Michael Brecker was a versatile sax
player; one who was equally facil in a
variety of jazz genres including hard
bop, fusion, funk, free form, and
electronic. Honing his chops in his
early years with Horace Silver and then
working the 1970s with brother Randy
followed by a stint with the Saturday
Night Live band, Michael always sought
out new and fresh sounds either on the
saxophone or the EWI (Electronic Wind
Instrument). Tragically lost at too
young an age to a rare disease, we know
that there will ever only be one Michael
Brecker. In our first set we hear
Michael on one of his more straight
ahead outtings from the late 1980s.
Our study of the number two commences
with two piano trios serving up two
standards, each with its own easy going
charme. Trane moves things up a notch
with his cover of one of the many
Gillespie standards. From a transitional
time for Trane, we hear many of his
musical influences while at the cross
roads of where his journey would take
him (and us) next.
Set three is about all the number
three and Lonnie Smith gives us some
groovin' soul jazz about three hip mice
avoding contact with an ever cool cat.
Jazzbo dishes up a hip yarn about three
little pigs goin' 'bout their bidness
and Nicholas Payton unleashes the
clarity of three brass players in a
soulful cutting session.
Closing out the hour we hear one more
featuring Michael Brecker, this time
from the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1978.
This track is one of the better examples
of jazz fusion, funky, souful, but with
top notch improvisation and attention to
musical detail.
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