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 January 18, 1961) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher. He was born in New York City. Later, he moved to Chicago in 1984, which is now his home.
Bobby Broom plays and records music with his groups, The Bobby Broom Trio and The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation. He is very skilled in traditional jazz styles. He also uses sounds from other American music, like funk, soul, R&B, and blues.
Contents
Bobby Broom's Music Journey
Bobby Broom started playing guitar when he was 12 years old. He first learned folk music. A year later, he began taking jazz guitar lessons in Harlem.
He went to the High School of Music and Art, also known as Laguardia High School of Performing Arts. There, he played in the jazz band. He even won an award for his amazing jazz improvisation in his last year.
Broom began his music career while still in high school. He played at clubs in New York with famous jazz pianists like Al Haig and Walter Bishop, Jr.. In 1977, he performed at Carnegie Hall with jazz legends Sonny Rollins and Donald Byrd.
College and Early Career
From 1978 to 1979, he studied at the Berklee College of Music. Then he returned to New York to continue his music career. He also attended Long Island University.
In New York, he worked as a guitarist for many well-known musicians. These included Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Dave Grusin, Hugh Masekela, and Tom Browne. He also signed a music contract with GRP Records.
Moving to Chicago and Forming Bands
In 1985, Bobby Broom moved to Chicago. He started his own group, The Bobby Broom Trio, in 1990. Later, in 1999, he formed the Deep Blue Organ Trio. This group included Chris Foreman and Greg Rockingham. In 2014, he created The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation.
Bobby Broom looked up to guitar heroes like Wes Montgomery, George Benson, and Pat Martino when he was a child. He has played with many other famous musicians. Some of these include Miles Davis, Max Roach, Stanley Turrentine, and Ramsey Lewis.
Recording Albums
In 2009, he recorded an album called Bobby Broom Plays for Monk. The cover showed a red wagon, like the one on the album Monk's Music.
His album Upper West Side Story (2012) was special. It was his first album with only his own songs. This album became very popular. It reached No. 1 on the College Music Journal jazz chart. It was also listed as a top album by Jazz Week and Down Beat in 2012.
His fourteenth album as a band leader, Keyed Up, came out in 2022. It received great reviews from jazz critics. In May 2024, he released Jamalot (Live) with his organ trio.
Bobby Broom as a Teacher
Bobby Broom is also a dedicated teacher. He started teaching in 1982 at the University of Hartford. He has taught at many other universities too, like the American Conservatory of Music and DePaul University.
Since 2000, he has helped high school students in Chicago. He mentors them through the Ravinia Festival Organization's Jazz Scholar Program. In 2005, he earned his master's degree in jazz teaching. In 2022, he became a tenured associate professor. He also judges jazz competitions and teaches as a guest instructor.
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) (2014 and 2019 [2024])
With Deep Blue Organ Trio
- Deep Blue Bruise (2004)
- Goin' to Town: Live at the Green Mill (2005 [2006])
- Folk Music (2007)
- Wonderful! (2011)
As sideman
With Tom Browne
- Love Approach (1980)
- Magic (1981)
- Rockin' Radio (1983)
With Dr. John
- Trippin' Live (1997)
- Anutha Zone (1998)
- Duke Elegant (1999)
- Live at Montreux 1995 (2005)
With Weldon Irvine
- Weldon & the Kats (1989)
- The Sisters (1998)
- Young, Gifted and Broke (2012)
With Sonny Rollins
- No Problem (1982)
- Reel Life (1982)
- Sonny, Please (2006)
- Road Shows Vol. 1 (2008)
- Road Shows Vol. 3 (2014)
- Road Shows Vol. 4 (2016)
With Sadao Watanabe
- Nice Shot! (1980)
- Orange Express (1981)
- Good Time for Love (1986)
With others
- Eric Alexander, In Europe (1995)
- Poogie Bell, Exhibition Continues (2018)
- Kenny Burrell, Generation (1987)
- Kenny Burrell, Pieces of Blue and the Blues (1988)
- Ronnie Cuber, Cubism (1992)
- Charles Earland, Front Burner (1988)
- Charles Earland, Third Degree Burn (1989)
- Charles Fambrough, Blues at Bradley's (1993)
- Dave Grusin, Live in Japan (1980)
- David Murray, The Tip (1994)
- David Murray, Jug-a-Lug (1995)
- Stanley Turrentine, Home Again (1982)
- Dave Valentin, Pied Piper (1981)
- Pharez Whitted, Transient Journey (2010)
- Pharez Whitted, For the People (2012)
- Bernard Wright, 'Nard (1981)
