Tribute Albums From Bobby Broom, Richard Baratta, & Gregory Hutchinson

     The tribute album is a format that’s likely to never go out of style, especially since there are so many major figures to pay homage to. 

     Guitarist Bobby Broom had two five-year stints in the Sonny Rollins band (from 1982 to 1987, and again in 2005-2010), and is clearly attuned to the breadth of Rollins’ compositions over the decades. With Dennis Carroll on bass and another Rollins alumnus Kobie Watkins on drums, Notes Of Thanks offers potent renditions of nine Rollins originals, plus Carroll’s gently swinging Me Time. Broom, Carroll, and Watkins have been recording as a trio on and off since 2005. They’ve achieved the state of instant communication that locks the musicians into one another’s sounds. Especially worthy of note are The Freedom Suite (part 1) from 1958, Allison from 1987, and, all from 1956, an elegant version of Paul’s Pal, a thoughtful look at Strode Rode, and the upbeat Pent Up House. In one sense, the whole album is a highlight by spotlighting Sonny Rollins’ enduring compositions; in a more important way, Notes Of Thanks offers nearly an hour of unfailingly lively group interplay. Warmly recommended. 

Steele SR 008/Clean Sweep Music CSM 122; Bobby Broom (g) Dennis Carroll (b) Kobie Watkins (d); Chicago, IL, September 30 & October 1, 2025; Alfie’s Theme/ The Freedom Suite (part 1)/ Doxy/ Allison/ Kim/ Me Time/ Paul’s Pal/ Strode Road [sic]/ Pent Up House/ Valse Hot; 53:54. www.bobbybroom.com

    Another Kind Of Bird (Reimagining Charlie Parker) is an pleasing collection of tunes that most jazz fans will know. Drummer and bandleader Richard Baratta has gathered a crew of four respected saxophonists, placed them in various combinations with a versatile five-piece rhythm section, and set the ensemble loose on fresh arrangements of Parker compositions (plus one standard). The charts are by pianist Bill O’Connell, known for frequently working in a Latin jazz context. There have been countless tributes to Parker since he passed away in 1955, an acknowledgment of his vast influence. But there’s always room for another thought-provoking tribute to this seminal figure. The presence of altoist Vincent Herring is the one constant of this session. When he’s joined by Eric Alexander, Craig Handy, and Abraham Burton on the first four tracks, there’s a hint of the 70's era Supersax, though O’Connell’s arrangements largely eschew their harmonized sound in favor of a jam session feel. Highpoints include Herring’s tender balladry on Gershwin’s Embraceable You, a Parker favorite, a Latin styled version of Little Suede Shoes with Handy on flute, a funkified Ah-Leu-Cha complete with a hot guitar solo by Paul Bollenback, and the hard-driving version of Yardbird Suite with some forceful drumming from Baratta. While I prefer the second half of the disc, with Herring as the sole horn, there’s something here for everyone, since everybody is a Bird fan right? As with all successful tribute albums, this one made me want to listen to some Charlie Parker music. Recommended. 

Savant SCD 2229; Vincent Herring (as) Craig Handy (ts on 1,2; fl on 3; ss on 4) Abraham Burton (ts on 1,4) Eric Alexander (ts on 1,4) Bill O’Connell (p, el p) Paul Bollenback (g) Michael Goetz (b) Richard Baratta (d, perc) Paul Rossman (cga, perc); Paramus, NJ, October 10-11, 2025; 1.Donna Lee/ 2.Ornithology/ 3.Little Suede Shoes/ 4.Ah-Leu-Cha/ 5.Embraceable You/ 6.Now’s the Time/ 7.Moose the Mooche/ 8.Yardbird Suite/ 9.Segment/ 10.Au Privave; 56:51. www.jazzdepot.com

