Alan Broadbent

Alan Broadbent
Birth name Alan Leonard Broadbent
Born (1947-04-23) 23 April 1947
Auckland, New Zealand
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, arranger, composer
Instruments Piano
Years active 1974–present
Labels Granite, Trend, Concord Jazz
Associated acts Charlie Haden, Natalie Cole
Website alanbroadbent.com

Alan Leonard Broadbent MNZM (born 23 April 1947) is a New Zealand jazz pianist, arranger, and composer known for his work with artists such as Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Chet Baker, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Natalie Cole, Warne Marsh, Bud Shank, and many others.

Early life

Born in Auckland in 1947, Broadbent studied piano and music theory in his own country, but in 1966 went to the United States to study at the Berklee College of Music.[1]

Later life and career

Broadbent's first professional job was in a jazz trio with bassist Kevin Haines and drummer Tony Hopkins at Club 81 in Auckland, New Zealand, in the mid-1960s.

Broadbent's first two albums, Song of Home and Further Down the Road, were recorded in 1985 in New Zealand on the Tartar label. He is joined on those recordings by Andy Brown (bass) and Frank Gibson, Jr. (drums). Those early albums show a fascination with reinterpreting standards. He covers material such as "What is this Thing Called Love?" by Cole Porter and "Oleo" by Sonny Rollins. Everything I Love (Discovery, 1986), his first U.S. album, was recorded in Hollywood with Putter Smith on bass. He covered the standards "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" by Oscar Hammerstein II and "Lazy Bird" by John Coltrane, in addition to two of his own compositions, "Continuity" and "Mendocino Nights".

During the 1990s, he recorded on Natalie Cole's album Unforgettable... with Love, then became her pianist and conductor for the tour. His arrangement for her video "When I Fall in Love" won the Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal.[2] Also during the 1990s, he recorded on the album Quartet West by Charlie Haden.[3] Around this time he won a Grammy Award for his arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "Lonely Town" that was recorded by Shirley Horn. He wrote arrangements for Glenn Frey's album After Hours and for Paul McCartney's album Kisses on the Bottom. He has worked as conductor for Diana Krall.[2]

In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours Broadbent was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to jazz.[4]

In the November 2013 issue of Down Beat magazine, his solo piano album Heart to Heart received a five-star rating.[5]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Year recorded Title Label Personnel/Notes
1979? Palette Granite With big band
1981 Continuity Revelation Duo, with Putter Smith (bass)
1984? Song of Home Kiwi Pacific Trio
1985? Further Down the Road Tartar Trio
1986? Everything I Love Discovery Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums)
1987? Another Time Trend Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums)
1989? Away from You Trend Trio
1991 Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Fourteen Concord Jazz Solo piano; in concert
1993 Concord Duo Series, Volume Four Concord Jazz Duo, with Gary Foster (tenor sax, alto sax)
1994? Over the Fence Ode Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums)
1995 Pacific Standard Time Concord Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums)
1996 Personal Standards Concord Jazz Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums); Grammy Nomination for Best Composition "Every Time I Think of You"
2002 You and the Night and the Music A440 Music Trio, with Brian Bromberg (bass), Joe LaBarbera (drums); Grammy Nomination for Best Improvised Solo "What's New"
2003? Fine and Dandy Manu Quartet, with George Chisholm (trumpet, flugelhorn), Andy Brown (bass), Frank Gibson Jr. (drums)
2005 'Round Midnight Artistry Music Trio, with Brian Bromberg (bass), Kendall Kay (drums); Grammy Nomination for Best Improvised Solo "Round Midnight"
2005? With Strings King
2006 Every Time I Think of You Artistry Music With Brian Bromberg (bass), Kendall Kay (drums), Tokyo Strings
2009? Together Again
2009? Moment's Notice Chilly Bin Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Kendall Kay (drums)
2010 Live at Giannelli Square, Vol. 1 Chilly Bin Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Kendall Kay (drums); Grammy Nomination for Best Improvised Solo "Solar"
2012? Live at Giannelli Square 2 Chilly Bin Trio, with Putter Smith (bass), Kendall Kay (drums)
2012 Heart to Heart Chilly Bin Solo piano; in concert
2013 Just One of Those Things Edition Longplay Solo piano; in concert; limited edition LP
2014? America the Beautiful Jan Matthies with the NDR Bigband
2015 Developing Story Eden River With Harvie S (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), London Metropolitan Orchestra; released 2017
2015–16 Songbook Roomspin With Georgia Mancio (vocals), Oli Hayhurst (bass), Dave Ohm (drums, percussion)

As sideman or arranger

With Natalie Cole

  • Unforgettable (1991)
  • Take a Look (1993)
  • Holly and Ivy (1994)
  • Stardust (1996)
  • Ask a Woman Who Knows (2002)
  • Still Unforgettable (2008)

With Michael Feinstein

  • Isn't It Romantic (1988)
  • The M.G.M. Album (1989)
  • Such Sweet Sorrow (1995)

With Charlie Haden

With Scott Hamilton

  • 1993 Scott Hamilton with Strings
  • 1997 Christmas Love Song
  • 1997 Late Night Christmas Eve

With Woody Herman

  • 1961 Hits of Woody Herman
  • 1971 Brand New
  • 1971 Woody
  • 1973 Giant Steps
  • 1974 Thundering Herd
  • 1975 Herd at Montreux
  • 1979 Woody and Friends at the Monterey Jazz Festival

With Irene Kral

With others

See also

References

  1. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Alan Broadbent: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  2. 1 2 "Alan Broadbent". Alan Broadbent. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. ↑ Wynn, Ron. "Haunted Heart". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  4. ↑ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  5. ↑ Silsbee, Kirk (November 2013). "Alan Broadbent – Heart to Heart". Down Beat. p. 52.
  6. ↑ "Alan Broadbent | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
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