I discovered David Bromberg way back in 1970 or 71 at a concert in Wichita, Kansas, at Henry Levitt arena on the WSU campus. He was one of the opening acts for a mega show starring the Earl Scruggs Review and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. (Known as simply "The Dirt Band" now) The featured artists gave predictably great performances, but in my mind Bromberg stole the show.
Incidentally, the other opening act was an obscure, unknown comedian billed as "Banjo Funny Man Steve Martin". Yes, the same Steve Martin who is now a super star comedian, actor and director. And yes, he was hilarious then, too.
Bromberg is one of the best guitarists I've ever heard. He has a horrible voice, but somehow it lends itself well to ballads. At the time of the concert, he had one song that actually made it to the top forty charts, a rock and roll song of sorts called "Sharon".
His music can't be categorized as country or rock or blues or jazz or bluegrass, because frankly, he does them all and he does them well.
Anyway, after the show, I went right out and bought my first David Bromberg album. There was is an amazing solo acoustic guitar piece on it, a medley of Irish fiddle tunes.
" Demon in Disguise" The album
Bromberg rarely performs anymore. He lives is Wilmington Delaware where he owns a Violin store, but sometimes he travels to some music festival someplace where he often gets together with more famous musicians, such as Arlo Guthrie, Jerry Jeff Walker, and John B. Sebastian.
Somewhere within the last 30+ years, I lost the album, and was never able to find a copy of that medley since. Until last weekend, when I ordered a CD of the same album online. Apparently, the only way to hear the medley is to get the CD.
The Title of the CD is "Demon In Disguise" and the following Youtube video is the title cut, from a performance at Iowa State in 1985, which has a pretty darn good solo guitar piece in it as well:
In case you hadn't noticed, John Sebastian plays harmonica in this clip.
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By the way, there is a another video on youtube of Bromberg doing his only hit, "Sharon". On the original record, he was accompanied by Jerry Garcia. Check it out, if you're so inclined.
Despite an enormous anti-US feeling toward the cut and run Europe, the Web has became the new counter-power for Europeans concerned about the War on Terror, the triumph of the idea of freedom and for all the Europeans who deeply admire President George W. Bush and see him as a new Ronald Reagan.
Just take a look on this blog :
http://le-blog-atlantiste.over-blog.com
Let a message under the article ("commentaires) to support Republican revolution in Europe. It certainly needs a lot of courage to refuse political correctness and US hatred and to look for the truth about the USA and the party of conscience.
Mark, are you a fan of the Grateful dead, or The Band?
Styx, Kansas, or old (pre-Trevor Rabin) Yes?
Do you like Rush?
Tug, Yes.
I thought so...
Me too.
They don't make music like they used to...
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