Michael Brecker's health

johnagrandy · June 10, 2005

Did anyone get this e-mail today from SFJazz where they say that "due to illness" Josh Redman is replacing an "ailing" Michael Brecker in the June 14 sax summit ?

But they don't say anything else ... frustrating.

If today's the 9th, and the show's the 14th, and Mike has already cancelled, then it's not a head cold they're talking about. "Illness" and "ailing" could mean a lot of different things.

It would really bum me out if Mike Brecker's health is failing. An truly mind-blowing live performer who gets so intensely into his own groove like almost no one else can ...

... and I've always, and still, think of him as a young guy !

Anyone know anything?

Kari S · June 10, 2005

I think he's had some problems with his back recently. At least he's had to cancel a few gigs because of it.

wesbed · June 10, 2005

... and I've always, and still, think of him as a young guy
←

I still see Michael Brecker as a young guy as well. A young guy playing saxophone with Steely Dan.

Dan Gould · June 24, 2005

This was buried in a review of the JVC Jazz Festival in today's Times:

(The tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker was supposed to tour with the group this summer, but Mr. Maineri read a statement that Mr. Brecker was undergoing treatment for serious health problems. Mr. Brecker's management said yesterday that he had received a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder.

Hope his treatment and recovery goes well.

CJ Shearn · June 24, 2005

Michael Brecker is one of my fav. tenor players next to Wayne, I'm shocked b/c I don't think of him as old either. His first record and his performances on Pat Metheny's"80/81" are terrific, especially "Every Day (I Thank You)"

clifford_thornton · June 24, 2005

One doesn't have to be 'old' to have health problems...

ghost of miles · July 14, 2005

Thread about this over at Jazzcorner as well.

Guy Berger · July 14, 2005

I hope his health gets better -- it looks like a very serious illness...

Guy

Joe M · July 14, 2005

From his website Michael Brecker.com

"Very sadly, Michael is seriously ill with the blood disorder myelodysplasia for which he is currently undergoing treatment. All concerts have either been cancelled or postponed for approximately one year. Thanks for your positive vibes, and should you be so inclined, get well wishes can be sent to info@michaelbrecker.com"

Kevin Bresnahan · July 14, 2005

From his website Michael Brecker.com

"Very sadly, Michael is seriously ill with the blood disorder myelodysplasia for which he is currently undergoing treatment. All concerts have either been cancelled or postponed for approximately one year. Thanks for your positive vibes, and should you be so inclined, get well wishes can be sent to info@michaelbrecker.com"

←

Someone told me that myelodysplasia is a form of bone marrow cancer that has no real cure. There are experimental drugs that he could consider and in young patients they transplant stem cells with moderate success. Michael's not young so that seems to make that less likely. I found a website it appears that the expected survival is 6 months to 5 years, depending on the type of myelodysplasia and how far it's progressed. This is a major bummer. The guy's only 56. I sincerely hope it turns out that his diagnosis isn't this disease. Maybe they made a mistake at the lab?

I really feel for Michael and his family. I hope he can keep upbeat. One of my co-workers is here at work every day with a similar diagnosis. He is as upbeat as can be. I am constantly amazed by him. When I ask him how he does it when he knows the clock is ticking, he says, "Why go down being depressed? Live life and enjoy yourself. You never know when it will end". On the bright side, he's already surpassed the doctor's initial prognosis.

I often wonder how I would take such devastating news myself. Facing one's mortality is never a good thing. I just hope by the time I do, I am able to look back at a good life and leave little regrets.

Play on Michael. I hope you can swing through Boston soon. I'll be there cheering you on.

Kevin

clifford_thornton · July 14, 2005

Wow - what a serious drag. I was talking to Lasha the other day and he was saying that Brecker's health is more seriously in jeapordy than people had realized, but didn't go into exactly what it was. I believe he's going to be doing a benefit concert soon; will provide details if/when I find out more.

casanovas347 · July 14, 2005

OMG :blink: when i talked to my friend Harald in April 05, he said its just something with his back........

and about his "younger" years....i have the shadows & lights video show from joni mitchell with Michael blowing the sax......great stuff!

i also love his collaboration with Harald -_-

....all the best to Michael!

Jim Alfredson · July 14, 2005

What shitty news. I'll be sending positive vibes...

Soul Stream · July 14, 2005

Saw him play with Herbie and Roy this year. Was the first time I was able to see him play. Wish him all the best in his continued quest to make music and live life.

cannonball-addict · July 15, 2005

This is terrible news to me too. He is a major reason I stuck with the sax.

