When it comes to inspiration for a record, Brian Bromberg has had quite a diverse array of influences over his five-decade career. The virtuosity of Jaco Pastorius, Jimmy Hendrix, and Scott LaFaro led to Portrait of Jaco, [2002], Bromberg Plays Hendrix, [2010], and LaFaro [2025], while composer Antonio Carlos Jobim was the muse for In the Spirit of Jobim [2012]. The acoustic and electric bass themselves fueled BASSically Speaking [1990], Wood [2002], Wood 2 [2005], Metal [2005], and Hands [2009]. And the Grammy-nominated Bromberg’s emergence as a piccolo bass-slinging smooth jazz superstar sparked a whole new vein of creativity on discs like Thicker Than Water [2018], A Little Driving Music [2021], and The Magic of Moonlight [2023]. For his latest effort, however, it was a dark period in his personal life that set the stage for a root revival.
Over a four day period at the end of 2023, Brian’s relationship with his fiancee ended, leading to his moving out and leaving behind is beloved pets, basses, and home studio. After scheduled eye surgery a few days later, he had a vision related fall in his new unfamiliar surroundings in which he sliced open his right hand fingers and broke his back. The music that emerged from his long road to physical and emotional recovery has resulted in the aptly-named Awakening [Shanachie, 2026]. The 13-track disc, Bromberg’s 30th as a leader, features such guests as saxophonists Dave Koz, Everette Harp, Marion Meadows, Michael Paulo, and Euge Groove; guitarists Shane Theriot and Paul Brown; and keyboardist David Benoit. The binding thread is Bromberg’s well-known use of an of assortment of axes, particularly his piccolo basses, but plenty of 5-string and tenor bass highlights abound. He reminds, “For me, the bass is just the conduit between the music that comes into my ears and comes out through my instrument. Ultimately, it’s all about the music and how it makes you feel as a human being.” We spoke to Bromberg on the eve of the record’s release to learn more about his musical resurrection.
How did this project come together?
As part of the healing process in what was a new chapter of my life, I was writing a lot of music that was spread out over many different styles. As the music got more defined and more towards melodic, grooving smooth contemporary jazz, I enlisted my friend [guitarist/producer] Paul Brown, who is my bandmate in in BPM [which stands for the first names of members Bromberg, Brown, and saxophonist Michael Paulo]. I was between record deals and I was negotiating with one of my former labels when Paul recommended me to Shanachie, who I’ve known for a long time, having produced and composed for some of their artists. We reached a deal and I asked Paul to co-produce the album with me because of his amazing track record with countless pop and contemporary jazz artists. He had never co-produced before, but he accepted because it was me and we have a close relationship. The record really benefits from his ears and his expertise. From there we started looking through the material and my demos. Paul sent me some great tracks by other writers that needed melodies, and I had some songs of my own, so the record is a split between the two. We recorded at Paul’s studio and my home studio, with sidemen cutting their tracks in their recording spaces and sending them to me to tweak and edit.
For me, the bass is just the conduit between the music that comes into my ears and comes out through my instrument. Ultimately, it’s all about the music and how it makes you feel as a human being.
How did the music manifest itself given all the hardships you endured leading up to it?
The main way is that this music is truly all about the melodies. That’s what came through the strongest. I was going to call the album “Awakening the Melodies of Life.” I wrote every melody on the record on my basses. They seemed to come through me very quickly and naturally, like this is what the universe wanted me to do. And surprisingly, given the circumstances, the music is filled with joy; even the sadder songs have optimisim in them. The whole process gave me my direction back, my confidence back, and my life back. It was very cathartic and helped me heal from the emotional and physical pain I endured. Hopefully there’s something on the album that might help someone else heal, as well.
What basses did you use and how were they recorded?
I used my Kiesel B2 signature 5-strings, 4-strings, and tenor basses; my Dean Exotica acoustic/electric piccolo basses; and my Dean Stylist hollowbody piccolo basses — one with nylon strings, one with steel strings. All my strings are made by La Bella. I play all the basses fingerstyle; I don’t use a pick. I treat the piccolo basses like guitars in that I play them through guitar amps, live. For this album I recorded all the basses direct at my home studio. Paul mixed the record and his studio has some nice analog preamps and reverbs that we used.
Let’s talk tracks. The opener, “Forever Friends” establishes your piccolo bass as the record’s main voice and you mix in tenor bass selectively.
I co-wrote that with Jeff Smith, who provided the track and I love the spirit and vibe he created. I thought it would be a good way to open the record with a positive energy. Yes, the verses are piccolo bass and in the choruses I double it with tenor bass for contrast. Often I’ll start with piccolo for a verse and add tenor or another instrument like sax or keyboards for the second verse, to give it layers and keep it developing.
