Alan Broadbent

Recognized for his Grammy-winning achievements, Alan Broadbent stands out as a lyrical, melodic post-bop jazz pianist and arranger whose key inspirations include Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Tommy Flanagan, Nat "King" Cole, and Red Garland. Beyond his personal jazz projects, he has built a strong reputation as an arranger, first gaining notice through his roles as pianist and conductor for vocalist Natalie Cole during the 1990s, after which he has continued to divide his focus between small-group jazz and expansive arranging and conducting assignments for numerous prominent performers.

Originally from New Zealand, Broadbent relocated to Boston in 1966 to attend the renowned Berklee College of Music. He spent the years from 1969 to 1972 touring with Woody Herman, contributing as a writer, arranger, and soloist, before establishing himself in Los Angeles. Throughout the 1970s he performed as a sideman alongside Chet Baker, tenor saxophonists Warne Marsh and Gary Foster, and vocalist Irene Kral, extending those associations in the 1980s to include Bud Shank and arranger Nelson Riddle. Although several recordings from the 1970s featured him, Broadbent launched his career as a leader with trio sessions such as the 1984 release Song of Home and the 1985 album Further Down the Road.

Additional recordings appeared during the 1990s, among them Concord releases Pacific Standard Time in 1994 and Personal Standards in 1997. He also performed with bassist Charlie Haden, tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, and drummer Larance Marable in Haden’s Quartet West, an innovative, conceptual Los Angeles ensemble noted for inserting dialogue excerpts from film noir movies into its bop performances. In the same era he created arrangements for Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable: With Love album, accompanied the singer on tour, and soon undertook comparable work for artists including Sheila Jordan, Karrin Allyson, and Marian McPartland. His first Grammy Award arrived in 1997 for contributions to Cole’s rendition of “When I Fall in Love” from the Stardust album, followed by a second Grammy for “Lonely Town” from Charlie Haden and Quartet West’s 1999 recording The Art of the Song, which featured vocalist Shirley Horn.

Broadbent has maintained a steady output since the start of the new century, issuing albums on several independent labels such as the 2005 trio session ’Round Midnight with bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Joe La Barbera, the 2006 project Every Time I Think of You, and 2008’s Moment’s Notice. He continues to serve as a sought-after arranger and conductor for figures such as Michael Bublé, Andrea Bocelli, Kristin Chenoweth, and Diana Krall. In 2015 he collaborated with the London Metropolitan Orchestra on Developing Story, and in 2017 he worked with singer Georgia Mancio on Songbook.