I hope he is feeling well enough to keep up him chops on EWI. Nobody can play sax or EWI like Mike. Three Quartets is indeed an amazing album.

P.S. Why would Michael Brecker hold a benefit concert? He is likely one of the richest jazz musicians ever to live. I heard from an insider, he charges like $1,000 per solo on rock records he's been on and if Branford Marsalis is commanding 50,000 a hit these days, Michael is certainly commanding more than that.

clifford_thornton · July 15, 2005

Actually, it was Lasha who is probably going to do something like that. Cancer ain't cheap, no matter how rich one is...

sidewinder · July 15, 2005

Damn - this is very sad news, will keep fingers crossed for positive developments. It's over 25 years since I last saw him, at a Charlie Parker Memorial performance, when he was in burning form.

CJ Shearn · July 15, 2005

I'll be dropping a line on his site. Its been the last few years I've deeply got into his music, but I saw him with his brother at the Hollywood Bowl when I was 7.

johnagrandy · July 28, 2005

I got busy and didn't check these boards for six weeks ... and now it hits hard.

I last saw Mike way way too long ago, on the BB reunion tour. If I remember right they did Sponge ... and definitely SSF. Mike was in such a frenzy on those two -- you know how he sways way forward and backward when he's got his groove -- I was thinking, man, he's going to fall over.

This disease he's got ... I read a little on the web ... I don't want to say it, but it sounds you've got to defy death to beat it ... like most fans, I guess, I don't personally know them, but I feel so bad for Mike and Randy and their friends and family.

And please don't think just because of all the money he reportedly made as a session man that he's got the funds to pay whatever the bills are to fight this thing. Who knows what kind of health insurance he has? Did he ever anticipate this ... etc. ...

Whenever I'm feeling old ... feeling like I don't want to fight all negative shit in this world any longer, I put on Heavy Metal BeBop ... yeah, I know Mike went on to many many other things, but there's this spirit of youth he infused into these funk numbers ... it cheers me up like nothing else.

What to do ? If Mike goes down, that's it man, my youth is over.

Ohhh, East River

Ohh, ain't no river there no more

Wounded river opens wide

Swallow good and eat a tide

Keep us far away as long

Robot killer can stay on the run

Heavenly funk 'n earthly fate

Wanna jump in 'n be its mate

Elude yourself, disintegrate

Ohhh East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Oh East River, la de da

Ain't no river there no more

Left its skin like a giant snake

Is the fake real or the real fake

Is it just some fat catfish

Feeds all day 'n waits down wish

I'm standin' on the bridge of time

'N there's no way across but to lose my mind

Jump off time, and see what I find

Ohhh East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

Ohhh East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

Ohhh East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

East River, la de da

Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh

Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha

Singin' with the devil, ooh la la

Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

Edited July 28, 2005 by johnagrandy

slide_advantage_redoux · July 28, 2005

I've only seen Michael perform live twice; once at the OKC zoo in the late 70's when he was on the Joni Mitchell tour right after she did the Mingus album....Jaco was on that band too.

The other time was in NYC in '82 or '83. He was playing with Charlie Haden's quartet - alongside Richie Beirach and Al Foster. The group I was there with were seated right in front of the stage. "In your face" doesn't begin to define what that experience was like.

I like the 3 quartets album. It is a classic, but some of my favorites of him as a sideman are these:

Hal Galper's 2 LPs "speak with a single voice" and "reach out"

Jack Wilkins 2 sides, esp on "you can't live without it" (notably the cut "freight trane")

The Jaco birthday concert with big band

The intensity he plays with on these is mind boggling.

johnagrandy · July 28, 2005

Updated: July 25, 2005 - 10:30pm ET

Michael Brecker Needs Stem Cell Donor

The renowned saxophonist is very ill and in need of support, both medical and emotional. He's in New York'sSloan Kettering Cancer Center. You are encouraged to send him a message via e-mail at info@michaelbrecker.com. Michael is also badly in need of a stem cell donor. There is a simple blood test to find out if you are a donor; he is looking from someone preferably of the Ashkenazi Jewish bloodline. You can go to www.marrow.org for more info and how to find out if you are a match. A great friend and beautiful artist needs help. Let's do what we do best -- rise to the occasion. Information on Brecker's progress will be posted soon on his website.

johnagrandy · July 28, 2005

Donating bone marrow is no big deal. I had an operation when I was 21 where they needed some bone marrow to fuse part of my spine. They just make a little cut right in the lowest part of your back and suck the marrow out of one of the bones in your pelvis. Your body replaces what is lost with time. The only side effect is a scar. Anaethesia these days is 99.something % safe.

johnagrandy · July 28, 2005

For those that are interested/concerned but don't want to wade through all those medical websites here's a little summary I wrote-up about MDS.

