A very versatile acoustic and electric bassist capable of playing straight-ahead jazz, funk, and fusion, Brian Bromberg is also one of the few bassists to master the tapping technique made famous by Stanley Jordan, sometimes sounding like three bassists at once during his often-thunderous solos. Although he was a drummer at the age of 13, the following year Brian Bromberg started classical lessons on bass. He developed quickly and by the time he was 19, he was part of Stan Getz's group. Brian Bromberg has been a valuable sidemen with many bands since including those led by Horace Silver, Monty Alexander, Dizzy Gillespie, Richie Cole, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, and Freddie Hubbard. He recorded his first album as a leader in 1986 (A New Day At Midnight for the Blackhawk label) and has since led sessions for Intima and Nova; unfortunately, all of those record companies have since gone out of business. Into the next century, Brian Bromberg remained one of the most underrated bassists in jazz. That would change. Brian Bromberg's initial albums as a leader were jazz affairs, including 1986's A New Day At Midnight, 1988's Basses Loaded, and 1989's Rainforest Magic, but he switched gears for 1991's It's About Time: The Acoustic Project, a more mainstream acoustic jazz record. The next release, though, 1993's self-titled Downright Upright, saw him return again to the jazz feel of his earlier albums. Signing with Zebra Records, Brian Brombergreleased 1998's You Know That Feeling, which featured Rick Braun, Joe Sample, Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp, and other notables from the jazz genre. Brian Bromberg next went back to straight jazz for 2002's Holy Wood, followed by a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius -- simply titled Jaco Pastorius -- a short time later in 2003. A sequel to Holy Wood, Sounds Of Wood & Steel II, appeared in 2005, and Brian Bromberg had clearly moved out of the box of his jazz phase, particularly with the rapid-fire, amazing bass solos that made up Metallica, which appeared later in 2005. He also became a highly sought after record producer, with several charting projects in his résumé. Continually stretching himself on bass, Brian Bromberg continued to move outside of the box with 2009's What It Is To Burn. ~ Scott Yanow & Steve Leggett, Rovi