Bobby Broom: Waitin’ And Waitin’

One of this guitarist’s most recent claims to fame may be his residency with New Orleans’ Mac Rebennack (a.k.a. Dr. John); however, his professed first musical love is straightahead jazz-something he demonstrates with this batch of trio and quartet performances.

Broom has all the chops he needs to groove hard and freely spin out horn-like phrases-witnessed by his solo on the swinging trio number “Without A Song,” which gradually gains momentum, giving the sum of his choruses an effective, organic shape. Lyrical and warm, his playing on the ballads “The End Of A Love Affair” and the title track is absolutely gorgeous. For “Hot House” and “Speedball,” tenor saxophonist Ron Blake joins the group (drummer George Fludas and bassist Dennis Carrol), tightly doubling the tune’s heads and getting in some nice phrases of his own, but the opportunity to engage in some potentially exciting guitar/horn interaction is missed by keeping the principals within their designated solo spaces. Still, Broom’s playing throughout the program is fluent and spontaneous, laced with a healthy dose of the blues.

Originally Published May 1, 1998