Podcast 627: A Conversation with Brian Bromberg

I last spoke to bassist Brian Bromberg two years ago, when his first album in almost four years, Full Circle, marked a strong return to the scene.  Since then Brian has been busy on the touring front, as well as lending his talents to CDs from among others, his long-time collaborator Gary Meek (see Podcast 599). His latest CD, Thicker Than Water, is a throwback of sorts to his large ensemble CDs It Is What It Is and Compared to That, full of funky grooves and up-tempo tunes. Made up of thirteen Bromberg originals, Thicker Than Water collects favorite collaborators like Randy Brecker, Everett Harp, Paul Jackson, Jr.. Gary  Meek, and in one final funky solo, the late George Duke. Bromberg has shown himself to be a master of Double Bass and Electric Bass, and the new CD allows him to play no fewer than eleven different basses to create its sound. From the throwback sound of "Minneapolis 1987" to more current beats brought to Brian by his nephew Zach Bromberg, the CD is not just a party for your ears, but a tonic for your soul. As Brian says in our conversation, he doesn't just want to get your booty off the seat - he wants to expand your mind as well. Podcast 627 is my talk with Brian, as we talk about the different sounds and textures he gets from different basses, the making of the new CD, why he misses the late George Duke, and his new live group, the Unapologetically Funky Big Bombastic Band. Musical selections from Thicker Than Water include "Minneapolis 1987", the title track, and "Uh-Huh" as well as "Spiritual for Iris" from Meek's Originals CD from 2017, which BRomberg produced.