Alan Broadbent, Heart to Heart

I am guilty. Guilty of not paying enough attention to Alan Broadbent the pianist. Alan Broadbent the arranger-composer, sure, I've long appreciated him. But Broadbent the pianist I've always tended to put into the arranger-composer sort of pianistic category. That only means I haven't been focusing, no doubt. Until now and his second solo piano CD Heart to Heart (Chilly Bin).

He has it all to hear here. The harmonic sensitivity, yes, but also a bopworthy right-hand lining prowess and inventiveness that sounds right and pretty original to boot. He swings rather mightily, too, sometimes with a walking bass line, sometimes not.

This is a live set, with good Broadbent originals, a Charlie Haden number, "Blue in Green," "Lonely Woman," etc. It hangs together beautifully, the improvisations coming through with brilliance and flair.

It's chockablock with excellent pianism. It's very much jazz at its best. It's a great way to hear why Broadbent the pianist is very much something else!