Brian Bromberg September 10, 2009

Brian was born December 5th, 1960 in Tucson, Arizona. He grew up in a family of musicians and artists. His father and brother played the drums. With all that music around the house, and drums all over the place, it was natural for Brian to start playing the drums as well. Brian was two and a half years old, beating up the furniture and banging on anything that didn't move. After some years of playing and practicing, Brian began his professional career as a drummer at the age of thirteen.

In elementary and Jr.high School, Brian also played the cello. That was one instrument that Brian did not feel very comfortable playing. One day in orchestra class at jr. high, the orchestra director came over to Brian and said, hey Brian, you see that big bass over there in the corner? You know that nobody is playing it. Don't you want to play that big cool bass over there? You see, the orchestra director had a plan. He thought that having one bad bass player was better then not having one at all. That was his way of getting Brian to stop trying to saw his cello in half!

That day was a blessing in disguise. Brian didn't realize that he had the gift for melody as well as rhythm. With his drumming background, and all this new melody available to him from the bass, Brian knew that this was going to be his path.

From ages fourteen to eighteen, Brian locked himself up in a room and practiced day and night. Testing out of high school early and devoting all his time to music, for the next few years Brian played every type of gig imaginable. Quite often Brian would play five to seven nights a week with several different bands.

Brian's first big break came in 1979 when Marc Johnson, the wonderful bassist with the great jazz pianist Bill Evans, heard Brian play. Several months later while on tour, Marc ran into legendary jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. Stan was looking for a new bass player and asked Marc if he knew any new young players. Marc told Stan about Brian. Brian auditioned for Stan and joined the Stan Getz quintet in December of 1979. Brian had just turned 19 and spent nearly a year touring the world with Stan and his band.

Since then, Brian has toured, performed and or recorded with some of the greatest artists of our time. Here is a partial list:



Anita O' Day
Arturo Sandoval
Barney Kessel
Benny Golson
Bill Evans
Billy Cobham
Bob James
Bob Mintzer
Bobby Lyle
Boney James
Carmen McRae
Chris Botti
Clark Terry
Dave Grusin
Dave Koz
David Benoit
David Foster
Diane Schur
Dianna Krall
Dizzy Gillespie
Doc Powell
Dudley Moore


Eddie Harris
Elvin Jones
Elvis Costello
Ernie Watts
Freddie Hubbard
Gerry Mulligan
Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Hank Jones
Herb Ellis
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Mann
Horace Silver
Ivan Lins
James Moody
Jeff Lorber
Joe Farrell
Joe Lovano
Joe Sample
Johnathan Butler
Johnny Mandel
Josh Grobin
Joshua Redman


Keiko Matsui
Kenny Baron
Kenny G
Kenny Garrett
Kenny Rankin
Kirk Whalum
Lalo Schiffren
Larry Carlton
Lee Konitz
Lee Ritenour
Lenny White
Les McCann
Lionel Hampton
Lou Rawls
Michael Brecker
Michael Buble
Michael Crawford
Michel Legrand
Monte Alexander
Nancy Wilson
Patrice Rushen
Paula Cole


Peter White
Randy Brecker
Rene Olstead
Richard Elliot
Richie Cole
Rick Braun
Robben Ford
Roy Hargrove
Russ Freeman
Sadao Watanabe
Sarah Vaughn
Shirley Horn
Sonny Stitt
Stan Getz
Stanley Jordan
Stanley Turrentine
Steve Lukather
Tom Scott
Tony Williams
Toots Thielemans
Vinnie Colaiuta
Woody Shaw

Brian has also played on many movie soundtracks, including:

"The Fabulous Baker Boys"
"Housesitter"
"Hope Floats"
"The Preachers Wife"
"Havana"
"Guilty by Suspicion"
"The Exterminator"
"Absolute Beginners"
"The Recruit"
"Fat Albert"
and many more.

Brian's solo career began with the release of his first album "A New Day" in 1986. Right from the beginning with this first release, critics started noticing that Brian was different; doing things with the bass that hadn't really been done before. Bromberg's reputation was starting to spread throughout the world. Smooth jazz radio took notice as well, breaking Brian into the format and charting with his first record.

His next release "Basses Loaded", started to propel his visibility more. Even the title track became a cult classic amongst many bass players. Again, radio embraced his music and Brian was beginning to be recognized as a composer as well as a bassist.

Brian's very much anticipated third release; "Magic Rain" was the #1 most added record to radio in the country the first week of release.

Many people feel that this recording is when Brian started really coming into his own as an artist.

Bromberg's fourth release "BASSically Speaking", actually a reissue of Brian's first recording with some new tracks and additions, went top 5 on the radio charts and #7 on the Billboard sale's charts.

Brian chose to go back to his mainstream jazz roots for his fifth release," It's About Time, The Acoustic Project". This is a straight ahead jazz record that feature's jazz greats "Freddie Hubbard" and "Ernie Watts". This is an all-acoustic jazz record that went to #4 on the mainstream jazz charts.

Brian went back to his electric, more contemporary sound for his next record, "BRIAN BROMBERG". This is a very special recording. The CD features an all-star line up of musicians. Unfortunately, the record company went out of business a week after the record shipped! It is not available in stores or on line, but is available here on Brian's web site.

At this point Brian took a break from making records and concentrated on designing basses for Peavey Electronics, doing clinics, studio work and touring.

In 1996, Brian signed with Zebra records. He recorded what was to become his most successful record to date. In February 1998, Brian released "You Know That Feeling" An exceptional CD featuring smooth jazz greats, Rick Braun, Joe Sample, Jeff Lorber, and Everette Harp among others. By June of '98 Brian had his first #1 record of his career. "You know that feeling" had three singles in a row that each went to #3 on the charts. Spent 17 consecutive months on the charts, 8 months in the top 10, nearly 6 months in the top 5. Brian's CD was the 5th most played CD from the top 100 CD's of the year in smooth jazz. To this day, "you know that feeling" still remains in regular rotation on smooth jazz stations across the country.

Since the success of "You Know That Feeling", Brian has been developing quite a reputation as a producer, arranger and composer. As of the time of writing this bio, Brian's latest production is former Rippingtons saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa's CD "Another Door Opens." Jeff's first single "Hyde Park", co-written and produced by Brian, has been at #1 on the charts for 8 weeks, 1 week from tying the record for the longest #1 in the format's history. Brian's last hit single was the track "Relentless". It features Richard Elliot on sax and you can hear it on Brian's "Choices" CD. If you've been listening to the smooth jazz stations it's likely that you've heard Richard Smith's chart topper "Sing a Song" which was recorded right here at B² Studios. All in all, Brian has produced 8 top 10 hits, 7 top 5 hits and 2 #1 hits to date. Brian certainly has evolved into a major voice in music. From smashing through the barriers of how the bass is SUPPOSED to be played, to being recognized as a world-class producer and songwriter. As Brian himself says, "There are no rules, just dreams".

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