Bruce Hornsby Albums Ranked
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. He draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, gospel, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions. Hornsby’s recordings have been recognized on a number of occasions with industry awards, including the 1987 Grammy Award for Best New Artist with Bruce Hornsby and the Range, the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, and the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. His 21st album, Absolute Zero, was released in April 2019 and features collaborations with Justin Vernon and Sean Carey of Bon Iver, Jack DeJohnette, Blake Mills, yMusic, The Staves, and Brad Cook. Here are all of Bruce Hornsby albums ranked.
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7. Spirit Trail (1998)
“This is a masterful work. Interspersed with the intricate stories is some of the best keyboard work you will ever hear, and a wonderful voice – in some songs I found myself thinking, if Bonnie Raitt was a man, this is the voice she would have – making this by far my most favorite of Bruce’s works, in a career of work where there are no duds. He just keeps getting better.”
6. Absolute Zero (2019)
“This album is a journey that stands strong till the last note in, Take You There. One can sense he’s tapped into our world’s futurism like cryonics and pharma-dependency and as always, strange relationships. It’s hard to create this style of music with this complexity of social-mirroring. These are not simple tunes but I get the sense Bruce actually, “researched” in a social context and studied at the keyboard for experimental breakthrough. Absolute Zero is a masterpiece.”
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5. Hot House (1995)
“This album is perfect for those who are intrigued by the harmony of jazz, but are frustrated when they hear jazz players who play so far “outside” that any hint of the original tune/hook is lost. If you hear yourself scream “Where’s the melody?!?!” while listening to most jazz, then this disc as well as Harbor Lights is for you. Hornsby is one the few virtuosos who is also a superb songwriter, but he writes jazz flavored pop.”
4. A Night On The Town (1990)
“Bruce Hornsby’s A night on the town is another really get album with lots of great material for any Hornsby fan. I once saw Bruce Hornsby perform at Celebration of the arts in downtown GR Mich Bruce said to the crowd he had a case of butterflies in his tummy at first but we helped them go away him and his band were so grateful they put on a great show. I highly recommend A night on the town to any Hornsby fan.”
3. Harbor Lights (1993)
“Harbor Lights begins with a typical Bruce piano solo, readily identifiable before it kicks into fusion jazz mode with Pat Metheny voltage solos and Jeff Lorber ostinato patterns weaving in and around the ebony and ivory. Talk Of The Town is funked up jazz a la Herbie Hancock delivered with jamming keys, Metheny guitar support on Branford Marsalis sax sweeps and Phil Collins as “the human metronome” on bongos. China Doll, like Talk Of The Town, really draws from Haslip Yellowjackets, before Pat takes us on another guitar solo of the fusion kind of trip, Bruce’s key jams and Phil’s backing vocal harmonies are exquisite.”
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2. Scenes From The Southside (1988)
“This album, particularly side one, is melodic, poetic, and eminently listenable. It blends social protest, nature scenes, love experienced, and love lost. The piano playing is virtuosic at times, yet always tasteful.”
1. The Way It Is (1986)
“This debut album features two of Hornsby’s most popular songs, The Way It Is and Mandolin Rain, and is the album that made him a household name in the late ’80s. Those tracks are still on the radio today, but the rest of the album is just as good, and if you want to hear more of The Range’s material check out the first two albums. The piano work is excellent and always at the forefront, while The Range adds competent rhythm and guitar work.”
