Beautiful takes on Monkish tunes – a record that's a bit warmer than the usual tribute to Thelonious, thanks to the round sound and deep soul of guitarist Bobby Broom! The group here is just a trio, and Bobby really gets plenty done in the small space of the set – romping around the Monk compositions in ways that really open them up – almost like he's using his instrument like a piano on one number, a sax on the next, and so on. As with most of Broom's best work, there's a chromatic warmth to the record that really holds things together – and, once again, makes us wonder why the hell this guy isn't hailed as one of the greatest living guitarists in mainstream jazz. Titles include "Reflections", "Lulu's Back In Town", "Ask Me Now", "Evidence", "Ruby My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Bemsha Swing". CD

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A killer set from a player who should have been huge – ultra-sweet guitarist Bobby Broom, a player we'd vote to become the next big heir to the sound of Wes Montgomery or George Benson! This debut set is a wicked mix of jazz and soul – recorded right at the best stretch of the early GRP label, with a similar blend and sense of depth as the label's initial albums by Don Blackman and Bernard Wright! The core groove focuses strongly on Broom's guitar, but there's also some great vocal numbers too – and it turns out that Bobby's a surprisingly good singer, too – with a nicely honest vocal approach that works great alongside his guitar. Arrangements are by Broom, Dave Grusin, and Marcus Miller – and titles include "No Bad Vibes", "Saturday Night", "Niqui", "Share My Love", "She's My Reason", and "Remember When". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from one of Chicago's most underrated jazz men! Bobby Broom's been plying his trade here in the Windy City on guitar in small group combos for years, playing some of the finest post bop modern jazz we've heard, but he's made few recordings. This great disc captures him alongside Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Cuber and Idris Muhammad, about as near as you'll come today to the classic George Benson quartet that cut some burning sides for Columbia in the late 60s, and as you might hope, this session lives up to the promise of the lineup! The group grooves along nicely on renditions of standards like "Old Devil Moon" and "Peck A Sec", jazzy takes on pop tunes like "Superstition" and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and Broom's originals"Dance For Osiris" and "Blues For Modern Man". 10 tracks in all. CD

A great new set from Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom – an excellent player, who, apart from a few albums on Artista in the early 80s, has never really gotten his dues! In the intervening years since those albums, Broom's increased his capabilities tremendously – taking off from his Grant Green-inspired sound, into whole new realms of chromatic and melodic expression. This brilliant set was produced with a very subtle flair – a spaciousness that's not part of that fake "brightness" that you'd hear on some of the newer jazz recordings that often ruin classic artists, but which is part of Broom's increasingly complex approach to jazz guitar. The group's a simple trio with bass and drums behind his lead – and tracks include "Stand", "I Will", "Come Back As A Flower", and a version of Phil Upchurch's classic "Monday Monday", who Broom shares a bit of sound with! CD

Guitarist Bobby Broom leads a quartet featuring Ron Blake on tenor, Dennis Carrol on bass, and George Fludas on drums. CD

A key bit of jazz funk from trumpeter Tom Browne – still grooving strong here, with a sublime mix of modern soul, funky jazz, and some of the 80s groove touches that showed up on the best GRP titles from the time! The album's got a smooth compressed groove – kind of post-Donald Byrd, with Tom taking solos over the top of most tracks, and occasional vocals , wither from a backing group, or an assortment of different lead singers. Players on the set include Bernard Wright, Dave Grusin, Bobby Broom, and Marcus Miller – and tracks include "I Know", "Midnight Interlude", "Let's Dance", "Night Wind", "Making Plans", "Thighs Hihg", and "Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic killer from trumpeter Tom Browne – a smoking set that still has all the jazz funk touches of his earlier records, yet which also picks up a bit of an electro vibe as well! The move here is a bit like that taken by some of Browne's labelmates on GRP at the time – particularly Bobby Broom and Bernard Wright – and offers up a great mix of jazzy roots and some of the newer sounds hitting the streets in the early 80s – a vibe that's maybe one of the first moments when older genres of music were beginning to show an influence from hip hop! Maurice Starr handles most of the production, and really makes things tight throughout – but Tom himself does a great job of keeping things interesting with the solos, augmenting the electric vibe with some rock-solid acoustic playing. Titles include "Rockin Radio", "Angeline", "Brighter Tomorrow", "Never My Love", "Mr Business", "Cruisin", and "Feel Like Makin Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Also features guitars from Bobby Broom, Rodney Jones, and Dave Jackson – plus drums from Kenny Washington! CD

