David Bromberg is the most famous guy you’ve never heard of. Even he knows you’ve never heard of him, and tells us so in a documentary about him entitled, “David Bromberg: Unsung Treasure.”
Here’s the thing: musicians know him. Music fans of the 1960s – 1980 may know him, especially music history buffs or people who lived in the Bay Area during that time. But musicians KNOW him. And respect him. He’s a talented hired gun.
The film opens with some simple line drawings, almost like a Thurber cartoon, we find out were drawn for his albums by his sister. David started on the music scene after learning blues guitar from the Reverend Gary Davis, which molded him to become the “blackest Jew” ever.
Over the years a style of guitar playing could not be pinned on him as he was equally deadly in bluegrass as pure blues, rock or soul, jazz or country. And this lack of genre suited him as a backup to a huge list of people you HAVE heard of like Vince Gill, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Jerry Jeff Walker, Carly Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Ringo Starr, Phoebe Snow, The Eagles, Rita Coolidge—the list is literally too long to print here.
He’s one of those people who would be making music whether you or I were listening or not. It’s just in his blood, his breath, and his hands. So, when he broke up his band in 1980 and seemed to drop out of music—he didn’t. He made music alright, with emphasis on MADE. He developed one of the most extensive violin collections in the world—and handcrafted the suckers to boot.
But his amazing guitar work has ripples today in the likes of Jack White or Mumford and Sons who have one of the top grossing albums of 2012 with a single that features banjo string work. One thing is certain, talent will out, and David—now hailing from Delaware—continues to make music into a scene.
This documentary doesn’t break new ground or threaten to win awards. It’s simply one of those films that you will enjoy seeing, especially if you are a fan at all of music. David Bromberg is a guy worth knowing.
Sure, he’s been nominated for a Grammy, has over ten albums with his own band, and beat out Carlos Santana and Jerry Garcia for a BAMA, but don’t worry—you’ve never heard of him.
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“David Bromberg: Unsung Treasure” will be playing at CCA 7 December @ 9 PM.
For more information and complete program and schedule, please visit the Santa Fe Film Festival website.
To purchase tickets, visit TicketsSantaFe.org.
