Wood II

Brian Bromberg (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 14, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artistry Music
• ASIN: B000EHQ7JW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #124,204 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
With the release of WOOD II, his sequel to the staggering acoustic bass manifesto, Wood, Brian Bromberg’s phenomenal acoustic bass playing again takes center stage. Where Wood was a warm and intimate collection, WOOD II casts a wider net and interjects a sly, gentle humor. Backed by the masterful piano playing of Randy Waldman, and the intricate rhythms of world class drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, Bromberg has crafted a tightly integrated audio portrait of swinging bop staples, jazz standards and pop classics. WOOD II showcases Bromberg doing what he does best - "...boldly going where no acoustic bassist has gone before..."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why is this an unknown album?, March 28, 2006

By	Mclain Causey "Computer Science Student" (Mississippi) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Why is this an unknown album, and why is Bromberg a relatively unknown (or at least, underrated) bassist? This CD has some of the most staggering, ridiculous acrobatic spasms I've ever heard on a bass. The recording itself sounds superb, and the warmth of the antique bass is incredible. Vinnie Colaiuta is holding down the drums in his normal, staggering polyrhythmic form and Waldman is a perfect foil to Bromberg on Piano. The trio is kind of a reverse piano trio in that the melodies are carried as often as not by the bass, and the "rhythm" instrument is the piano. It's an interesting inversion, and the musicians pull it off perfectly.

If you are a bassist, a fan of the bass, a drummer, a fan of drums, or a fan of good jazz in general, you will enjoy this album immensely. Bromberg's solos are just plain ridiculous. I've never quite heard an acoustic bass played in such a manner.

Highly recommended.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expanding the Repertoire, May 23, 2006

By	Jim Newsom (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews

I'm always leery of recordings fronted by bass players or drummers--will it just provide an excuse for masturbatory soloing and showing off? Acoustic bassman Brian Bromberg is a virtuoso on his instrument, able to take the melody on just about any song. Four of the twelve tracks on this disc are bass solos. But my overall impression is that this is a great piano trio record, with pianist Randy Waldman and drummer Vinnie Colaiuto amply holding their own with the boss. The trio pieces reveal a warm interplay among the musicians that is apparent even when the bass is jacked up in the mix. The big surprise, though, is that the bass solo tracks are the most memorable--incredible rides through Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star," Paul McCartney's "Let `Em In" and the Kansas prog-rock warhorse, "Carry On My Wayward Son." Here's to Brian Bromberg for single-handedly expanding the jazz repertoire!

Originally published in Port Folio Weekly, 5/23/06
Copyright 2006 Port Folio Weekly. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Wood II" a Fine Jazz Tribute to Baroque-era Bass , August 8, 2006

By	J. M. Contino (Arvada, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Brian Bromberg produces an amazing sound from his early 18th century acoustic bass. The piano trio work is tight, exciting. The solo bass intimate and eclectic.