Come Together

There's them, and then there's everyone else.

Frankly, I've been avoiding doing any features on cover versions of Beatles songs because it's such deep water. There's a lot of premium choices for sure, but there's an awful lot of ugly fish in that lake too. It's also a category that's big on musicians doing their darndest to perfectly replicate the Fab's original recordings, which I find to be a pointless exercise. Why bother? It's been done like that already, by the masters. So, the only realistic option left is to do the song in a manner that retains the song's identity, yet sounds very much like the interpreter. It's also time for me to step out of the Rock box for a bit and get into some Jazz. A change is as good as a rest, as they say.

Brian Bromberg and elderly friend. 

Cover versions are a way of life for most jazz musicians. Coming up with interesting new interpretations of standards and classics is their bread and butter and bassist extraordinaire Brian Bromberg is no exception. He is a master of both electric and acoustic bass techniques who released an entire album in tribute to a bass legend, Jaco Pastorius, some years back. Though the album is full of Jaco's signature songs, Bromberg easily manages to sound like himself; no small task for anyone. We may revisit this recording at another time, but for now, we'll refocus on The Beatles, otherwise this ice will never get broken!

Speaking as a bassist myself, it is one thing to become proficient on an electric instrument. Notes are clearly and definitively marked and the close string distance to the fretboard provides relatively easy access and maneuverability. The acoustic upright or double bass, is a whole different animal, requiring a keen sense of pitch, precise finger placement and considerable hand strength to sound notes properly. It is a beast of an instrument and few manage to master it. The basses played by world class jazz and classical musicians can be decades or even centuries old, like Bromberg's is. They require constant maintenance and are very sensitive to environmental changes. It takes a performer of considerable skill to make this unwieldy instrument sing like Bromberg does.

"Come Together" is a logical choice for a bassist to perform, as the song is firmly grounded in the bass line. Instrumentally, it is among the more sparse of The Beatles' recordings, identifying itself with acoustic blues much more than pop. Don't know if that was Lennon's intent, but that's where it seems to land.

So now, please enjoy Brian Bromberg's solo recording of The Beatles' "Come Together". The album on which it appears, "Wood", has been lauded by audiophiles for its 24 bit 96 Khz high resolution stereo master, originally done in 2006 for DVD audio. This Mp3 won't do it full justice, but I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy it anyway. Good headphones might help.

I would recommend most any of Brian Bromberg's fine recordings, especially "Wood", "Downright Upright" and "It Is What It Is". The "Jaco" album is amazing. I will also recommend ALL of The Beatles' recordings, without reservation. Yes, all of them. Get 'em at Amazon or your local indie record store.