love for the acoustic tradition continues unabated alongside his deep affection for the robust, muscular electric fusion that emerged in the 1980s, and he has received critical acclaim from media including The Guardian, Financial Times, Jazzwise, and All About Jazz among others. He has also toured and recorded with some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians including Branford Marsalis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Antonio Sanchez, Ari Hoenig, and Wayne Krantz.
The Romantic Funk project was born in New York’s legendary 55 Bar to explore that legacy: now the new album ‘Wandering Talk’ builds on the critical acclaim generated by ‘The Unfamiliar’ (2020), building on the framework with a set of collaborators that brings together London and New York, past and present, acoustic, and electric, and merges it all into a spectacular whole.
Following the same principles that served the project in NYC, le Fleming booked four Friday nights at London’s renowned Vortex Club to workshop the music that would become the album, with a rotating cast of players which he honed down into the final line-up. Old London friends Tom Cawley (piano/keys) and James Maddren (drums) completed the rhythm section. New acquaintance Nathaniel Facey was picked from the ranks of the UK’s brightest young saxophone players. NYC stalwart Philip Dizack flew in from the US to play trumpet and reaching back to Orlando’s school days and forward to his own family, one-time classmate Chris Martin (Coldplay) and his own daughter Nadia combined to provide vocals on a special setting of Rumi’s poetry.
As before, the music combines fusion’s flash and fire with a contemporary sensibility. This time, Orlando’s questing spirit sends his superb band forward to investigate fresh areas of creativity in dynamic and texture.
Visit online at orlandolefleming.com
Album: John Entwistle, Rarities Oxhumed – Volume Two
Rarities Oxhumed – Volume Two is the second of the series of posthumous releases coming from John Entwistle.
Rarities Oxhumed – Volume Two is a compilation that was curated by drummer Steve Luongo, who served as John Entwistle’s producer, bandmate, business partner and good friend for many years. As Luongo states, “When I agreed to do two volumes of John Entwistle rarities, I knew volume two had to be even better than volume one. It is!” The collection of songs on Volume Two are from his years with the John Entwistle Band and include re-mastered versions of studio tracks including “Endless Vacation”, alternate mixes of tracks like “Sometimes”, and live tracks including The Who cuts “Real Me”, “Long Live Rock” and an epic version of “Young Man Blues”. The latest preview track to be released is the Who cut “Had Enough.”
Listen to “Had Enough” here: push.fm/ps/hadenough
Rarities Oxhumed – Volume One was quickly embraced by longtime fans as it featured gems like “Bogey Man” featuring Keith Moon, “Where You Going Now” (demo for the Who), and a raw live version of “Trick of the Light” recorded during the John Entwistle Band’s final tour in 2001. Deko Entertainment is thrilled to have been able to bring both volumes of this unearthed music of John Entwistle to the fans and forever solidify him as one of the greatest rock musicians ever.
For more information, visit online at dekoentertainment.com/john-entwistle
Mark Egan, Cross Currents…
It is exciting every time I get a new album from Mark Egan as he is such an amazingly versatile player and I never know what to expect (except for excellent artistry!) In his latest release, Mark has teamed up with Shawn Peyton on drums and Shane Theriot on guitar to bring us “Cross Currents”.
This collection of eleven tracks transports me to the Gulf Coast (New Orleans specifically). Mark’s fretless basses lay down a solid groove and lots of juicy solo work for this rootsy collection of funk, ambient, swamp-rock, second line, ballads, Cajun and even Indian Raga.
This trio is super-tight and the musicianship is flawless as each member has ample opportunity to shine. Even though each player is very talented in their own right, I feel that the collective energy is greater than just the sum of the players on this album. Each musician contributed to composing music for this project but the lion’s share are Mark’s original pieces.
I spent the summer of 1981 in New Orleans and this wonderful music takes me back to those fond memories. I participated in a wacky raft race on Lake Ponchatrain and this opening track elicits images of fun, sunshine, music, and great food.
This is another superb album that everyone will enjoy. Get your copy today! Cross Currents is available online at Amazon.com. Visit Mark online at markegan.com.