REVIEW: “Hittin’ the Heartland” by Adam Bronstein

For his second live release, Hittin’ The Heartland (Feb 2026), Adam Bronstein is hitting all of the right notes. It’s the best of Bronstein’s sounds, pairing soulful jazz and psychedelia with improvisation that keeps you on your toes. The album was recorded at UrbanBeat in Lansing, MI, with bassist James Benders and Marco Ciriglaino on drums. Hittin’ The Heartland is quintessential Jazz Fusion music.

‘Intro’ truly sets the tone for the album, opening with spontaneity and unpredictability while settling into a groove. The end of the song blends seamlessly into track 2, ‘Sindri,’ which is something you will find throughout the album; Bronstein grounds his work amongst the chaos of sounds.

When ‘Hope is A Bird’ begins, you can appreciate the way the musicians collaborate with each other, dropping out when necessary to let the others shine. Supportive background mixes seamlessly with solo acts. When the musicians come together to riff along with the main harmonies and chord progressions, the soulful Jazz sounds created are like no other.

As track five plays, you are hit with the familiarity of ‘Pure Imagination’ from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Its grounding comes from the previous track, ‘Overstimulated at The Grocery Store,’ which was released as a single for the NPR Tiny Desk.

Track four succeeds at being an overwhelming cacophony of sounds, particularly towards the end. The improvisational style takes over in this track, making it hard to follow. But as we move to ‘Pure Imagination,’ Bronstein hones in on a sense of nostalgia as he rearranges and makes the song sound as if it were one of his own.

‘Blue Monk’ and ‘Melvin’ are all-out jam sessions with multiple solo breaks that alloweach musician to shine on their own. Bronstein’s free improv shines in tracks like these, where you can hear all the creative liberties taken. It’s unplanned, and the music created in the spur of the moment adds unexpected layers and intrigue. As track seven ends and the trio gears up to close out their set list, the added sounds from the audience bring you in. It makes you feel as if you were sitting with the band in a jazz club. That is the beauty of this album being recorded live—it might not be exactly perfect in every moment, but it is real. You hear every decision and choice made, musically and stylistically, as soloists and the group spotlight the compositional talents of Bronstein.