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There is a fundamental difference between a tribute and a testimony. While many artists revisit the songbooks of legends to pay homage, Bobby Broom’s latest release Notes of Thanks lands squarely in the realm of testimony. This isn’t just Broom playing the music of Sonny Rollins; it is a musician retracing the road that built him, one melody at a time.
Chicago-based Broom has been on a creative winning streak with 2024’s stellar live album Jamalot Live and the sublime 2022 release Keyed Up, not to mention his production work with New York-based saxophonist Ron Blake. Notes of Thanks extends Broom’s streak.
Bobby Broom is no stranger to gratitude projects, having previously honored icons like Thelonious Monk and Wes Montgomery. However, this dedication to Sonny Rollins carries a unique weight. Broom spent more time in Rollins’s band than any other guitarist, serving two five-year stints (1982–87 and 2005–10).
The serendipity of their connection is the stuff of jazz lore: as a 16-year-old LaGuardia High School student, Broom turned down a tour invite from Rollins because he had to graduate first. Years later, Broom discovered a 1977 entry in Rollins’s personal to-do list at the Schomburg Center that simply read, “Call Bob Broom.” That call eventually led to a Carnegie Hall debut and a lifelong mentorship.
Recorded in Chicago in late 2025, Notes of Thanks features Broom’s longtime trio: Dennis Carroll on bass and Kobie Watkins on drums. The chemistry here is telepathic—decades of shared language distilled into a “no safety net” environment. There are no guests and no grandstanding; instead, the trio focuses on deepening the music rather than expanding it.
Dennis Carroll provides a warm, rounded tone that feels almost vocal. He anchors the tracks yet allows space for expression and passion. Kobie Watkins is the drummer who also played in Rollins’s final band. Watkins colors the edges of the frame with a keen sense of feel, pushing tempos without ever crowding the soloist. This trio has a telepathy that is mesmerizing.
Bobby Broom made a point of avoiding the obvious in these two days of recording at Chicago’s Sound Mine Studio. Instead, Broom chose songs he hadn’t originally played during his tenure with Sonny, opting for deeper cuts and personal favorites.
“Alfie’s Theme” is not the familiar Bacharach tune; this is Rollins’ bluesier take. Broom strips it down, leaning into tone over flash. The phrasing feels deliberate, almost spoken. Watkins rim work dances perfectly with Carroll’s muscular bass. Carroll’s playful, melodic bass touches add an additional nuance to Watkins’ shuffling rhythms on “The Freedom Suite (Part 1)” while Bloom takes flight. Carroll’s soloing is subtle and effective. “Doxy” feels like muscle memory for the trio, with its percolating, energetic neo-bop feel. One of the most revealing moments on the album appears in the lovely rendition of “Kim.” Broom stretches out with long, angular lines and technical fire. Watkins and Carroll match Broom’s enthusiasm with a delightful shuffle.
“Me Time,” the lone original on the album, initially seems like an odd choice. The song written by bassist Dennis Carroll serves as the emotional center of the record. Solitary and delicate yet rewarding, it’s a lovely centerpiece with Broom’s guitar work building to a slow boil. “Paul’s Pal” is arranged in an “effervescent calypso style,” which appears on first blush to be unusual; however, it’s ultimately rewarding. From Watkins’ tom-tom introduction to Carroll’s walking bass, the songs bristle with passion and tension. Brrom’s melodic lines sew the melody together, adding to the passionate rhythm session.
“Pent-Up House” is a showcase for the trio’s ability to swing while avoiding the cliché. The song is loose and powerful with Bloom’s guitar lines intertwined with a fast-paced bopping rhythm by Carroll and Watkins. Carroll’s bass solo takes the song to a higher level, though it should be a tad louder in the mix. Watkins is not left out of the solo work with two memorable solo sections in the song. The album closer “Vase Hot” brings it all home with a jaunty and infectious melodic hook by Broom, complimented by the always inventive Kobie Watkins on drums and Dennis Carroll’s bass.
What makes Notes of Thanks succeed is the intent. Broom isn’t trying to re-interpret Rollins; he is recontextualizing himself through the lens of the man who helped shape him. The phrasing, the pacing, and even the silences feel shaped by years spent inside Rollins’s orbit. In the end, Bobby Broom doesn’t say “thank you” out loud; he plays it. It is a living document of influence in motion, where gratitude has finally taken form as sound.
- Bobby Broom – ‘Notes of Thanks’ (2026) - May 10, 2026
- Catherine Russell – ‘Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center’ (2026) - May 3, 2026
- Alex Wintz – ‘Collage’ (2026) - April 26, 2026
