Brian Bromberg – A New Day

World-renowned bassist and producer Brian Bromberg finds inspiration during the pandemic with a funk driven new album that conjures the spirit of the open road. Bromberg's latest offering A Little Driving Music features an all-star socially distanced lineup of musicians including Dave Koz, Marion Meadows, Everette Harp, Elan Trotman, Gary Meek and Nick Colionne. A Little Driving Music is Bromberg's third album created in quarantine, features a dozen brand-new Bromberg compositions as well as a surprising 80s cover song, the joyful Katrina and the Waves hit "Walking on Sunshine." The freedom of the open road on A Little Driving Music shrugs off the prevailing mood of COVID-era claustrophobia and political strife for fun, funky paean to cruising with the top down and leaving your troubles behind.

Nova Records in the early '90s had the great distinction of having two of the world's most stunning young bass players on their roster: Byron Miller and Brian Bromberg. Bromberg, whose virtuosic mix of funk and mainstream influences have earned him comparisons to Stanley Clarke, has found a magical way to ease his brilliant chops on nine different basses into a very commercial setting. His latest, BASSically Speaking, shows him all aces not only as a consummate player, but as a producer, arranger, and composer as well. Mellow fare like "Take a Walk in the Park With Me" offsets the more up-tempo numbers, and you've never heard "My Funny Valentine" played with this much vigor. Complemented by the likes of Freddie Hubbard and the late flutist Joe Farrell, Bromberg has arrived as the first bassman of contemporary jazz's future.

Andreas Varady's eponymous 2014 Verve debut artfully celebrates the Hungarian jazz guitarist's prodigious skill. A prodigy, Varady has been playing guitar since childhood. Only 17 at the time of this release, he has a fluid, technically proficient style that reveals a love of jazz tradition, both old and new. However, rather than simply delivering a collection of well-worn standards, a task Varady is clearly capable of, here he delves into a batch of modern pop hits and original songs in a contemporary jazz style. Executive produced by Varady's manager, the legendary Quincy Jones, along with David Paich and Jay Oliver, the album fits more into the instrumental smooth jazz vein of artists like George Benson and Lee Ritenour than it does the straight-ahead style of Wes Montgomery, although Varady dips his toe in that tradition here too.

Playing sideman to Rick Braun, Larry Carlton, Gato Barbieri, the Neville Brothers, and many others introduced guitarist/vocalist Steve Oliver to smooth jazz fans, but it was with Steve Reid's band that Oliver found a following. It was 1996 when Reid contacted Oliver at the last minute to fill in for a canceled opening act. Oliver hit the stage as a solo act and Reid was impressed with the guitarist's vocalese skills and summery sound. Oliver had come to vocalese not through King Pleasure or Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, but through Bobby McFerrin and Pat Metheny's work with Richard Bona and David Blamires, who sang along with guitar solos. Being a fan of the earthy Metheny sound, Reid hired Oliver after the gig and featured him in his touring band. Reid's Mysteries and Passion in Paradise albums featured Oliver not only as guitarist but songwriter as well. Oliver struck out on his own in 1999 with his debut, First View, released by Night Vision. The album spawned three hit singles on smooth jazz radio and earned the guitarist a Debut Artist of the Year award from Smooth Jazz News.