For a virtuoso jazz bassist and world-renowned producer, quarantined in his Southern California home during a global pandemic and contemplating an uncertain future, the holidays would seem to be the last thing on one's mind. The chameleonic Brian Bromberg has never been one to follow the expected path, however.
With live gigs cancelled and the opportunity for collaboration complicated by social distancing, Bromberg virtually assembled a stellar cohort of musicians to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year on 'Celebrate Me Home: The Holiday Sessions'.
'Celebrate Me Home' takes its title from the Kenny Loggins classic, co-written by Bob James, which feels all the more poignant given our current circumstances. Gorgeously expressed by vocalist Chris Walker, the song achingly captures the yearning for a return to familiar surroundings and loved ones that many of us are feeling right now, regardless of the season.
"It's an incredible song, and it absolutely fits this moment," Bromberg says, admitting that tackling beloved Christmas songs in isolation made for an unusual challenge. "We can't go anywhere, we can't do anything; we're all stuck dreaming about all the things we'd rather be doing, the fun we'd love to be having, but we just can't. So, we had to figure out how to create a vibe and an experience while we're stuck in this weird place. On the flip side of that, I don't think this record would have happened the way that it did had I not been in quarantine. This made it possible to take a dark place and turn it into a light place, which became my saving grace."
