With a catalogue that ranges from being a sideman for Stan Getz to solo albums dedicated to Jaco Pastorius or Jimi Hendrix, the bodaciously bold bassist Brian Bromberg brought in a musical canvas of bright colors with his Unapologetically Funky Bombastic Band to Catalina’s for 90 minutes of bel canto’d brilliance.
Switching between three bass guitars (of which we will comment later), Bromberg, teamed with the all star cast of Brandon Fields/ts, Ray Fuller/g, Tony Moore/dr, Hans Zermuehlen/key (say THAT name 3 times real fast!)and the three member Full of Hot House Horns to get the heads bobbing, the feet tapping and the ears blasted with extrovert yet glorious funky sauces and flavors.
Armed with his glittering B2 4 string, Bromberg mixed deep grooves with slithering solos to the back-beating struts of “Froggy’s” and “Is That The Best You Can Do” , with the horn section jabbing like Floyd Mayweather and Fields giving some hollering solos. The funk factor was high as the team rollicked through the air tight “Quarantine Time” as Bromberg and Fuller traded volleys, while Zermuehlen (and that’s the last time I’m writing his name) supplied some soulful work on a “Coupe De Ville” that was as polished as the chrome of a 64 Caddy.
Switching to a piccolo bass, Bromberg’s strings sounded like a deep-voiced Wes Montgomery as his fingers danced over the sizzling percussion on “ Havana Nights” and the horns were as strong as a double Café Bustelo on the salsa’d “Bado Bay”. The horns took a break, with Bromberg and the keyboardist leading a fun cha cha on a sensuously simmering “Martinis At The Velvet Lounge” before Bromberg and Fields mixed unison lines with jai alai volleys on “Thicker Than Water”.
The horn section jumped back on stage just in time for a gospled take of the pop hit “ Walking On Sunshine” while the evening closed with a foot stomping “Minneapolis, 1987” that rumbled like an avalanche off of PCH.
The mix of richly swinging melodies for the heart and irresistible grooves for the feet showed why Bromberg is unjustly pegged as a “smooth jazz” artist. Instead, he should be known as the guy who plays jazz smoothly, and thereby creating all of the difference in the world.
He’s here one more night.
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include David Garfield 08/17, Chris Walden’s Big Band 08/20, John Patitucci & Andy James 08/23, John Patitucci 08/26-28 and Lizz Wright 09/02-03