BPM: Brian Bromberg, Paul Brown & Michael Paulo

BPM: Brian Bromberg, Paul Brown & Michael Paulo
Seriously Dig in on Inaugural Recording Together
Available Everywhere on Shanachie Entertainment September 27th

< So, who are these cats called BPM? Just three humble dudes, who love to play and yearn to hang out with one another equally as much and who have absolutely no room for drama. Seriously! Grammy-nominated and hit-making bassist Brian Bromberg, two-time Grammy- winning guitarist and producer Paul Brown and show-stopping and chart-topping saxophone sensation Michael Paulo (BPM), have joined forces for the first time as a unit on a recording for their anticipated and riveting new album Seriously, available everywhere on Shanachie Entertainment September 27, 2024. Brown’s vision for the trios new recording was simple, “To make the record we all have wanted to record after 30 plus years of making records. We have no constraints or have anything to prove. The music is just solid and from the heart.” Collectively this triumvirate of musical powerhouses have been first call for such iconic artists as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Sting, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, and Sarah Vaughan, among countless others. Brian Bromberg reveals why BPM is a match made in heaven, “I bring the bagels, Paul brings the wine, and Michael brings his golf clubs and dancing shoes! We all really do bring something different to the table.” Paul Brown confesses that the idea was born after the trio performed together in Punta Mita, Mexico. He shares, “I wanted Brian in the band because I was so impressed with his playing and compositions. It's nice to have someone that can blow the roof off when he solos. Michael is just a great all-around player who has exceptional stage presence.” Michael Paulo chimes in, “Because I am playing with two stiff guys, somebody has got to move around onstage and that’s me. I am also the man in the middle when two geniuses clash, I chill them with my Hawaiian laid back, ‘ain't no big thing bruddah’ attitude.”

Danny Weiss, Shanachie Entertainment’s Vice President of Jazz A&R states, “In the tradition of Fourplay, BWB and Shanachie's own Jazz Funk Soul, BPM picks up the torch. Three brilliant musical minds combining to create Contemporary Jazz magic!” At the core of BPM are three musicians who hail from musical families and who are serious about the music they put out into the universe. “Music, especially instrumental music, has no borders, no language, no religion, no skin color, no gender, no racial background, and no political party,” espouses Brian Bromberg. “How perfect is that? It’s about the music and how the music makes you feel. If you feel good inside, then you feel love inside. If you feel love inside, then we as humanity are all one and in a better place.” The unique instrumental configuration of BPM (bass, guitar, and sax) is a rare pairing, but the trio manages to create a thing of beauty. BPM enlists a first-rate lineup of cohorts to join them in their merrymaking on Seriously including keyboardists Philippe Saisse, Tom Schuman, Lew Laing, Jeffrey L. Smith, Tom Zink and Mark Stevens, drummer Tony Moore, guitarists Shane Theriot, Gannin Arnold and Andrew Freeman, saxophonist Andrew Neu, trumpeter Michael Stever and trombonist Nick Lane.

While the name BPM is a play on the first initials of Brian, Paul, and Michael’s first names, it also alludes to their unwavering commitment to the music, their playful spirits, their unabashed fervor to jam and undeniable pursuit of swing. “Beats Per Minute baby!” declares Brian. “We have a lot of musical and life experiences that are invaluable that we bring to the stage and to our recordings. No egos, no bull, just the best music we can make,” while Paul Brown says it’s all about “really strong material and performances and hitting for the fences all the time!” BPM manages to balance this passion and unbounded joy with their superb musicianship and organic grooves on the album’s ten tracks.

When BPM got together to record Seriously, their mission was simple, “To just record great songs for the format that are musical and that tell a story,” confides Paul Brown. “The cool thing about a new band sound is that you can take a few more subtle chances at times because it is a new thing and a new sound. We hope in time we can truly develop ‘a sound’ that when people hear the music they go, ‘that’s BPM!’ That is the goal. I think we have already started doing that.” Seriously opens with the ceremonious and feel-good “East Side Party.” Bromberg, Brown, and Paulo set the tone for the joyous affair ahead trading choruses to euphoric delight. Most of the songs on the album were co-written by the band and with other guests on the date. Brian shares, “When Paul gave me a bunch of tracks to check out that needed melodies, I just went crazy and wrote a whole bunch of music…this was like composing on steroids!” The scintillating Latin-tinged “Breakfast In Bed,” with special guest pianist and label-mate Philippe Saisse, is the penultimate lesson in smooth groove – crisp dancing melodies and a cool swaying rhythm section. Just as morning brings renewal so does this song’s timeless vibe.

