Randy Brecker Straight Ahead

[btownsurvivor]

I'd like to start a thread on Randy Brecker, the straight ahead jazz trumpeter -- as opposed to Randy Brecker the rock/fusion/funk/soul-bop trumpeter.

I've always heard serious hard-bop roots in Randy's playing: As people probably know, Randy was a member of the Horace Silver Quintet back in the early 70s. And Brecker has been an on-again off-again member of Mingus Big Band for I think almost two decades (need more research).

Recently I've been delving into RB's available acoustic jazz dates.

The two pressings I've got into the most so far are

"In The Idiom" 1986 with Joe Henderson s, Dave Kikoski p, Ron Carter b, Al Foster d

"Live At Sweet Basil" 1988 with Bob Berg s, Dave Kikoski p, Dietr Ilg b, Joey Baron d

Dates are with Silver are "In Pursuit Of The 27th Man" 1972 and "A Prescription For The Blues" 1997.

I only have one MBB date "Gunslinging Birds" from 1995 on which Randy is superb in the solo chair.

One that looks real interesting is "Live at the Green Mill" 2004 with Frank Catalano s, Larry Novak p, Eric Hochberg b, Paul Wertico d

Randy has a brassy center-stage approach to the horn which tends to orient around immediately accessible themes. To my ear, Randy's lines always ultimately resolve in an fundamentally friendly manner that reaffirms of deep-seated faith in humanity. I hear some pretty serious hard-bop trumpet lineage depth in his playing as well. Although Randy definitely has a highly-evolved personal style, I would say his biggest influence way back might have been Freddie Hubbard (again, need more research).

I also really dig Randy's compositions.

I've read that Randy is playing more and more straight-ahead gigs in NYC (and elsewhere) but I have yet to be in the audience for one of those (although having seen BB and SBB w/ Bill Evans many times).

Please share your thoughts ...

Edited November 1, 2007 by btownsurvivor

[Chas]

Any exploration of non-rock/fusion acoustic Randy Brecker , has to start with his debut record Score on Solid State . Notwithstanding the dated cover art , this is as decent a straight-ahead jazz album as you'll find from 1969 . Brecker reveals an affinity for Davis and Farmer , his lyrical playing shaped by some melodically attractive writing . Two attempts at a funkier more commercial sound are however undistinguished , and ruin the flow of the album .

[Daniel A]

Any exploration of non-rock/fusion acoustic Randy Brecker , has to start with his debut record Score on Solid State . Notwithstanding the dated cover art , this is as decent a straight-ahead jazz album as you'll find from 1969 .

And produced by Duke Pearson, no less! I agree about the funk tunes. Wisely, the CD is reprogrammed and has them at the end. The acoustical tracks are mighty fine, though.

He also plays some straight-ahead jazz on Don Grolnick's two Blue Note albums.

[Chas]

I agree about the funk tunes. Wisely, the CD is reprogrammed and has them at the end .

FWIW , the Koch CD I have has the programming of the original LP , and so the funk tracks are not at the end .

[Daniel A]

Oh, wasn't aware that Koch had reissued 'Score'. I have the Blue Note CD reissue (from 1993, I believe) which had the tracks resequenced. I had a look at CDUniverse, and they are (erronously) listing the tracks in that order also for the Koch reissue.

BTW, I would also like to welcome a new member - the one who started this thread - to the forum!

Edited November 1, 2007 by Daniel A

[DukeCity]

There are some Hal Galper albums:

"Children of the Night"

"Reach Out"

"Redux '78" (I think this one has Randy on it)

[Free For All]

If you can find it, Jack Wilkins' "You Can't Live Without It" has both Breckers playing on standards in an acoustic setting. I think it's been out on CD combined with another nice Wilkins session featuring Randy called "Merge".

....oh, and welcome to the forum, btown!

Edited November 1, 2007 by Free For All

[Mark Stryker]

I don't have time for annotations or to check what's in print or not (or even if all of these ever made it to CD), but Brecker is killin' on these dates from the '70s. These are some great post-bop records.

Hal Galper's "Reach Out" and "Speak With a Single Voice" (with M. Brecker, Wayne Dockery and Billy Hart/Bob Moses).

David Liebman's "Pendulum" (with Beirech, Tusa, Foster).

