Bobby Broom, Artist of the Week

JGT Artist of the Week, Bobby Broom

» A LITTLE ABOUT

Virtuoso Chicago-based guitarist Bobby Broom has always embraced the rhythm and blues core of jazz music. Bobby’s love of jazz has never blocked out his affection for the pop music which he grew up with. It’s been a frequent wellspring throughout his career.

“It’s a lot of what I do,” he acknowledges. “Material is material, and I’m just trying to do things that are interesting to me and that I feel might be interesting to people.”

» HAS PLAYED WITH…

Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Stanley Turrentine, Max Roach, Charles Earland, Dr. John

» BIRTHDAY

January 18, New York City

» INTERESTING NOTE

Bobby cut his teeth as a teen in NYC playing with Charlie Parker alumni pianists Al Haig and Walter Bishop, Jr.  Bobby has been involved in jazz education since his early twenties.

» FUN FACT

Bobby is a proud GSD (German Shepherd Dog) owner. He now has Otto, male black and tan and Coda, female white shepherd.

» ALBUM

On Soul Fingers, his 12th album as a leader and first with his new trio Organi-Sation, Broom mines the rich repository of the ’60s and ’70s pop music, offering inspired versions of hits by the Beatles, Procol Harum, Steely Dan, and Seals & Crofts, among others. Released in 2018, the recording was produced by legendary drummer Steve Jordan.

» GEAR USED

The Chicagoan arch top guitar by Dan Koentopp, Henriksen Jazz Amps, DR “Legend” strings, Blue Chip picks

» AWARDS

Bobby was included among guitarists in the Downbeat Readers’ Poll (2015), the Downbeat Critics’ Poll (2012–’14 and 2017), Chicago Music Award “jazz album of the year (2009)

» VIDEO

» ONLINE

• www.BobbyBroom
• Facebook 
• Twitter
• Instagram

Top Photo credit: Leiko Napoli