     Miles Davis was at the forefront of the latest developments in jazz for many decades, from bop to fusion and beyond, which makes him a tricky subject for a tribute album. The choices of material and instrumentation are nearly endless. In his forward-looking stance towards compositions that in some cases are decades old, drummer Gregory Hutchinson takes a particularly Milesian path on Kind Of Now : The Pulse of Miles Davis. He's put his extraordinary septet to work on a choice selection of tunes associated with Miles in various phases of his discography. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Ron Blake share the front line of this multi-generational lineup, with guitarists Jakob Bro and Emmanuel Michael, pianist Gerald Clayton, and bassist Joe Martin joining Hutchinson in the rhythm section. Among the numerous highpoints are the spunky treatment of Charlie Parker’s Ah-Lu-Cha, first recorded by Miles with Bird in 1948, a mellow version of Fran-Dance that’s largely a feature for pianist Clayton, Akinmusire’s a cappella opening and brief but potent solo on Wayne Shorter’s Orbits, the irresistible blend of Akinmusire and Blake on Water Babies, another Shorter composition, Blake’s smoking solo on a romping version of Victor Feldman’s Seven Steps to Heaven, and the dub-flavored reconstruction of Bitches Brew with more incisive trumpet from Akinmusire. Hutchinson contributes a few of his own pieces to the program. He name-checks influential drummers of the past and present over a web of drums and electronics on The Masters, takes over the spotlight for a drum solo on Ellehcem’s Time, and whips up a backwards tape loop for the brief I’m Done. Akinmusire’s brilliant playing and Blake’s powerhouse tenor saxophone might be the main reasons to grab this one, but the well-curated selection of tunes and the potent ensemble work make Kind Of Now a exemplary tribute to the great Miles Davis in his centenary year. Recommended. 

Warner Music (LP & CD): Ambrose Akinmusire (tpt) Ron Blake (ts, bcl) Jakob Bro, Emmanuel Michael (g) Gerald Clayton (p) Joe Sanders (b) Gregory Hutchinson (d); NYC, July 1-2, 2025; Ah-Leu-Cha/ Fran-Dance/ Fall/ Orbits/ The Masters/ Feio/ Water Babies/ Seven Steps to Heaven/ Bitches Brew/ Black Comedy/ Ellehcem’s Time/ Circle in the Round/ I’m Done; 57:19. 

Bobby Broom: Keyed Up

  Guitarist Bobby Broom played with Sonny Rollins from 1981-1986 and again from 2006-2009. On record, he’s appeared with organist Charlie Earland, saxophonists David Murray and Eric Alexander, and New Orleans star Dr. John. Broom has also found the time to lead his own groups, mostly in a trio format. Since his 2001 session on Premonition Records, his bandmates have been Dennis Carroll on bass and Kobie Watkins on drums. For his latest project, Keyed Up, Justin Dillard joins the group on piano and organ, fitting in well and thickening the group sound. Broom’s pungent tone and quickly flowing single note runs full of surprising twists and turns are always a delight. For this date, he’s picked some fine material to showcase, with all but one of the tunes written by pianists. In his liner notes, Broom wrotes that the “occurrence of high-caliber pianists who saw something in my playing that caused them to want to support and collaborate with me is a recurring theme in my musical life.” He discusses the role of James Williams, who composed the relaxing ballad Soulful Bill. He was a mentor to Broom, and the reason he got an opportunity to perform with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1980. Curiously, though, aside from this mention in the liner notes, there are no composer credits on the package. Bud Powell’s Hallucinations (a/k/a Budo) leads things off with a potent dose of hard-driving swing. That’s just one of the high points of the set. Another is Horace Silver’s Quicksilver, with a pair of exuberant guitar solos sandwiched around a chorus from Dillard’s piano. One of everybody’s favorite tunes is Erroll Garner’s Misty, with nearly one thousand renditions listed in the online Jazz Discography. Keeping their emphasis on the attractive melody, Broom and crew take it nice and slow. The guitarist solos first before turning the spotlight over to Dillard on piano. Broom then plays a second, more exploratory solo to take the song out. A romp through Herbie Hancock’s Driftin’ has Dillard moving over to organ, with a sound closer to a Rhodes electric piano than a Hammond B-3. It’s great to hear the quartet get into a bluesy groove for Scoochie, a Booker Ervin composition, and the only song here not written by a pianist. McCoy Tyner’s Blues on the Corner, frequently revived since it first appeared on The Real McCoy (Blue Note, 1967), is heard in two takes. The second take finds the band digging into the groove with more authority and grit than on the first go-round, with Carroll and Watkins making the most of their solo spots both times around. Keyed Up is a real pleasure from start to finish. 

Steele Records SR 002/CSM 0119; Bobby Broom (g) Justin Dillard (p, Hammond SKX org) Dennis Carroll (b) Kobie Watkins (d); August 31-September 3, 2021; Hallucinations (a/k/a Budo)/ Second Thoughts/ Humpty Dumpty/ Soulful Bill/ Quicksilver/ Misty/ Driftin’/ Blues on the Corner (take 2)/ Scoochie/ Blues on the Corner (take 1); 57:05. www.bobbybroom.com