Remember when records came with proud disclaimers about no synthesisers being used in the making of an album? Well, Brian Bromberg's brand new Thicker Than Water comes up with a nice variation on the theme. “There are no guitar melodies or solos on this recording,” declares a liner note – meaning “guitar melodies or solos” produced on the conventional sixstring lead variety of guitar, since, in keeping with the virtuoso skills of its principal maker, the album is chock-a-block with bass thrills and frills. The note is certainly useful as you would otherwise be likely to assume that the face-melter of a solo at the end of ‘Trials and Tribulations’ must be the work of some six-string hero or other: in fact, it's Bromberg on a piccolo bass. Elsewhere, he performs solos on the upright bass (the intro to ‘It's Called Life’ and the closer, ‘A Familia’) and lays down elaborate grooves from behind all manner of electric and acoustic basses. In short, the man has a whole lotta basses and can play them all to a supremely high standard, making them sound like lead guitars when he chooses. (For the purposes of clarity, I should add that rhythm guitarist Gannin Arnold provides fills at the end of opener ‘Is That the Best You Can Do?’ since, adds that note, “Brian thought they were so cool he wanted them on the CD!”) It's a beautifully delivered set, and Bromberg is helped out by the likes of Randy Brecker and George Duke (on one of his last outings). The results are both funkily smooth (the energetic ‘Minneapolis, 1987’ could almost be Prince) and soulfully reflective (the ballad ‘Your Eyes’ is a laidback charmer), with the most obvious detour being provided courtesy of a homage to Japan on ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, which features Mark Hollingsworth on bamboo flutes and June Kuramoto on koto.