Michael Brecker

Genres:	Jazz • Music Videos & Concerts
Descriptive "tags":	jazz • saxophone • fusion • contemporary jazz • funk
Decades Active:	1980s • 1990s • 2000s

Biography

29 March 1949, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 13 January 2007, New York City, New York, USA. Like many musicians of his generation, saxophonist Brecker was attracted in equal measure to R&B and the music of John Coltrane. In 1970, he left home for New York and joined his older brother Randy Brecker in the jazz rock band Dreams, led by drummer Billy Cobham. Subsequent gigs included work with Horace Silver, James Taylor and Yoko Ono. With his brother he formed the Brecker Brothers, which became one of the pre-eminent fusion units. In the early 80s he toured and recorded with David Sancious and joined Mike Mainieri in Steps Ahead, for many the definitive jazz rock group. Much in demand, Brecker also freelanced with a wide variety of jazz and pop artists, including Charles Mingus, John Lennon, Pat Metheny, Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock and John Abercrombie. In 1991, he was a featured soloist on Paul Simon’s Rhythm Of The Saints tour.

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