Bergman Broom began playing the ukulele and writing songs as a child in Brooklyn, New York, inspired by a pile of old 78 RPM records. Surviving a houseful of bickering televison addicts, he attended a little university in Western New York and later moved to Syracuse, where played guitar in a few groups, including The Beverages vocal trio. The years 1983-1987 were "my most serious blue period," he says, during which time he opened as a solo act for the likes of The Roches, Suzanne Vega, Gilberto Gil, and Livingston Taylor. He also made regular appearances during this time at the legendary Speakeasy Cafe in New York City's West Village. In 1988 he put together The Oh So Sensitive Sidemen, a six- or sometimes seven-piece backing combo which delivered a weekly jampacked suitcase of literary Bergman compositions with touches of jazz in the rock. It was - and remains - one of Syracuse's best and best-loved folk/pop groups.
Solo and band recordings have included the out-of-print "Sextuplets" (1986), "Starcheye Coatman Sessions" (1989), "Quarrel With The Universe" (1991). Still available are "Crevices" (1995), and "9 Dinosaur Songs" (2003), all of which made Professor Broom the Central New York area's dean of songwriters in the acoustic pop vein, and certainly one of its most caustic yet charming lyrical expressionists. Newest recordings in the works are "Out Of The Dusk", a collection of obscure songs from 1910-1930 with ukulele and voice only, and "Home Sweet Motel", which is recent original piano and guitar songs noir, to be released by 2007 we think.
In addition to time spent worrying, Bergman draws oblique one-punch comics and is writing somewhat premature memoirs. He currently lives with his dog Lovely Rita within close proximity to his van and performs in Seattle, Washington at least until he can afford the gas to drive out.