“Apparently Not,” the record’s first single, has a piccolo melody and solo but later in the track you take a standard 5-string bass solo.
That was written entirely by me, and it features my buddy Everette Harp on sax. The second solo felt right to me, applying my penchant for sonic contrast and development. It needed a funky, unapologetic bass breakdown. Interestingly, Paul wasn’t completely sold on doing this song as he was thinking it sounded too much like the old Brian. But when the label heard it, they felt like it was a potential hit, so it became the lead single. The track has a similar vibe and groove to my song “Coupe DeVille” [Thicker Than Water, 2018], which was a number one hit on the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts. It’s bass heavy, with a swingy feel and a horn section. I’m cool with the decision the label made; it’s a fun tune.
As one of the genre’s longest practitioners, you’ve carved out a unique space in the pantheon of smooth jazz bass.
I’ve been very blessed. I’d say Stanley Clarke was probably the first bass player on the smooth jazz charts because of the movie soundtracks he did and because he’s Stanley Clarke. But I’m one of the first bassists, going back to the ’80s and ’90s, that broke through smooth jazz radio, got airplay, and had hits. And the main reason for that is I was playing mostly lead piccolo bass, so it didn’t sound like a bass, it sounded like a guitar. I had hits because people liked the songs and had no idea I was a bass player. Gradually smooth jazz radio started playing bass players more, and you had people like Gerald Veasley, Marcus Miller, Wayman Tisdale, and Nathan East charting, which was phenomenal. So when Watercolors on Sirius XM added “Apparently Not” with an edited bass solo included, on the first day of the record’s release, it made me very happy and showed how far we’ve come.
Which brings us to a question you’re often asked: How do you approach piccolo bass as the lead instrument?
Physically I’m playing it just like I play my other basses, but conceptually I don’t think of myself as a bass player because I’m in the lead role, whether that means playing a melody or improvising. So yes it’s a bass, yes it sounds like a guitar, — because I tune it an octave and a fourth higher than standard bass [A-D-G-C] — but I’m just thinking about singing through the instrument and creating lines that tell a story. As a jazz musician, I hit the red button and play. If I don’t like it I’ll take another pass. I never work anything out ahead of time.
As a jazz musician, I hit the red button and play. If I don’t like it I’ll take another pass. I never work anything out ahead of time.
That said, there are guitaristic things you employ on the record, such as octaves.
I think it’s just the nature of the instrument, especially because I don’t use a pick. Octaves are something you’re naturally going to come across and use as an expressive device because it’s a great sound. It’s funny that you mention it, though because King Records in Japan, who asked me to do my Jaco record [Portrait of Jaco, 2002] and my Hendrix record [Bromberg Plays Hendrix, 2010] have reached out to me about doing a Wes Montgomery tribute record. It’s an intimidating prospect because Wes was such a monster, but I’m contemplating it. I never try to copy guitar players on piccolo bass, but maybe Wes is an influence without me realizing it, and that’s what they’re hearing.
The record’s first balled, “The Dance We Never Had,” has a piccolo octaves melody but also some cool chords in your solo.
That was definitely a “big box” [hollowbody jazz guitar] inspired moment that just happened. With only four strings, I can’t do complex full guitar chords but you can find some pretty cool four-note voicings. That’s a song I wrote myself that has a personal meaning, so it’s emotional and on the sad side but not totally sad. Dave Koz guests on it and he’s always great. He premiered the song on his Sunday Watercolors show. I played some keyboards on it and did the string arrangement, and I take a tenor bass solo at the end that continues through the rideout.
“The Dancer” has a deep quarter-note groove not often heard in smooth jazz.
This song will be a single. I wrote it with Buddy Jordan, who is a bass player, and I’m excited about the groove [drummer] Gordon Campbell and I created. It’s got a subtle swing to that gives it an infectious bounce. It’s also a great vehicle for the piccolo bass because it lends itself to playing bebop 16th-notes at this tempo. What I really like about the song is it doesn’t sound like anything else in the format, but I think it’s going to explode on radio.
The title track is another song that bends the format, with elements of African percussion and a sprawling midwest soundscape.
That’s another song I wrote with Jeff Smith, who is a talented cat. When I heard the track the melody came to me within five minutes. It really feels like an awakening. I had Joel Taylor play drums on this because he’s a master of playing world music and blending genres. The melody is shared by piccolo and tenor basses throughout, with the two trading right to the end.
Meanwhile, “Salutations” has a Middle Eastern start and flavor.
