A Little Driving Music is almost sure to bring another visit from the jazz police, but it’s unlikely Brian Bromberg cares.
The multifaceted bassist has long since abandoned any boundaries, veering from straight-ahead acoustic to smooth jazz, from fiery fusion to melodic accompaniment for singers and other instrumentalists. He proudly displays his versatility on his own albums and other projects, and that continues here.
The funk hits the listener right in the face (or lower) on the opening “Froggy’s.” The driving rhythms and percolating bottom bass (there are at least three different isolated basses) make it impossible to not bounce/nod/dance along. The rocking guitar solo is, of course, another bass – this time, it’s Bromberg on piccolo.
The second tune refers directly to the pandemic we’ve all suffered through, but “Quarantine” is an upbeat, gently swinging tune with a repeating melodic line on piccolo bass that’s echoed by the horns. “That Cool Groovy Beatnik Jazz” is exactly that, coolly grooving through Craig Fundyga’s vibes and another of Brian Bromberg’s piccolo basses (the guy must have a fortune wrapped up in his bass collection).
“Bado Boy!” is a zesty island outing that gets the listener in a sunshiny mood. So of course it’s followed by “Walking On Sunshine,” with Dave Koz (and Bromberg) front and center.
We could run down all the rest of the tunes on A Little Driving Music, but they echo one another in their approach: zesty and full of life. And surprises, like the clarinet and accordion on “A Rainy Day In Paris.”
This is the third recording Bromberg has made since the world went into isolation. If A Little Driving Music is the result of lockdown, it’s almost tempting to suggest Brian Bromberg relegate himself to his home studio for 2021 as well.
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