Michael Brecker Live!

[rleidle]

Just saw Michael Brecker this weekend in DC. The concert was incredible of course. Brecker's tone is so gorgeous live. His COMMAND of the saxophone is mind boggling. Of course this is not why I like his music but when you watch him play you get the feeling that there is NOTHING he can't do on the saxophone.

He did a lot of things with bending pitches up to another note several half steps away (or down) and then hitting a note above that. He seemed very happy when he was playing, like he has found peace with what he is doing. Of course he also did a lot of things with alternate scales and modulating harmony.

He also played a few solos in the "sheets of sound" style of Coltrane but always with an underlying lyricism in his lines (that in my opinion 'trane never bothered for in his later periods) he sounded great doing that too. Of course he played much in the altissimo register but it wasn't immediately obvious that he was up there so good was his control.

Like usual his band was great too. Adam Rogers on guitar, Chris Minh-Doky on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. I full expect that Bill Stewart will be a big name in the jazz world in a few years. He was so good.

[rleidle]

I just noticed that Brecker is playing soon with Wynton Marsalis in a concert. There is a pairing that I would have NEVER expected to see. Even Wynton likes him now?

[jkeller]

rleidle, where did you hear this? Any details? That certainly sounds interesting.

[rleidle]

Just check http://www.michaelbrecker.com/live.htm, it is the April 25th concert.

[cane]

There's a review of the show in the NY Times. You can read it online. You have to create a password first but it is free. The review is very interesting and quite accurate according to some people I know that were present.