It was in 1977 when jazz musician Brian Bromberg, then 16, purchased what most people would consider an antique in his hometown of Tucson.
Thanks to a friend's discovery in a music store, Bromberg bought, relatively cheap, an Italian upright acoustic bass crafted in the 1700s, which should have sold for a significant chunk of money. The precious Matteo Guersam has been with him ever since, throughout his auspicious career.
If only that bass could talk. It might tell you about its creator who assembled it by hand, perhaps in a dark wood shop with only the light of a nearby candle.
It might also say that since becoming Bromberg's prized instrument, it has been in the presence of legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo Sandoval, Carmen McRae and Herbie Hancock while emitting notes of songs as diverse as Bromberg's style.
Bromberg, born in 1960, got his first well-known gig in 1979 when he joined the Stan Getz Band and spent nearly a year touring with the famed sax man. He has since either toured or recorded with a laundry list of jazz musicians some of whom, his contemporaries and others, are icons of the genre.
In 1986, Bromberg burst onto the scene as a solo artist with the release of “A New Day.” His most recent work, “Wood II” is the sequel to the 2002 “Wood.” Both albums are symphonic homages to the sometimes-underrated acoustic bass. The album plays out in the setting of a trio with world-class drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and pianist Randy Waldman.
