New Release
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Lindberg, is Chicago’s longest regularly operating big band. In 2004, Lindberg reached out to Broom about a Wes Montgomery tribute concert. After that successful performance, the two began thinking about this recording project, which is twenty years in the making!
Recorded on September 29. 30 and October 1, 2023 (during Montgomery’s centennial), More Amor consists of 10 songs, three arrangers–Charley Harrison, Tom Garling, and Alex Brown, who were commissioned to write brand new arrangements of songs already recorded by Montgomery. Two previously recorded arrangements were enhanced by Lindberg and are included. The result is a super-swinging, grand gesture, based on material associated with Wes Montgomery.
“For me, this project is a dream. I can vividly recall admiring the album covers by Wes, as the music played in my room in my New York City apartment when I was a teenager. To be asked, and to feel capable of doing this is almost surreal;” says Broom of the experience.
And when asked about the performances: “Every solo is stunning and holds up the banner for who we are. This is what we do. This is us in Chicago right now.”
(Wes Montgomery)
Charley Harrison, Arr; Pharez Whitted, tpt solo
Hal David and Burt Bacharach Charley Harrison, Arr; Scott Burns, tenor sax solo
(Wes Montgomery)
Tom Garling, Arr.
4. West Coast Blues
(Wes Montgomery)
Tom Garling, Arr; Rajiv Halim, alto saxophone solo
5. Somewhere
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim
Alex Brown, Arr.
6. More, More, Amor
(Sol Lake)
Don Sebesky, Arr. (Jeff Lindberg, additional strings Arr.);
John Wojciechowski, alto solo
7. Fried Pies
(Wes Montgomery)
Tom Garling, Arr; Dan Trudell, piano solo
8. Baubles , Bangles , and Beads
(Robert Wright and George Forrest)
Charley Harrison, Arr; Scott Burns, tenor saxophone solo
9. Dreamsville
(Henry Mancini, Jay Livingston and Raymond Evans)
Alex Brown, Arr.
10. Boss City
(Wes Montgomery)
Oliver Nelson, Arr; Victor Garcia, trumpet solo
Conductor and co-producer: Jeff Lindberg
Featured soloist and co-producer: Bobby Broom
Executive producers: Fredrick and Maria Stare
Recorded at Philharmonic Studios, Vernon Hills, IL
Recording mixed and mastered by Fred Breitberg
Recording Assistant: Greg Miner
Bio
Born in Harlem and raised there and on the Upper West Side of NYC, Bobby Broom took up guitar at 12 and five years later, in 1977, made his first appearance with Sonny Rollins at Carnegie Hall. Even prior to that auspicious start, he had dedicated himself to the art, culture, and life of jazz, with the goals of learning to express himself within the idiom, while honoring its historical traditions and spirit.
Nearly 50 years later, Bobby has amassed a formidable jazz pedigree, working closely with historic figures such as Rollins, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Stanley Turrentine and Kenny Burrell, as well as many of his contemporaries. To date he has made fourteen leader recordings and has traveled to perform, as an accompanying musician and with his own ensembles, in countries on five continents.
Broom is a tenured Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University and has devoted much of his career to jazz education. He began teaching at the tertiary level under the direction of NEA Jazz Fellow and saxophone great Jackie McLean at University of Hartford. Bobby has also worked with high school students through the Herbie Hancock (formerly Thelonious Monk)
Institute and currently, with the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program.
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