Bobby Broom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bobby Broom
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Broom in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Broom Jr. |
| Born | January 18, 1961 New York City, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, jazz funk, soul jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Labels | Delmark, Arista, Criss Cross, Fantasy, Origin |
| Associated acts | Sonny Rollins, Deep Blue Organ Trio |
Robert Broom Jr., born on January 18, 1961, is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher. He grew up in New York City and later moved to Chicago in 1984, which is now his home. Bobby Broom plays and records music with his own groups, The Bobby Broom Trio and The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation. He is skilled in traditional jazz styles like bebop. He also uses sounds from other American music, such as funk, soul, R&B, and blues.
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Bobby Broom's Music Journey
Bobby Broom was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1961. He spent his childhood on the Upper West Side of New York City in the 1970s. He started learning to play the guitar when he was 12 years old. His first lessons were in folk music. A year later, he began studying jazz guitar with Jimmy Carter in Harlem. He took lessons every week for two years.
Bobby went to the High School of Music and Art, also known as Laguardia High School of Performing Arts. There, he played in the school's jazz band. In his last year, he won an award for his amazing jazz improvisation skills. Bobby started his music career while still in high school. He performed in New York clubs with famous jazz pianists like Al Haig and Walter Bishop, Jr.. In 1977, he played at Carnegie Hall in a concert with jazz legends Sonny Rollins and Donald Byrd.
College and Early Career
From 1978 to 1979, Bobby attended the Berklee College of Music. After that, he returned to New York to continue his music career. He also studied at Long Island University. In New York, he worked as a guitarist for famous musicians like Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Dave Grusin, Hugh Masekela, and Tom Browne. He also signed a contract with GRP Records.
In 1985, Bobby moved to Chicago. He formed The Bobby Broom Trio in 1990. Later, in 1999, he started the Deep Blue Organ Trio with Chris Foreman and Greg Rockingham. In 2014, he formed another group called The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation.
Musical Influences and Collaborations
When Bobby Broom was a child, his music heroes were guitarists like Wes Montgomery, George Benson, and Pat Martino. Throughout his career, he has worked with many other great musicians. These include Art Blakey, Max Roach, Stanley Turrentine, Miles Davis, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dr. John, Kenny Burrell, and Ramsey Lewis.
Notable Albums
In 2009, Bobby Broom released an album called Bobby Broom Plays for Monk. The album cover showed a red wagon, which was a nod to the famous jazz musician Thelonious Monk.
His first album that featured only his own songs was Upper West Side Story, released in 2012. This album became very popular. It reached number one on the College Music Journal jazz chart. It was also listed among the top albums of 2012 by Jazz Week and Down Beat magazines.
His fourteenth album as a band leader, Keyed Up, was released in 2022. It received great reviews from jazz music magazines. In May 2024, he released Jamalot (Live) with his organ trio, The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation.
Bobby Broom as an Educator
Besides being a musician, Bobby Broom is also a dedicated teacher. He started teaching in 1982 for Jackie McLean. McLean was the Director of African American Music Studies at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford.
Over the years, Bobby has taught at several other universities. These include the American Conservatory of Music, Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and DePaul University. Since 2000, he has also helped mentor high school students in Chicago. He does this through the Ravinia Festival Organization's Jazz Scholar Program.
In 2005, he earned his master's degree in jazz teaching from Northwestern University. In 2022, Bobby Broom became a tenured associate professor. This means he has a permanent teaching position. He also serves as a judge and guest teacher at jazz competitions. For example, he was the main speaker at the Evanston Jazz Festival in 2023.
Awards and Honors
- DownBeat Critics' Poll 2012
- DownBeat Critics' Poll 2013
- DownBeat Critics' Poll 2014
- DownBeat Readers' Poll 2015
Discography
As leader
- Clean Sweep (1981)
- Livin' for the Beat (1984)
- No Hype Blues (1995)
- Waitin' and Waitin (1997)
- Modern Man (2001)
- Stand! (2001)
- Song and Dance (2007)
- The Way I Play: Live in Chicago (2008)
- Bobby Broom Plays for Monk (2009)
- Upper West Side Story (2012)
- My Shining Hour (2014)
- Soul Fingers (2018)
- Keyed Up (2022)
- Jamalot (Live) (2024)
With Deep Blue Organ Trio
- Deep Blue Bruise (2004)
- Goin' to Town: Live at the Green Mill (2006)
- Folk Music (2007)
- Wonderful! (2011)
As sideman (selected)
- With Dr. John: Anutha Zone (1998), Duke Elegant (1999)
- With Sonny Rollins: No Problem (1982), Sonny, Please (2006)
- With Kenny Burrell: Generation (1987)
- With Stanley Turrentine: Home Again (1982)
