Jazz at the Center Featuring Bobby Broom
Bobby Broom and Indianapolis Jazz Collective pay tribute to Wes Montgomery
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective featuring guitarist Bobby Broom celebrated the 100th year of Wes Montgomery at the Indianapolis Jazz Foundations’ second concert in their Jazz At The Center series at the Indianapolis Art Center on July 20, 2023.
The internationally recognized Broom is a jazz guitarist, composer, and educator who, at 16, began playing with Sonny Rollins and was one of the few guitarists who played with Art Blakey and the Messengers. His legacy over the years has included multiple albums as a leader and sideman and a who’s who of jazz greats he has joined on stage. His influencers were some of the greatest guitarists in jazz: George Benson, Pat Martino, and, most definitely, Wes Montgomery.
Celebrating Wes at 100
The concert opened with Wes Montgomery's favorites “Four On Six” and “West Coast Blues,” followed by a song Wes often played, “End Of A Love Affair.” Following a brief intermission due to rain, the band continued with an original tune of Broom’s “No Hype Blues” and an original tune “Fresh Air” by Indianapolis Jazz Collective saxophonist Rob Dixon - written in the instrumental pop style made famous by Montgomery.
IJF Artistic & Education Director Rob Dixon says that Bobby was the first choice to pay tribute to Indy legend Wes Montgomery. "Bobby is a modern-day jazz icon that has apprenticed with the likes of Tom Browne, Sonny Rollins, and many more great jazz musicians. We couldn’t think of a more perfect nationally known guitarist to pay homage to Wes Montgomery."
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective has become a must-see group of top jazz musicians in the city, often inviting a renowned jazz musician to join them in concert. The Indianapolis Jazz Collective included Rob Dixon (sax), Steve Allee (keyboard), Brandon Meeks (bass), and Kenny Phelps (drums) and featured the masterful Bobby Broom on guitar.
*Photographer Mark Sheldon is on the Board of Directors of The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and chairs its Legacy Committee.
