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KEYED UP marks Bobby Broom’s 14th album as a leader, adding to his previous recordings which had success on US jazz radio charts, such as “…Plays for Monk,” his Deep Blue Organ Trio’s “Wonderful,” and his latest, “Soul Fingers.”
 
With the addition to the ensemble of Chicago keyboard whiz, Justin Dillard, “Keyed Up” expands Broom’s former acoustic trio, as well as his highly regarded, airplay friendly catalogue.
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Bobby Broom
Keyed Up
Release Date: September 23, 2022

1. Hallucinations (aka Budo)
2. Second Thoughts
3. Humpty Dumpty
4. Soulful Bill
5. Quicksilver
6. Misty
7. Driftin’
8. Blues On The Corner (Take 2)
9. Scoochie
10. Blues On The Corner (Take 1)

Bobby Broom – Guitar, Producer
Justin Dillard – Piano and Hammond SKX
Dennis Carroll – Bass
Kobie Watkins – Drums, Co-producer

Performances

Date City Venue Country
Bobby Broom
03/28/24 - 03/31/24 Chicago, IL Jazz Showcase US
Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Bobby Broom plays in the Justin Dillard Quartet at Jazz Showcase Buy Tickets
04/12/24 Chicago, IL AXPONA US
Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Bobby Broom Organi-Sation at AXPONA 2024 Buy Tickets
04/19/24 - 04/20/24 Greenville, NC Billy Taylor Jazz Festival US
Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Bobby Broom & Ron Blake at the Billy Taylor Jazz Fest Buy Tickets
04/21/24 Durham, NC Sharp 9 Gallery Jazz Club US
Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Bobby Broom as part of the Kobie Watkins Quartet at Sharp 9 Buy Tickets

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Bio

Bobby Broom was born in Harlem, New York, on January 18, 1961, and raised on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. He began studying the guitar at age 12, concentrating on jazz under the aegis of Harlem-based guitar instructor Jimmy Carter. A 16-year-old prodigy at the High School of Music and Art (now known as the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts), he played in the jazz ensemble and was awarded for Outstanding Jazz Improvisation during his senior year.

Chaperoned by Weldon Irvine (an early mentor of his, composer for Freddie Hubbard and Horace Silver, bandleader for Nina Simone, and lyricist of “To Be Young, Gifted and Black”), the 16-year-old Broom found himself in an East Side NYC jazz club for the purpose of being taught to sit in. That lesson became a reality for Broom when Al Haig, pianist for Charlie Parker, invited him to join in for a couple of tunes. Impressed by the youngster’s playing, Haig offered him the chance to play with him at Gregory’s on the Upper East Side whenever he wanted. Broom ended up playing two or three times a week there, and also got to play, with great awe, with another notable Bird keyboardist, Walter Bishop, Jr.

Broom was soon pursued by an even greater jazz legend, Sonny Rollins, whose guitarist at the time, Aurell Ray, saw Broom play in Irvine’s musical, Young, Gifted and Broke, in Brooklyn, and arranged to have him meet Rollins. After playing with the tenor colossus at a rehearsal, Broom was asked to go on the road with him. Still in high school, Broom (and his parents) declined.

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