Yes, I wrote that one myself and we weren’t sure it fit on the record because it sounds so different to start. However, it morphs into a cool R&B/smooth feel and [saxophonist] Marion Meadows does his thing, so it has an ethnic element while being format friendly. The balance between the two gives it a unique quality. I like pulling influences from different parts of the world into the music, it makes it more interesting. I want songs that challenge the listener while also taking them on a journey.
I like pulling influences from different parts of the world into the music. I want songs that challenge the listener while also taking them on a journey.
“Candlelight” has a contemporary, urban R&B sound and a nice spread of your 5-string, tenor, and piccolo basses, sonically.
That’s exactly what it is, my version of reproductive music. [Laughs.] Lew Laing wrote the track and I wrote the melody, which is somewhat suggestive and mysterious. Michael Paulo is on sax adding to the mood. As for the basses, one of the reasons I like the 5-string is it leaves me room to play other basses on top of it. I never want them to clash or fight for frequencies. I want there to be air and space between them. Here I play a lot on the B string but I have no problem letting the subwoofers do their job; plus it lends a sort of 808 vibe to the track.
“Cherry Blossom” has a serious backbeat, which leads to some slap support towards the end.
I wrote that song with Randy Weber and to me it’s another one that stands a little apart from anything else on the album. It’s inspired by fond memories of my numerous trips to Japan, thus the title. There’s an innocence to the song that made me think of Japanese culture. The 5-string slap support just happened based on musical need in the moment. That’s where it took me and I think it works. I never want to do something for the sake of doing it. It must have musical integrity.
“Ojai” is a duet featuring your piccolo bass and Paul Brown’s guitar.
I wrote that with another great guitarist, Shane Theriot [Neville Brothers, Hall & Oates], who’s all over the record and is doing some some upcoming gigs with me. When I wrote the melody I was hearing a countermelody, a sort of harmony line, so I recorded that, too. Then I realized it would make a good duet, and Paul had been asking me about finding a place for him to play on the record, so it worked out perfectly. I like how you can clearly hear the difference between my steel string piccolo bass and his hollowbody jazz guitar because I wanted it to be a conversation. I also like that the song has a bit of a country, Americana vibe. It’s my homage to Ojai, where I lived for seven years.
The record ends on a classy, poignant note with “So In Love, So Alone.”
Rather than something high energy, I wanted to close the record with a mature piece that makes the listener think. Most people know what it’s like to feel alone in a relationship or have issues with their mate. Buddy Jordan sent me the track and I was blown away. It has emotional calories and musical calories, as well. Years ago the lyricist Alan Bergman told me the story of he and his wife Marilyn bringing the lyrics to “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” to Michel Legrand. Legrand put the lyrics on the piano and read through them while improvising what we now know as the melody and chord changes on his very first pass, stream of consciousness. When he finished he said, I hope you recorded that because there’s no way in hell I could ever play that again! Fortunately they had. That’s what happened to me when I sat down to compose a melody for this track. It just came through me on the first take, like I was channeling it from the universe.
What lies ahead for you?
Since I’ve returned to the greater L.A. area I feel like I’m back on the scene. I’ve been doing some producing and playing on records, and writing for other artists more than ever. I’m grateful to have BPM, we’re doing some gigs and preparing for our next record. I’m booking some gigs of my own. My goal with this 2.0 chapter of my life is to remain committed to my career and the brand that I’ve been building, with the hope of reaching my potential, whatever that may be. I’m at that age where everything you do has to mean more. Reataionships have to mean more, the music has to mean more, the notes have to mean more. It all has to count. Having come through a challenging period, I’m excited to pursue this new direction.
Gear
Basses: Fretted and fretless Carvin and Kiesel B2-5 5-strings, B2-4 4-strings, and B2-4s strung as tenor basses; Kiesel solidbody B2-4 piccolo bass; Dean Stylist hollowbody piccolo basses strung with nylon or steel strings; Dean Exotica acoustic/electric piccolo basses strung with nylon or steel strings; 300-year-old Matteo Guersam Italian upright bass (“Most likely a Busan, built by him and his apprentice Matteo.”); Bjorn Stoll copy of the Italian bass (both uprights have Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore Weich strings and EVNO microphones for live performances)
Strings: All electric basses have LaBella strings; the nylon-string acoustics have custom classical guitar strings for 34-inch scale bass, with two wound nylon strings and two unwound
Rig: Markbass Little Mark Vintage head with Markbass Standard 104HR cabinets; Epifani UL902 head, assorted Epifani cabinets
Effects: EBS Dynaverb and Octabass pedals
By: Chris Jisi