NEW YORK -- Michael Brecker, a versatile and highly influential tenor saxophonist who won 11 Grammys over a career that spanned more than three decades, died Saturday at age 57. Brecker died in a hospital in New York City of leukemia, according to his longtime friend and manager, Darryl Pitt.
This is very depressing. When I was in college, a friend turned me on to Brecker while he was with Steps Ahead. I was able to go see him play at The Bottom Line in NYC. It was just before the album Steps Ahead: Magnetic was released (probably 1985ish...Yes. Albums. Remember them?). I fell in love with his playing and his experimentation (like the EWI) and went out and tried to buy everything he recorded.
I wasn't around for John Coltrane's death, but I can't imagine this feeling any less painful. Michael Brecker was arguably one of the jazz giants of our generation.
His illness silenced his music at times, but raising awareness of bone marrow drives gave him a new focus.
"It's something that doesn't come naturally. ... I obviously miss playing and writing music," Brecker told The Associated Press in 2005. "On the other hand, this whole experience has allowed me to be a conduit to attract attention for a cause that's much larger than me ... for people to go get tested (for the marrow donor program) because I know a lot of lives will be saved."
Brecker's survivors include his wife, Susan; his children, Jessica and Sam; his brother, Randy; and his sister, Emily Brecker Greenberg. Memorial services are being planned.
In lieu of flowers, the Brecker family asks that donations be made to The Marrow Foundation's TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FUND.
Here are a couple of videos. Enjoy.
STEPS AHEAD - TOKYO, 1986 Song: Beirut (Brecker's EWI solo is about 4 minutes in.)
This is very depressing. When I was in college, a friend turned me on to Brecker while he was with Steps Ahead. I was able to go see him play at The Bottom Line in NYC. It was just before the album Steps Ahead: Magnetic was released (probably 1985ish...Yes. Albums. Remember them?). I fell in love with his playing and his experimentation (like the EWI) and went out and tried to buy everything he recorded.
I wasn't around for John Coltrane's death, but I can't imagine this feeling any less painful. Michael Brecker was arguably one of the jazz giants of our generation.
His illness silenced his music at times, but raising awareness of bone marrow drives gave him a new focus.
"It's something that doesn't come naturally. ... I obviously miss playing and writing music," Brecker told The Associated Press in 2005. "On the other hand, this whole experience has allowed me to be a conduit to attract attention for a cause that's much larger than me ... for people to go get tested (for the marrow donor program) because I know a lot of lives will be saved."
Brecker's survivors include his wife, Susan; his children, Jessica and Sam; his brother, Randy; and his sister, Emily Brecker Greenberg. Memorial services are being planned.
In lieu of flowers, the Brecker family asks that donations be made to The Marrow Foundation's TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FUND.
Here are a couple of videos. Enjoy.
STEPS AHEAD - TOKYO, 1986 Song: Beirut (Brecker's EWI solo is about 4 minutes in.)
Michael Brecker - Switzerland, 1998 - Song: Delta City Blues
Rest in peace, Michael.
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2 comments:
Carl - thank you so much for posting this.
I discovered Steps Ahead in 1983, and though it will sound corny - it changed my life. Because it changed my perspective about the direction jazz could go in. Fusion was pretty much taking over the jazz bandwith at that time (not something I necessarily lamented, depending on what kind of fusion it was, and who was playing it!) but Steps was always different. All the players were long-experienced with straightahead chops, but the Brecker Bros. had so much success mixing funk/r&b and jazz that it brought a liveliness and fun to the music that had been missing in recent years.
I first saw Brecker in 1979 or '80, in Joni Mitchell's band. Then in 1987 after his first solo album came out. I dragged my band to the show and we were all blown away. Even though we mostly played originals, we made "Pools" a mainstay at our gigs.
I felt stunned 18 months ago when I heard he was ill. Started having sad (and superstitious) thoughts about it. So many of the people he played with had died young. Barry Rogers, Kenny Kirkland and Don Grolnick. Big losses, all.
You are absolutley right to note that this loss is huge. It may not be quite on a par with Trane's death, but close, in my estimation. Trane was the major sax influence in the 50's and 60's, and Michael has been the major influence since the 70's. Anyone who challenges that has not been listening to the thousands of sax players who have tried to copy his sound.
I spent last night and today playing a lot of his discography. There's along way to go, since he recorded so much. His graciousness and positive spirit will be sorely missed.
Thanks for the comment, shoephone. And no, saying that his music changed your life doesn't sound corny, because I feel the same way. I was a music major in college studying classical clarinet when I first heard Brecker- and everything changed. It altered my thinking in what I thought a musician should be. And although I desparately tried, I realized I didn't have the chops to even come close. I had the classical groove, but that's ultimately not what I wanted.
I've since left the music business because of the "business", not because of my passion for music, so it came as a shock to me when I heard the news of Brecker's death because I didn't even know he was sick. And I feel a little guilty about it.
I'm listening to Michael on Charlie Haden's American Dreams right now and I miss him already. I'm waiting in anticipation for his last release but tremendously sad in thinking that there'll be no more after it. And knowing that his last recording was done with the knowledge of his own illness and probable death will make it a hard listen.
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