Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BROADBENT, Alan

(b 23 April '47, Auckland NZ) Pianist, arranger, composer, leader. Studied in Auckland, then at Berklee and with Lennie Tristano; played and arranged for Woody Herman from '69, his Variations On A Scene played by Herman's band and the Houston SO '75. He recorded with Bud Shank, in a quintet with Gary Foster and Warne Marsh, and others; led an orchestra on Granite and Capitol c'79. Among his studio work was arr. and perhaps cond. 'Dream Your Dream' on one of Percy Faith's last albums '76; he also cond. the Percy Faith Orchestra on tours of Japan after Faith's death. Since '87 has written and played with Charlie Haden's Quartet West. He was also accompanist for the late vocalist Irene Kral on her beautiful albums on Choice and Catalyst '70s, and with Sheila Jordan on her Heartstrings '94 on Muse. His luminous yet robust solo piano is on Live At Maybeck '91 on Concord (vol. 14 in that label's valuable series of solo recitals), and Concord Duo Series Vol. 4 '93 is a duo with Foster playing alto and tenor saxes; Pacific Standard Time '95 and Personal Standards '96 are trios, on Concord. His all-round talent is one of those well-kept secrets; he deserves to be much better known.