Bobby Broom - Upper West Side Story (Origin, 2012)

Bobby Broom is a mainstream jazz guitarist in good standing who leads his own group in addition to having impressive sideman credentials with Sonny Rollins, and the Deep Blue Organ Trio. On this trio recording, Broom is supported by Dennis Carroll on bass and either Kobie Watkins or Makaya McCraven on drums. They open up the program with “D’s Blues” which is a nice forward moving piece with Broom getting an interesting Grant Green like tone from his guitar. “Upper West Side Story” has the trio playing at a medium-up tempo with strong, stinging guitar over loping bass and drums. Slowing things down to a ballad fell, “After Words” has Broom open with a gently strummed guitar figure before developing a liquid flowing tone and making way for a bass solo. “Major Minor Mishap” has a bounding groove with the leader developing a nice neon hued guitar solo. “Fambroscious (for Fambrough)” is a tribute to the bassist Charles Fambrough and a highlight of the album, boiling with fast guitar and uptempo bass and drums. Broom keeps the music moving throughout, flowing like water over a waterfall. “Call Me A Cab” has a sharper toned guitar feel against a thicket of bass and drums, with the leader spooling out a thoughtful guitar solo. This was a well constructed mainstream jazz album. The band develops a diverse program of music that shifts through all of their gears from uptempo fast paced cookers to thoughtful ballads. Upper West Side Story - amazon.com

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