26 | SMOOTH JAZZ NEWS By Ken Capobianco the 1960s through the 1980s, musical supergroups featuring popular, established musicians proliferated in pop music. Cream, Steps Ahead, V.S.O.P., e Traveling Wilburys, e Highwaymen and many other acts across genres o en created electrifying music that rivaled their much-lauded members’ solo work. Unfortunately, as money and personal branding took precedence over music in pop and jazz, supergroups disappeared faster than VHS tapes. BPM, a jazz supergroup featuring the esteemed trio of bassist Brian Bromberg, guitarist Paul Brown and saxophonist Michael Paulo, are breaking with contemporary convention and going where few other popular jazz artists dare in the timid 21st century. And they are having fun doing it. e group released their challenging and musically playful debut, Seriously, late last year to widespread acclaim. e collection of funky, high-spirited songs, performed with the kind of verve and soulful dexterity missing in much of mainstream jazz these days, marks the beginning of a beautiful musical friendship, to paraphrase Rick Blaine in “Casablanca.” many fun challenging friendship, Seriously— a superlative debut release by BPM, the new smooth jazz supergroup BRIAN BROMBERG PAUL BROWN MICHAEL PAULO BPM Photo: Alex Brown
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