A previously unreleased set by that Galper Quintet came out a few years ago on Concord too.

Oh, there's a more recent Jack Wilkins CD called "Reunion" on which Brecker sounds inspired. It literally is a reunion of a band that make a record in the '70s. DeJohnette, M.B., Gomez I think.

Brecker comes mostly out of Hubbard, but there's Lee, KD and '60s Miles in there too. Related question. Anybody know if he went through a spell of chop problems? I recall hearing some sides maybe 10-12 years ago where a definite rasp had crept into his trumpet tone and he just didn't sound as supple. That's completely cleared up the last few times I've seen him and he sounded as clear and fluid as ever.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Mark Stryker

[Free For All]

David Liebman's "Pendulum" (with Beirech, Tusa, Foster).

This is a great session, on the Artists House label. I only have it on LP, I'd love to see it out on disc.

Oh, there's a more recent Jack Wilkins CD called "Reunion" on which Brecker sounds inspired. It literally is a reunion of a band that make a record in the '70s. DeJohnette, M.B., Gomez I think.

Yes, this was the same group that recorded "Merge".

Edited November 1, 2007 by Free For All

[btownsurvivor]

Here's something interesting: Randy was on Mingus' final album, "Me, Myself an Eye" in 1978. By that time, Mingus was disabled in a wheelchair and did not play. Apparently this was a controversial recording, featuring a 3 guitar "wall of sound". Does anyone know if Brecker did much on this one ?

[btownsurvivor]

Reading through some interviews with Randy, trying to learn more about his influences ...

JazzReview: What were your original influences?

Randy Brecker: Well, originally they were all trumpet players. My dad was a piano player and played sometimes and had Miles, Clifford Brown and Chet Baker in his collection, so I was always listening to those. Later when I had a stereo of my own in my room I’d take them in there. We had a family band, but he knew what a hard life it could so he wanted us to have something to fall back on.

JazzReview: So when did you know you were going to be a musician?

Randy Brecker: Pretty early on, probably about third grade. I wasn’t interested in anything else. Music is my life. I love music more than my wife. Mike and I both started playing in third grade, though he’s a few years younger than me. At school there was trumpet and clarinet available. I chose trumpet and Mike didn’t want to play the same thing as me, so he chose clarinet. Our sister Emily was a serious classical pianist but played bass in the family band. My dad would take us to hear music around Philly, like Clifford Brown.

JazzReview: You got to hear Clifford?

Randy Brecker: No. My dad did though.

Above interview appeared in two different mags (interestingly) :

http://www.jazzreview.com/articledetails.cfm?ID=2487

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=837

[Larry Kart]

This Bunky Green album on Vanguard, "Places We've Never Been" (with R. Brecker as a sideman) is topnotch for everyone:

http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/al...?ALBUMID=965074

Hell of a rhythm section: Albert Daily, Eddie Gomez (on his best behavior IIRC), and Freddie Waits.

[btownsurvivor]

If you can find it, Jack Wilkins' "You Can't Live Without It" has both Breckers playing on standards in an acoustic setting. I think it's been out on CD combined with another nice Wilkins session featuring Randy called "Merge".

In Scott Yanow's "The Trumpet Kings", Randy lists his 5 favorite personal recordings as "Brecker Brothers", "Heavy Metal Be Bop", "In The Idiom", "Live At Sweet Basil", and "Merge".

Looks like I've got to find a copy of "Merge" ...

Edited November 3, 2007 by btownsurvivor

[Guest Bill Barton]

I'd also cast a "vote" for Merge. It's superb (and in print).

The only time I've heard Randy Brecker live was with Mingus Dynasty many years ago and he was smokin'.

[DMP]

Brecker was here last night at our annual concert at the University of Pittsburgh (with, among others, John Faddis, Benny Golson, Peter King, Monty Alexander) and I thought he sounded better than ever.

[btownsurvivor]

Brecker was here last night at our annual concert at the University of Pittsburgh (with, among others, John Faddis, Benny Golson, Peter King, Monty Alexander) and I thought he sounded better than ever.

I've noticed that RB has been doing a lot of college jazz fests lately, including the big one at UNR this past summer, where he did a master class/clinic.

How did Faddis sound ? I saw him a few years ago with Steve Turre on some Latin stuff and he was sublime in the upper register, if you can imagine that. Purely a means to an end for him.

