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Patrick Bradley
About Me
Deducing from the new CD cover photograph of keyboardist/composer Patrick Bradley
standing in front of mega-power satellite dishes – looking like a pioneering master of aviation
from a bygone era – one can gather that this is a man on a reconnaissance mission to bring
back engaging instrumental music from the sleepy predictable brink.
With two strong previous CDs already in his tool belt, his third and best CD, “Can You Hear
Me” on Patrick’s Song Factory Records, his second produced by Jeff Lorber, is just the 10-
song missive to do the trick. Not only does it feature thoughtful and energetic alternatives to
the standard smooth jazz realm, it showcases truly thrilling touchstone compositions and
performances reflecting Bradley’s roots in both jazz-rock fusion and progressive rock. Playing
piano, electric keyboards, mini-Moog ‘Voyager’ synthesizer and his very first instrument,
Hammond organ (a hair-raising sound rarely heard in music anymore), Bradley creates a sonic
palette that straps you in for a scintillating aural journey then shoots for the harmonic
spheres. In short, this guy really plays!
As with Bradley’s first CDs, “Come Rain or Shine” (2006) and “Under The Sun” (2011), many of
his compositions are richly inspired by life, philosophy and people dear to his heart. In his
self-penned liner notes inside the package, Bradley shares, “My idea was to dig deeper than
ever before by pushing through to new personal musical dimensions.” The results move
masterfully and poignantly from the serene title track/first single “Can You Hear Me” (inspired
by both his Christian faith and a longing for his mom to hear his new music – she passed
away in 2008) and a musical portrait of Barcelona, Spain titled “Catalan” to the absolutely
ears-searing burners “Blue Skies” and the Latin jazz fusion rip “Voyage” (which features a
voice sound bite of his late father-in-law, Carlos Vidal, a great Cuban conguero in the `50s).
As the title of the CD-opening song “All In” defines straight from the gate, “Can You Hear Me”
is a 360-degree listening experience.
Bringing Bradley’s music to life are top flight musicians such as saxophonists Eric Marienthal
(Chick Corea Elektric Band) and Dave Koz, trumpeter Rick Braun, guitarists Michael Thompson
and Dwight Sills, bassist Jimmy Haslip (formerly of the Yellowjackets) and drummer Gary
Novak. At the helm of it all is prolific producer/composer/keyboardist Lorber who Bradley
swears fits his musicality like a glove. “When we worked on my last CD, “Under the Sun,”
together, it was such an easy process for both of us that the natural thing to do was ask him
to do it again. He’s such a gifted writer with so much experience it’s easy for him to get the
best out of other players. He really encouraged me to dig deeper. He’s a keyboardist, like me,
but really focused on helping me shine. Jeff’s the one who picked up on my organ ability and
said, ‘You’re a killer on that thing – you need to get out there and play more of that!’ Our
styles complement one another. Things happen really easy in the studio between us and there
are always unexpected twists. We never know how something is going to end up.”
While Bradley brought in the essences and basic ideas for most of the songs, the exception
was “Shoreline,” something Lorber had the chord progressions and asked Bradley to pen the
melody. Bradley adds, “‘North of Evermore’ also spontaneously came together in the studio. I
had basic parts, but the majority of it happened with us in the studio. On that one, I do the
first organ and mini-Moog solos. Then the last synth solo is Jeff.” Along the same radio-
friendly lines are the Steely Dan-nish “Daylight,” the sexy slink of “For Her” and the driving
“Sierra.”
Southern California native Bradley may have started his musical life at age 8 on a bargain
basement organ, but the journey since has been rich. Self-taught, he faithfully played in
church for seven years, explored the Beatles and Elton John, progressed (literally) into the
headier thinking man’s rock of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes (Keith Emerson and Rick
Wakeman becoming major influences). He finally took classical music in college, but caught
the jazz-rock fusion A-train, latching fast to genre pioneers Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.
Out of college, Bradley joined a 5-piece rock band called Joshua that released one album on
Polydor Records entitled “Surrender” in 1986. Then at age 24, Bradley opted to focus on his
wife and children, and a more solid business career in organic food retail.
While working by day as regional president for Whole Foods in Chicago, Bradley recorded his
first CD, “Come Rain Or Shine” (produced by Allen Kaufman), with the title track peaking at
#26 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Singles chart. Following a promotion at Whole Foods to
President of the Southern Pacific region and a move back to California, Bradley recorded
“Under the Sun” in 2011 with Lorber (suggested by Koz) and found radio stations gravitating
to “Just Let Go,” “Straight Path” and (a surprise) “Slipstream.” The CD went to #6 on the
Smooth Indie Chart.
Though corporate America suits him well, Bradley is shooting for his third disc to be a
Billboard Top 5 charter. “The music biz is not easy,” he concludes. “I’m blessed that I get to
do this and with such a fine level of players. Yeah, I wrote ‘Can You Hear Me’ for my mom, but
I’m also trying to get noticed in this really noisy world where it’s easy to get missed. So Can
You Hear Me is my way of sending up a flare to the music world and saying, ‘Hello out there!’”
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