Jack Broadbent, Andrew Christensen

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Jeff Fasano

Jack Broadbent

British singer-songwriter Jack Broadbent is known for playing some wicked slide guitar using a whiskey bottle. Broadbent's most recent albums explored solo blues and folkier band sounds, but the title track for the new album Ride finds him heading in a rockier direction reminiscent of Foghat. With Andrew Christensen.

media release: Seated Show; $20 ($16 adv.).

British guitar virtuoso Jack Broadbent performs at The Bur Oak on April 13 in support of his upcoming album Ride, out April 8th.  Ride was created while Broadbent was grounded during the pandemic, and the direction effortlessly evolved into what he calls “the rock 'n' roll record I've been wanting to make for a long time.”  The blues-heavy title track kicks off the album and offers a groove-infused, updated take on the classic road song, as Broadbent barrels down the highway in a convertible with his guitar. Watch/listen HERE.

Broadbent began crafting his musical chops as a youth in Lincolnshire England, where he originally started off on the drums before moving towards the guitar and songwriting. "Being a drummer, I tried to develop a very rhythmic approach to my guitar playing," he recalls. "What interested me was being able to hold down a groove and do some gymnastics to incorporate solos and subtle bass lines.” While busking in his early 20s Broadbent refined his slide guitar technique, complete with his requisite whiskey flask, which attracted fans of all ages to the young virtuosic bluesman. In 2016, the Montreux Jazz Festival hailed him as, "The new master of the slide guitar."  Many musicians took note of the young luminary;  Bootsy Collins famously proclaimed him “the real thang!” while Ronnie Wood, Peter Frampton and others enlisted Broadbent to join them on the road. Listeners continued to engage, earning Broadbent over 10 million streams on Spotify.

Broadbent will headline dates in April, along with opening for long-time tour mates Little Feat. He will also be supporting alt-country pioneers Son Volt in August. He shined at his AmericanaFest showcase last year, about which No Depression said, “Brit Jack Broadbent and his flask-slide gave a show of virtuosity with his lap-picking style.”

“’Ride’ does, indeed, rock…Broadbent’s natural grit, voice and guitar, riding atop every song with a driving force." – Glide 

“A fabulously grooving, bluesy song that makes you want to move. Broadbent's playing is immediately engaging, but his vocal performance is equally impressive, full of storytelling character and grit.” – AMERICANA UK