The album’s captivating first single “Seriously?” is a declaration of Bromberg, Brown, and Paulo’s intent to leave no question unanswered. Can they swing? Yes! Do they bring the funk? Yes! Can you dance to Jazz? Yes! The trio is augmented by a gritty and soulful horn section which catapults the bluesy number to a new dimension as BPM stretches out with Paul Brown’s funky licks, Michael Paulo’s swinging tenor and Bromberg’s slap-happy bass. This number is hard to resist. Michael confesses “‘Seriously’ is a super funky tune and so much fun to play live!” “Gridlock” is the perfect drive-time anthem as BPM opens the pathways for some serious cruising. The ethereal yet funky “Black Pearl,” featuring pianist Tom Schuman (who also composed the song), is a showstopper. Just like its namesake, the organic gem shimmers with dark and romantic overtones. Paul says, “I really love ‘Black Pearl.’ I had the idea of mixing my two favorite bands Weather Report and the Grateful Dead. I think we managed to do just that...check it out and see if you can hear it.” Seriously also showcases the R&B flavored and dance-inducing “Slip Slide,” which will have you clapping along and shaking your head before you even realize you are under the spell of BPM. Then there is the sultry Quiet Storm gem “Nice and Slow” and “Don’t Look Back” which features Paulo’s longing sax. He explains, “I like all the songs but ‘Don’t Look Back,’ is one of my favorites. It puts me in a space of reminiscing about all the places I have been and long to go back to again.” Another highlight is the devotional “You’re All I Need” and the spirited “Paradise,” which brings the album to a climactic conclusion.

“I've been making music my whole life. It's my go to when things are rough. I never even thought about doing anything else. I wouldn't even know where to start,” confesses Paul Brown. The avid golfer and wine collector has dominated the Contemporary Jazz charts as both an artist and producer for several decades. Born in Los Angeles to musician parents who sang with Mel Tormé, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, among others, Brown started playing drums at age five and picked up his first guitar two years later. He has amassed 75 #1 Contemporary Jazz radio hits and engineered for R&B divas Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross and has produced for everyone including Luther Vandross, Al Jarreau and George Benson. Paul Brown’s latest solo recording is the Promised Land.

A consummate musician, Brian Bromberg’s motto is “Good enough is never good enough. Always strive to be the best you can be in music and in your life.” Born in Tucson, Arizona, the versatile bassist, and producer has recorded the diverse repertoire of Jaco Pastorius, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Jimi Hendrix. Bassist Scott LaFaro is the subject of Bromberg’s most recent recording LaFaro. Hailing from a family of musicians and artists, Bromberg gravitated towards the drums as a toddler and by the time he was a teen he was working professionally. At only 18 years old Brian’s first big break came in 1979 when bassist Marc Johnson recommended Bromberg for a gig with tenor titan Stan Getz. The prolific bassist has recorded on over 150 albums as a sideman and has either recorded and or toured with such luminaries as Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Shirley Horn, Lionel Hampton, George Duke, Lalo Schifrin, Dianne Reeves, Kenny Barron, and Michel Legrand. He also toured with such heavyweights as Freddie Hubbard and Eddie Harris. Bromberg is a self-professed wine connoisseur and is passionate about professional drag racing, animals, nature, and astronomy.

“I was very religious when I was young but when the spirit of music came calling, the stage became my church,” shares saxophonist Michael Paulo. Hailing from a musical home in Hawaii, Michael’s house was filled with music as Michael, his siblings and parents were all musicians. His most recent release, Here Is Happiness, is dedicated to his late father and legendary Hawaiian pianist Rene Paulo. Revered for his serious chops and unrivaled stage presence, Michael Paulo has been first call for everyone from Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock and Patti Austin to David Benoit, Bobby Caldwell, and Peter White. Paulo is featured on the much talked about Miles Davis session Rubberband, which was released for the first time in 2020. A Jazz impresario, Paulo created and produces the long running Temecula Wine, and Music Festival, which has supported military veterans and organizations like the Shriner’s Hospital for Children through the years. He also produces music concert series in Hawaii as well as the California concerts Grooves at the Westin, Live from La Costa, and Rhythm on the Vine.

With the release of BPM’s Seriously, Brian Bromberg, Paul Brown and Michael Paulo are ready to hit the road and spread the good news. Look out for tour dates coming soon. Bromberg concludes, “If BPM has the ability, even on a small scale to make people happy, to make them move or make them sing, then we are playing a very little part in trying to bring people from all walks of life and stories together. That to me is an honor.” Paulo shares the same vision to emotionally connect with their audience stating, “Music is about how you make people feel and communicating emotion. When you accomplish that you have fulfilled your purpose. Paul Brown concludes, “We're all kind of in the same place in our lives where we only want to do special things that make us happy and that leave us satisfied. It's not about money or fame. Pure musicality.”