Essentially, MDS is a genetic disease of the precursor stem cells that continually produce new blood cells (the stem cells live in the bone marrow).

It was formerly known as pre-leukemia, and can progress into full-blown leukemia, which unfortunately is most likely a death sentence. The disease most commonly strikes in old age, 65+, but can hit at any age.

It's actually somewhat common (at least compared to other diseases): 10-20,000 new cases per year -- the number is not well known because many cases go undiagnosed. It initially has symptoms similar to anemia and mononucleosis ... you become exhausted all the time.

If the healthy blood cell count continues to degrade, ultimately most deaths occurs due to either acute bleeding or untreatable infections.

The most hopeful statistic I could find is that in milder forms of the disease, with proper treatment a patient can live for another 10 years or so, relatively healthy and productive. But apparently it is not possible to be cured of MDS.

One option is continually tranfusing the blood, which obviously requires that a lot of your type blood is readily available all the time.

Another option is introducing into the blood synthetic growth agents such as erythropoietin. EPO is the infamous "doping" drug abused in professional cycling, and other endurance sports, to aid recovery.

EPO catalyzes red blood cell production -- you artificially enable your body to product more healthy blood cells. This is a safe and easy option if administered correctly, but it doesn't always work.

The more difficult or dangerous options are chemotherapy, introducing extreme biological agents, and bone marrow transplants.

Although all of the web-sites I looked over mention bone marrow transplants in connection with young patients, nowhere have I read that transplants are not an option for older patients.

Now I can't find the website where someone posted that Mike is looking for a bone marrow donor.

I really wish I hadn't blown-off all those opportunities to give blood. If you're a healthy young person, you should be giving blood as often as possible.

If you want to learn more, this is the best site I found:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelodysplastic_syndrome

Edited July 30, 2005 by johnagrandy

Joe G · July 28, 2005

Sounds serious. And lying around in a hospital is just about the worst.

makpjazz57 · July 28, 2005

FROM: Susan Brecker

SUBJECT: Michael Brecker needs your help.

Dear Family and Friends,

My husband, Michael Brecker, has been diagnosed with MDS

(myelodysplastic syndrome), and its critical that he undergoes a stem

cell transplant. The initial search for a donor (including Michael's

siblings and children) has not yet resulted in a suitable match.

Michael's doctors have told us that we need to immediately explore ALL

possible options. This involves getting as many people of a similar

genetic background to be tested.

There are some important points to understand concerning this process:

1. The screening involves a blood test only. It can be done very

quickly either at a marrow donation center or at a LOCAL LAB. The cost

is anywhere from $40 to $75 and your insurance may cover it. (In NYC,

you can call Frazier, at the NY Blood Bank, at 212-570-3441, and make

an appointment for HLA typing. It costs $40.00.) Check with your

local blood bank, or go to http://www.marrow.org to find the donor

center nearest you.

2. Your blood typing information can be posted on the international

registry, if you choose, where it would also be available to others in

need of a transplant. BEING ON THE REGISTRY DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO

DONATE, it just means that you may be ASKED to do so. You can take your

name off the registry at any time.

3. Should you be selected as a potential donor for Michael, please

understand that there have been tremendous advances in bone marrow

transplants and the term itself can be misleading. Bone marrow

donation is no more invasive than giving blood. Stem cells are simply

harvested from your blood and then transplanted to Michael.

4. A match for Michael would be most likely to come from those of Eastern

European Jewish descent. If you or anyone you know are in this category

please make a special effort to immediately get tested. Ultimately, you

would be doing something not just for Michael, but for so many more who

are in a similar situation as my husband.

5. You are now part of our internet-based drive for donor testing. If

everyone who receives this can motivate a bunch of their friends to get

tested, and those friends then forward this email to get their friends

to get tested, we will have rapidly expanded the pool of potential

donors. I urge all of you to get tested AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Any local blood center/Red Cross center can assist in organizing a

drive for Michael, although it would be desirable if you can get a

large group, e.g. a synagogue, to sponsor it. Should you have any

questions about this, please don't hesitate to get in touch with

Michael's management office at 212.302.9200 or info@michaelbrecker.com.

Thank you so much for your love and support.

We are so grateful.

Susan xo