[DMP]

Faddis sounded good - technique to burn, of course, great command in the upper registers, he has his bag of tricks - but he's a lot more than that, and standing next to Brecker (and Claus Reichstaller) brought out his best. (And, as I said, I thought Brecker was really strong last night.)

[Peter Friedman]

The Randy Brecker "straight ahead" style playing that I like is on these CD's.

In The Idiom - Denon

Nick Brignola - What It Takes - Reservoir

Marc Copland Quintet - Stompin' With Savoy - Savoy

Lew Tabackin - Tenority - Concord Jazz

Kerry Strayer Septet - jeru Blue: A tribute To Gerry Mulligan - Palmetto

Horace Silver - You Gotta Take A little Love - Blue Note

Horace Silver - In Pursuit Of The 27th Man - Blue Note

Horace Silver - A Perscription For The Blues - Impulse

[John Tapscott]

There are some Hal Galper albums:

"Children of the Night"

"Reach Out"

"Redux '78" (I think this one has Randy on it)

Thanks for reminding me of these. I have them all and they're great (though I had sort of forgotten about them). I'm going to give them a listen.

Edited November 6, 2007 by John Tapscott

[btownsurvivor]

Added this one to the rotation :

Don Grolnick Group, "The London Concert", 1995

Don Grolnick p , leader

Randy Brecker t

Michael Brecker ts

Marty Erlich as

Robin Eubanks bone

Peter Washington b

Peter Erskine d

Don Alias, doo-dads and knic-knacs

This is Grolnick's last recording and is quite good stuff. I don't think that Don was sick at the time, but I could be wrong.

One might guess from the lineup that sneaky fusion sprites and gremlins would insidiously work their way in, but none do.

Randy sounds very good. He seems to add some bite to his more typical relaxed straight-ahead style, his longer lines more likely accentuated in the right spots, rather than completely slurred. For my ears, this is a good thing. I think Randy slurs too much (although part of his distinctive style). This date confirms in my mind that RB is one of the great post-modern-hard-bop-whatever trumpet players: there are just too many tasty and tasteful licks and unexpected inventive twists and turns in his lines to deny him.

Fans of the unique way Grolnick heard melody (and music for that matter) will love this date (but I'm sure they already know about it). I love how Don's lines unexpectedly jump all over the staff.

Mike Brecker is on fire as usual. I usually come away from a MB solo thinking "That might have been a bit much !" and on this date he does not disappoint in that regard, but you have to give Mike credit for always-on-all-the-time. Easier said than done.

I was surprised to hear Eubanks playing here as well as on any of the renowned Dave Holland sessions. I was kind of surprised that Eubanks had that level of sophistication going in 1995. Sounds just like he does today ! ( No disrespect intended. )

(Aside: Every time I hear one of the Eubanks I get slightly mad that Kevin chose to spend his days in television. I remember when I first heard Kevin live with Dave Holland in the early 90s and thought "This man is the future of jazz guitar." He ripped the building off its foundation and sent us all up.)

Edited November 12, 2007 by btownsurvivor

[JohnS]

There's a recent recording with Marc Copland. Not sure of the label without doing a bit or reserach but you can download a nice track free from AAJ.

[king ubu]

Faddis sounded good - technique to burn, of course, great command in the upper registers, he has his bag of tricks - but he's a lot more than that, and standing next to Brecker (and Claus Reichstaller) brought out his best. (And, as I said, I thought Brecker was really strong last night.)

That's interesting... I have yet to hear anything with Brecker on it that *really* convinces me (I have the great Grolnick Blue Note 2CD set and the Silver 27th album, possibly some others - he's good enough there, for sure). Anyway, the one occassion I saw him live was with Benny Golson's weak Clifford Brown hommage tour package, and Reichstaller was easily the most convincing soloist on stage, playing with feeling and emotion, whereas Brecker - even on his t + rhythm feature "I Remember Clifford"! - was just all speed and flash and high notes, all at loud volume, as if he'd hidden a compressor under his jacket... dead, soul-less music. (It was a weird concert anyway, Golson tired, Buster Williams playing with an ugly 80s-like pick-up bass-sound... Mike Le Donne and Al Foster were fine, though.)