Customer Reviews

Try Me One More Time

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After a 17 year recoding hiatus, Bromberg is back with this enjoyable set of mostly blues and folk standards. Imagine David Bromberg sitting in your living room singing and picking his Martin M-42 Signature Edition guitar. This album is great fun for Bromberg fans, with the liner notes as entertaining as the music. Ultimately, David does not "make these songs his own" in the way that he has done previously with other blues standards (e.g., "Statesboro Blues," "Dehlia"), but the album as a whole is quite enjoyable. David fingerpicks most of these tunes, breaking out the slide for two of the album's highlights, the title track and Blind Willie McTell's "Love Changing Blues." He also does a nice job with a somber and reflective reading of Elizabeth Cotten's "Shake Sugaree." Notice how the album cover is modeled after David's first solo album? Maybe this release will renew interest in the first album, and maybe someone will put that one back in print. If you're a Bromberg fan, I recommend this album without hesitation. If you're new to Bromberg, check out Midnight on the Water first.

I've waited 30 years for an album that showcases David's talents as a solo performer. After a 17 year hiatus as a performer David Bromberg has returned to the fray with gusto and great list of classic blues and old time music selections. Rumor had it that the elusive Mr. Bromberg was handcrafting guitars for a living. But I heard rumors that Mr. B was doing time in the big house for holdup he perpetrated on his first album way back in 1971. The mugshot on the cover of this, David's newest release looks suspiciously similar to the pen and ink drawing of him on his debut album.

David's voice has singing has deepened during his hiatus and he sings with an authority he never did early on. Even the falsetto part of "Kind Hearted Woman" was a daring feat of blues vocalizing that I've never heard David attempt on earlier outings.

Any white guy who sings the blues is tempting fate but David's approach to singing transcends all comparisons to the original source material with his own quirky style and phrasing. If you've listened to David soulful vocals on "Dehlia" or "Sammy's Song" you'll know why comparisons of David's voice to anyone, black or white, is futile. I write this with a smirk on my face but I'm sincere in my sentiments.

The material is great with selections by Robert Johnson, Gary Davis, Tommy Johnson, Elizabeth Cotton and even an even an under appreciated bottleneck classic by Blind Willie.

The guitar playing is magnificent. What more can I say in praise of one of the gods of acoustic guitar, except "I am not worthy."

My only complaint about "Try Me One More Time" is that it was released on the same day as Ry Cooder's new "My Name Is Buddy." I had a conflict over which CD to buy, so I blew my budget and bought both CDs. Now I feel guilty for my lack of financial discipline.

The first time I saw David live was at a music festival in St. Louis in 1973. It day long showcase of such stellar musicians as Steve Goodman, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Furry Lewis, Leo Kottke, John Hammond and the Weather Report the groundbreaking jazz fusion ensemble led by Miles Davis group veterans, Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.

More than any performer at the festival David held the audience in the palm of his hand from start to finish with his charm, humor and showmanship. My entire purpose in learning to play blues on guitar was to play "Statesboro Blues" the same way David did. It took me several years of practice, to find out I'd never play "Statesboro" just like David but I can play it the way I play it.

David Bromberg is the epitome of a fellow who has navigated his own path. At the height of a burgeoning Rock and Roll career, he left the road, went to violin making school and spent the next twenty years building a violin business.

In his first prime, he was a masterful studio session man and an innovative interpreter of really diverse material. As he has reentered the road, it's as a family man, husband, band leader and musician. Like a cat who has lived eight of his nine lives, he's got nothing left to prove to anyone.

So, that's the foundation of this new record. Bromberg has stopped trying to impress anyone and simply and publically wrestles with his muse. It's a refreshing and sadly unique posture. The music business usually asks for something other than this from its workforce. On "Try Me One More Time", Bromberg takes you into his living room and shows you his tunes.

The liner notes give you the lowdown on the songs and where he found them. The songs themselves are the essence of folk music. Somewhat recognizable material coming out of the mouth of this folk at this moment. Maybe you have to be a guitar player to love the work here but I don't think so.

The record is a labor of love from a guy who doesn't need the work. That makes it rare and important.

I bought this CD from David Bromberg himself about a week before its formal issue, at a concert he gave in Winters, California with his traveling band and the Angel Band.
It's probably not the best introduction to Bromberg and his music ... there are far too many candidates for that, with his "The Player: Retrospective" and "How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?" topping the list for studio and concert styles, respectively. But this album shows how his virtuosity has grown over the years. He hasn't lost a lick of dexterity, particularly with his trademark slide guitar artistry, and his vocal control has never been better ... he can make his voice do anything, and serve any purpose, that he wants. This is an intimate look at an American master playing the best examples of uniquely American music, and his passion for that music is in every note. It's like having an old dear friend show up at your doorstep after a lapse of many years.
P. S. The concert was wonderful -- in fact, it's one of the best concerts I'd been to in years. If he ever decides to release another album with the Angel Band, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. And if it includes "Sharon" and "Lost My Driving Wheel" I just might buy a wheelbarrowful of them.

Back in the day my guitar heroes were Hendrix, Clapton, Allman, Bloomfield, and Johnny Winter. I knew of Bromberg, but appreciated him later. He is a clean, tasty original, equally at home with rousing electric rock and roll or spare acoustic folk. Just an outstanding, creative artist

This album is a long awaited acoustic treasure. During this musical drought we are living through, dominated by executives and managers, here is a musician coming back after 30 years on his own terms, and not losing a step. Still at the top of his game, still developing...a real pleasure all around.

Do yourself a favor, enjoy Bromberg at his best. A real treat.

By the way, what is this album doing at #44 in Amazon music sales? The Boomers must be buying.

Back when I was in high school David Bromberg was one of my musical heroes. I first heard David's magical performance live under the stars of Central Park, NYC in August 1973. I bought most of his albums and heard him perform live several times over the next few years. I have drifted to other music but pulled out the old DB lp's every once in a while. Now he's back, just him and his guitar giving the same kind of straight from the heart performances he did back in the day. His wry irreverent humor may have mellowed a bit but is still present. He still has his guitar chops, and though he may not be a great singer, he certainly is a great blues singer and great performer. If you like acoustic country blues, don't miss this one, highly recommend. David Bromberg is still one of my musical heroes.

David is back! Great new CD

I have had this CD in my car since I recieved it from Amazon. It features solo performances by David Bromberg accompanying himself with his Martin guitar. This type of music may not be for everyone but if you are reading this I bet you will like it as much as I do. These are bluesy, historical recordings that David is sharing with us. I appreciated "Shake Sugaree" "Buck Dancer's Choice" and "When First Unto This Country" because his old friend the late Jerry Garcia is connected with these songs. I recently saw David Bromberg play live near where I live and he was a dynamic presence on stage with an excellent group of musicians playing alongside.

This CD is clasic David Bromberg. This CD is a must buy for old and new Bromberg fans.

Listening to these songs is like getting re-acquainted with an old friend. No one performs acoustic blues any better than David Bromberg, and if you are looking for a primer in finger-picking, this is a good place to start. Bromberg's style is understated but precise. He is not so dazzling as a virtuoso like Leo Kottke but he's insistent just the same. This is an intelligent mix of songs, including fresh interpretations of some old standards like Dylan's "It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry." He goes way down into the country on "Moonshiner," as if the Stanley Brothers were sitting on the couch waiting to take a turn. It is no wonder this album was nominated for a Grammy.