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Last month I got to hear Broo play in Bergen, Norway, with IPA, a quartet with three killing Norwegian players–bassist Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten, drummer Håkon Mjåset Johansen, and tenor saxophonist Atle Nymo (the latter two play together in a quintet called Motif with pianist Haavard Wiik). Last year, before Broo hooked up with the band, the other three musicians recorded a wonderful take on Don Cherry’s Complete Communion album. IPA’s new album, Lorena (Bolage), shares an affinity for Cherry’s music as well as the work of Ornette Coleman, an energetic, bracing strain of free bop marked by rigorous improvised interplay in the front line.
Broo will be busy over the next four nights. Tomorrow he’ll join excellent Dutch group Trio Braam de Joode Vatcher at Elastic and on Friday and Saturday he and pianist Wiik (who also plays in Atomic) will participate in the Vandermark 5 Special Edition at the Green Mill. Ken Vandermark has created new arrangements of some older V5 material and written some new pieces to accommodate these two excellent guests. The performances will be recorded for later release.