Sweet electric fusion from Dave Grusin – a set that has the keyboardist working with great help from Japanese saxophone legend Sadao Watanabe – plus help from Don Grusin on keyboards, Tom Browne on trumpet, Dave Valentin on flute, Bobby broom on guitar, and Marcus Miller on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued set from the great Weldon Irvine – late 70s material made after his classic jazz/funk albums on RCA – and a set that's every bit as great as that material! Irvine works with some of the key musicians who'd make great funky records for the Arista/GRP label – including guitarist Bobby Broom, trumpeter Tom Browne, and keyboardist Don Blackman – the last of whom even sings a bit on the record! There's plenty of moments that resonate strongly with the GRP albums from all three of those jazz funk giants – and if the set had been issued by the label, it would have helped Weldon continue onto greatness well into the 80s. Yet regardless, the long-overdue record is a gem through and through – with titles that include include "Egypt", "Sexy Eyes", "It's Funky", "Blue In Green", "Morning Sunrise", and "The Sisters". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD

A set that's especially sexy, and especially jazzy too – as Jun Miyake works here with a whole host of American fusion players – a really great lineup who make the record soar! Jun's definitely in the more fusion-oriented side of his music here – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn, and handling keyboards too – with a shifting array of great sidemen who include Michael Brecker on tenor, David Sanborn on alto, Victor Bailey on bass, and Poogie Bell on drums – plus some especially nice work from guitarist Bobby Broom, who's very much in the mode of his best Arista records, and even sings a bit on one cut too! Titles include "JFK Express", "Becoming To You", "Wish", "June Night Love", "Twist To Open", "Crossing", and "Sea Born Mind". (Japanese, Jazz) CD

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes". CD

Chris Foreman on Hammond B3 organ, Bobby Broom on guitar, and Greg Rockingham on drums. CD

A tremendous tribute to the tenor talents of Sonny Rollins – live material from two different decades, all of it illustrating his continuing commitment to creative improvisation in a performance setting! Sonny's one of those guys you've always got to catch when he comes to town – a player who never fails to please, no matter his age, contemporary recording modes, or anything else – an always-creative saxophonist who continues to inspire audiences whenever he plays. The work on this set is pulled from shows starting in 1980, up to 2007 – with players who include Clifton Anderson on trombone, Mark Soskin on piano, Bobby Broom on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. Titles include "Blossom", "Easy Living", "Tenor Madness", "Best Wishes", "More Than You Know", and "Nice Lady". CD

Burrell plays with The Jazz Guitar Band, with Rodney Jones and Bobby Broom on guitar, plus Dave Jackson on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice later set from the mighty burner, after he returned to the more bluesy organ based format from the more R&B and fusion inflected sets he'd released throughout the late 70s and early 80s. Though the rough edges are a bit more smoothed out on some of the numbers than we'd care for, the group's composed of really solid players including Grover Washington, David Newman and Bobby Broom, and the majority of the set cooks nicely, on numbers like the title track, "Cosmic Phriends", "Don't Be So Mean Arlene" and "The Way You Make Me Feel". CD

A set that's especially sexy, and especially jazzy too – as Jun Miyake works here with a whole host of American fusion players – a really great lineup who make the record soar! Jun's definitely in the more fusion-oriented side of his music here – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn, and handling keyboards too – with a shifting array of great sidemen who include Michael Brecker on tenor, David Sanborn on alto, Victor Bailey on bass, and Poogie Bell on drums – plus some especially nice work from guitarist Bobby Broom, who's very much in the mode of his best Arista records, and even sings a bit on one cut too! Titles include "JFK Express", "Becoming To You", "Wish", "June Night Love", "Twist To Open", "Crossing", and "Sea Born Mind". (Japanese, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from this legendary Detroit festival – a mighty assemblage of roots and jazz performers that was put together by John Sinclair! The event was legendary at the time – and has lived on strongly via this great recording by Atlantic – one that really gets at the special fire of all the performers, and their very enthusiastic welcome by the audience too! Most of the material here is blues – but the set features a key track from Sun Ra & His Solar Myth Arkestra – a performance of "Live Is Splendid" from the Space Is The Place Suite. Other tracks include "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Dr John, "Road Runner" by Jr Walker, "Wang Dang Doodle" by Koko Taylor, "Gambler's Blues" by Otis Rush, "Ain't That Loving You" by Bobby Blue Bland, "Honey Bee" by Muddy Waters, "Form Kinetic" by CJQ, "Dust My Broom" by Johnny Shines, and "Goin Down" by Freddie King. LP, Vinyl record album

Three different guitarists – Bobby Broom, Rodney Jones, and Kenny Burrell – with bass from Dave Jackson and drums from Kenny Washington! CD

Chris Foreman on Hammond B3 organ, Bobby Broom on guitar, and Greg Rockingham on drums. CD