Michael Brecker

Greetings,

This is a blog dedicated to Jazz musicians, who I believe, do not receive enough praise for their musical talent.

Brecker in 1973.

Today, I introduce Michael Brecker. Born on March 29th, 1949, and died on January the 13th, 2007 after a long battle with Leukaemia. 

Brecker performing at a Jazz festival in 1990

To briefly summarise, during Brecker's short lifetime, he won 11 Grammy awards, and 4 more posthumously, bringing his total Grammy award count to 15. Brecker has been described as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane,". Brecker is known for his mind-blowing solos,    chromatic passages, beautiful compositions, and unbelievable command of the Tenor Saxophone, from the bellowing low notes, to the high end of the altissimo register.

An Aged Michael Brecker

Brecker is what sparked my interest in Jazz music, mainly due to his staggering solos, and his distinct tone. 

This is Some Skunk Funk by Randy Brecker, Michael's brother, an amazing trumpeter. This song is performed by the Brecker Brothers, a duo that was formed by Randy and Michael. What I would like to bring to your attention is Michael's solo on this performance. It starts at 1.14. A transcription of the solo can be found here: http://michaelbreckerliverecordings.com/Transcriptions/Solo/Some%20Skunk%20Funk%201992%20-%20Michael%20Breckers%20Solo%20-%20Julian%20Palma.pdf

It is obvious from the solo that Michael's pure brutality, and his absolute ownership on his horn is unmatched, Michael's altisimmo display can be seen from 2.49. Other parts of his solo really emphasise his professional skill on the horn, and his improvisation is truly staggering. I hope you enjoy this piece. 

P.S, I will try to blog once a week.