Search - Alan Broadbent :: Personal Standards

Broadbent Originals. Need I say more?

Mr. Tomtomulonicus Flombatoid Millo | 08/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I take it that yes, I do need to say more indeed. Well, Alan Broadbent is simply one of the best pianists I have ever heard. He has virtuosic technique and can play things I am constantly amazed by (take a listen to tunes like Consolation). He is also very lyrical when it comes to ballads and such. And here, he is surrounded by a rhythm section of Joe LaBarbera, a very inventive and stylish drummer, and the fine bass playing of Putter Smith (whom I had never heard of until now).I was somewhat disappointed at first when I saw the absence of standards on the album (that is, before I listened to it), but Broadbent's originals are all very well done. They all have some great harmonic twists, and turn out to be very beautiful indeed (I'd say that my favorite is The Long Goodbye at the moment).So pick this one up if you're looking for some great, tight jazz trio playing. The tunes on here are definitely worth listening to.P.S. If you want standards, check out Pacific Standard Time, by the same group."

Gentle Trio Music

N. Dorward | Toronto, ON Canada | 08/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alan Broadbent has been most widely known as the pianist in Charlie Haden's Quartet West; he has also contributed string arrangements to many jazz-with-strings projects such as Scott Hamilton's or Sheila Jordan's. But besides his contributions to other people's projects he deserves recognition for his recordings under his own name; they are some of the best mainstream piano discs of the last few decades.The tunes performed on _Personal Standards_ are, with one exception, all by Broadbent; a couple are basically updates of standards (there's a themeless rendition of "Body and Soul"'s changes, plus "Chris Craft", based on "Confirmation"); they are all gently melodic & firmly constructed. The playing is relaxed, reflective & moody, without being dark; its songfulness shows Broadbent's basic adherence to Bill Evans' style. The Evans influence is very much on display in the opening minor-key blues, "Consolation" (it even ends with a direct quote from the Vanguard recordings); but Broadbent is actually very much his own man, with a contrapuntalism & calm pensiveness that are quite different from Evans' more brooding piano style.Hard to say enough good about the disc; it's a very fine one. Putter Smith on bass & Joe LaBarbara on drums give immaculate support."

A rich, satisfying experience

rash67 | USA | 12/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the most satisfying of my recent purchases. Alan Broadbent has been the pianist for Charlie Hayden's Quartet West and their series of soundtracts for film noire Movies of the Mind. Broadbent plays with the mature, polished, golden sound of someone much older than his years. He is a major inheritor of Cool.



As is said elsewhere, these are gentle, melodic, lyrical, smoky original pieces. Peaceful after a long stressful day. With a touch of the melancholy of times long gone.



There is much Bill Evans in his sound, but his dazzling technique is more reminiscent the wonderful forgotten man of Bebop and Cool, Al Haig, the favorite pianist of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and early Stan Getz. With Haig, he shares the ability to toss of rapid-fire a tempo triplets, 32nd, 64th and 132nd note flourishes and jump right back into the melody without losing a beat.



I like "Long Goodbye" & "North" but it's really all worthwhile. Not a bad cut on the album. His album is aptly titled, these song are Broadbent originals, I haven't heard them before but they sound as if they were Jazz standards!



4 1/2 stars for performance, deserves a wider hearing and 5 stars.



highly recomended."