Alan Broadbent is one of New Zealand’s favorite musical sons and perhaps the most well-known and multi-talented of them all. Many are familiar with his arranging and conducting for Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny and Michael Bublé. Others may know Broadbent has received 8 Grammy nominations and won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, one for Natalie Cole and one for Shirley Horn Alan Broadbent is one of New Zealand’s favorite musical sons and perhaps the most well-known and multi-talented of them all. Many are familiar with his arranging and conducting for Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny and Michael Bublé. Others may know Broadbent has received 8 Grammy nominations and won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, one for Natalie Cole and one for Shirley Horn. On Like Minds, Broadbent takes a seat on the piano bench for his third Savant recording with his trio featuring the great bassist Harvie S and the colorful drumming of Billy Mintz. Together these men play with notable clarity and poise, and their performances – even those of familiar standards – are wonderfully tuneful, sometimes whimsical and often moving, with the overall effect always coming across as coolly engaging and totally spontaneous. “I’m averse to playing what I jokingly call ‘big band trio arrangements,’ where everybody plays the rhythmic hits,” Broadbent explains. “I’ll get a big band if I want to do that. For me, for the trio, I want it to change every time.” Spontaneous and off-the-cuff these 9 tracks may be but the closer you listen, the more inventive and exquisitely crafted they sound, with the recording showing that, without a doubt, these three superb musicians are of like minds indeed.
TRACKLISTING:
1.This I Dig of you 2:34
2.Prelude to Peace 8:25
3.With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair 7:18
4.Dance Only with Me 5:16
5.Airegin 5:58
6.Stairway to the Stars 8:19
7.Blue Pearl 4:45
8.This is New 6:43
9.Yardbird Suite 6:24
Alan Broadbent – piano
Harvie S – acoustic bass
Billy Mintz – drums