Alan Broadbent Part Two (S5 | E253)
[PJ] I met Alan at this show: ALAN BROADBENT TRIO AT MEZZROW in July of 2025. The two sets were stunning (as you will see at that link) and I immediately wanted to understand his career a lot more. This is PART TWO of a TWO-PART SERIES.
Alan Broadbent was born in Auckland, New Zealand and in 1966, at the age of 19, received a Downbeat Magazine scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 1969 he was asked to join Woody Herman’s band as his pianist and arranger for 3 years. In 1972 he settled in Los Angeles, beginning a musical relationship with the legendary singer Irene Kral (no relation to Diana Krall). Soon he was also invited into the studio scene as a pianist for the great Nelson Riddle, David Rose and Johnny Mandel. In the early 90s he was asked to be a part of Natalie Cole’s famous “Unforgettable” cd, at which time he toured as her pianist and, a little while later, as her conductor. At this time he wrote an orchestral arrangement for her second video with her dad, “When I Fall In Love”, which won him his first Grammy Award for “best orchestral arrangement accompanying a vocal”.
Arranging and Jazz
Turning Points
Shortly after, he became a member of Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, touring the festivals of Europe, UK and the USA. It was while with this group that he won his second Grammy, an orchestral accompaniment written for Shirley Horn of Leonard Bernstein’s “Lonely Town”.
As a soloist and with his jazz trio, Broadbent has been nominated for Grammys twice for best instrumental performance, in the company of such artists as Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins and Keith Jarrett. In 2007 he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit, an honor he holds in high regard.
The Now
Stella Cole’s album It’s Magic, released on Decca Records US, is a collection of classic love songs from the Great American Songbook. Produced by Matt Pierson, the album features lush and romantic arrangements by the acclaimed Grammy-winning pianist and arranger Alan Broadbent. The collaboration between Cole and Broadbent brings new life to vintage standards, with some songs featuring a full string orchestra and others a more intimate string quartet, highlighting her vocal performance. The album includes classics like “As Time Goes By,” “Fools Rush In,” and the title track, a cover of the Doris Day hit.
More music forthcoming – nearly always for Alan – keep track of his progress at his website: alanbroadbent.com.
| Track Name | Album Name | Artist Name(s) | Release Date | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifford Notes | Threads of Time | Alan Broadbent | 6/27/25 | Savant |
| Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford | Vocalese | The Manhattan Transfer | 6/17/85 | Atlantic Records |
| Sonny’s Skip | Threads of Time | Alan Broadbent | 6/27/25 | Savant |
| The Love I Left Behind | The Love I Left Behind | Georgia Mancio;Alan Broadbent | 5/9/25 | Roomspin Records |
| A Story Left Untold | A Story Left Untold | Georgia Mancio;Alan Broadbent | 4/18/25 | Roomspin Records |
| The Duke | Broadbent plays Brubeck | Alan Broadbent | 3/16/22 | Eden River Records |
| Home at Last | Broadbent plays Brubeck | Alan Broadbent | 3/16/22 | Eden River Records |
| Stairway to the Stars | It’s Magic | Stella Cole | 8/22/25 | Decca Records US |
| Till There Was You | It’s Magic | Stella Cole | 8/22/25 | Decca Records US |
| This One’s for Bud | Threads of Time | Alan Broadbent | 6/27/25 | Savant |
