Bobby Broom

Early years

Broom attended the High School of Music and Art (now known as Laguardia High School of Performing Arts), where he played in the jazz ensemble and received an award for Outstanding Jazz Improvisation during his senior year.

Broom began his career while still in high school, performing at New York clubs with Charlie Parker pianists, Al Haig and Walter Bishop Junior. In 1977 he played at Carnegie Hall in a concert with Sonny Rollins and special guest Donald Byrd.

He went to the Berklee School of Music from 1978–79, then returned to New York in order to pursue his career while attending Long Island University. At this time he began working in New York as guitarist for Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Dave Grusin, Hugh Masakela and Tom Browne, eventually landing his own recording contract with GRP Records.

Career

In the mid 1980s Broom relocated to Chicago where he went on to tour and record with many of the aforementioned musicians. In Chicago, he also formed the Bobby Broom Trio in 1990 and the Deep Blue Organ Trio in 1999.

Among Bobby Broom's recordings as a leader is his trio's 2001 release, Stand!, a recording of unlikely interpretations of 60s and 70s pop and soul classics which received praise for staying true to the creative demands of authentic modern jazz. Jambands online magazine writes: "Stand!"'s theme works well for Broom — it adds accessibility to the set without getting in the way of documenting a skilled trio in its natural element. Further examples of Broom's foray into the developing American Song Book can be found on his other recent recordings as well as on recordings by The Deep Blue Organ Trio (see discography).

As an educator, Broom began his work in 1982 for Jackie McLean, Director of African American Music at Studies for the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. Over the years Broom has also been a lecturer/instructor at The American Conservatory of Music (1986–1990), Chicago Musical College — Roosevelt University (1990–1994) and The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (1987) and most recently at DePaul University (2002–2008). He currently teaches for the Ravinia Festival Organization — Music In The Schools/Jazz Mentor Community Outreach Program, as well as the Thelonious Monk Institute.

In 2005 Broom joined Sonny Rollins once again as a regular member of his touring band. He performed and recorded with Rollins until the spring of 2010. During this tenure Broom continued to increase his visibility as a leader, producing three recordings under his own name and another with the Deep Blue Organ Trio (their third). His latest trio record and Broom's eighth lead album, released on June 16, 2009, Bobby Broom Plays for Monk explores the music composed and performed by jazz icon, Thelonious Monk. The trio of Broom, bassist Dennis Carroll, and drummer Kobie Watkins "...turns what could have easily been a pedestrian "tribute" record into an inspired, swinging affair", says Jon Regan in Billboard magazine. And Ted Gioia of Jazz.com writes: "Broom shows again that he is one of the most musical guitarists of our times...".

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

External links

Category:American jazz guitarists Category:Jazz-funk guitarists Category:Hard bop guitarists Category:Soul-jazz guitarists Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Chicago, Illinois Category:GRP Records artists Category:Arista Records artists Category:Criss Cross Jazz artists Category:The Hartt School faculty Category:Roosevelt University faculty Category:DePaul University faculty Category:Berklee College of Music alumni