Description
This was the first solo album of the Philadelphia-born tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, released in 1987 on the MCA/Impulse label. Having already established himself as one of the U.S. session circuit's most wanted, and before he had become a household name to jazz followers, this album features Brecker and a host of stars cutting seven of the best East Coast tunes on record, and such standard of performance and composition could only have been followed by himself! The full line-up is Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone and the Akai EWI wind synthesiser), Pat Metheny (gtr), Kenny Kirkland (pno/more…keyboards), Charlie Haden (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums), and produced by pianist Don Grolnick. The first track "Sea Glass" is an evocative piece, with Brecker showing his wonderful capacity for playing simple melody over Kirkland's sustained organ-like accompaniment. The second "Syzygy" begins with a fast bop-style duet improvisation between Brecker and drummer DeJohnette, before being joined by the other musicians. The nine-octave chordal EWI makes its first appearance here, in a solo overlaid with Brecker's punchy tenor sound. The two ballad tracks of the album are Mike Stern's "Choices" and Grolnick's "The Cost of Living", the latter being brought to life particularly by the vocal and expressive bass playing of Charlie Haden. Sandwiched between them is "Nothing Personal", another classic from the pen of producer Grolnick. Again, with shades of the Be-Bop era, the five musicians show they are more than just the sum of their already impressive parts. In my opinion, the two best tracks are left until last. "Original Rays" is a short and simple head tune, which runs through this nine-minute effort, and seems essentially effortless. It begins with a polyphonic display of virtuosity on the EWI synthesiser from Brecker, who after the entry of piano, bass and drums switches back to the tenor saxophone, on which he continues to demonstrate why he is now hailed as one of the all-time great exponents of the instrument. The album ends with a track not on the original release, and like many bonus tracks, comes close to outweighing what has gone before it. It is a lengthy reading of the G. Wood/R. Mellin standard "My One And Only Love", beginning with a saxophone cadenza showing just how advanced Brecker's technique was even then. After about three minutes, the support in the accompaniment comes from the guitar, bass and very sensitive drumming. Though the lack of piano is no grace in itself, it creates a fresh sound to end the album that already will have you on the edge of your seat. A genuine must!
| 1 |
Sea glass |
| 2 |
Syzygy |
| 3 |
Choices |
| 4 |
Nothing personal |
| 5 |
The cost of living |
| 6 |
Original Rays |
| 7 |
My one and only love |
Info:
- Category:
- Music > Albums
- Case Type:
- CD
- Release Type:
- Retail
- Comments:
- 1 read add
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Cover Info:
- Title:
- Michael Brecker - Michael Brecker (1999) Retail CD
- Part:
- Inside
- Dimensions:
- 1429 x 1429 px
- Size:
- 668 KB
- Downloads:
- 82 (0 today)
- Uploaded:
- 08/07/08 by pontiacc
- Quality Rating:
-
- Currently /5 Stars.
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