Customer Reviews

Return of the Brecker Brothers

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first time I heard this album I wasn't so impressed, and put it aside. Now, several years later, I'm just listening to it, and can't understand why didn't I perceived all the beauty it has! It's amazing! very creative, and it's fun to listen to.
You must have it!

Dihelson Mendonça

Fusion, when done right, can be one of the most exciting genres of music..harnessing the power and majesty of rock or the rhythmic inventions of funk (or both) while filtering in the subtle melodicism of jazz. The Brecker Brothers were one of the bands there with their "skunk funk" at the beginning, when the genre hit its stride in the early 70s. This was their first album since 1980.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Jazz purists will hate the hip-hop influenced "Big Idea" but it has one of the better musical grooves on the album to my ears. I think the addition of Veera's electronicly altered voice was a bit much though. Peppy somewhat Latin flavoured "Above and Below" reminds me a bit of Chick Corea Elektric Band. "On the Backside" is a strutting chunk of mid-tempo funk with some nice trumpet/sax interplay by the Breckers and tasteful piano asides from George Whitty. "Sozinho" is a lovely flugelhorn based ballad though it's perhaps a bit too long. "Roppongi", the album closer, flirts with Brazilian rhythms and flits between several quirky melody/meter changes that somehow manage to hold together.

LOWS:
Randy Brecker makes an ill-advised attempt at singing on "That's All There is to It", a self-penned tune that's no great shakes in the lyric department though the skewed reggae arrangement is at least occasionally interesting musically. "Good Gracious" sounds like the theme song to some bad WB TV show.

BOTTOM LINE:
There are some good songs here and I enjoyed it enough to buy it, but I don't count it among my favourite jazz CDs or even my favourite fusion for that matter. There are some definite "skip" tracks. Listen for yourself and choose accordingly.

After an unintentional 10+ year hiatus, Michael and Randy Brecker pulled back together, curious to see if the old magic was there. For the most part, the answer was a screaming YES! As would be expected of an early 90's release, the production is more slick and there's the obligatory (for the time) hip-hop/electronica touches, which while not necessary in the slightest, were less obnoxious and overbearing than most (hence the 4 as opposed to 5 star rating).

I'll take it track by track this time:

1. Song for Barry - Feisty little opening Afro-Fusion tune dedicated to the late trombonist Barry Rogers. Starts burning and gets positively incendiary as Randy and Michael fire inspired phrases back and forth.

2. King of the Lobby - More the traditional stomping BB funk with David Sanborn (from the original lineup) making a guest appearance. Could've done without the pointless breathy vocal interjections though.

3. Big Idea - Brecker Bros - 101 or a Brecker Bros commercial depending on your outlook. In other words, melody lines lifted from several classic BB songs and then put together by a dance music producer with a loping electro beat (that still oddly grooves), punctuated throughout with a line from "Squids". Fun little ditty actually, just please lose the stooopid vocal interjections!

4. Above & Below - Here's a barnburner for ya! Starting off with one of Randy's typically twisted melody lines, the band soars with great solos by Randy, Michael and guitarist Mike Stern (whose playing I'm normally not very fond of but here, he transcends himself, unleashing fruity chords and melodies), before bringing it all to a rousing conclusion, propelled along by Dennis Chambers muscular drumming.


5. That's All There Is to It - DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON, RANDY SINGS WARNING WARNING!! Over a rather lifeles pseudo-Reggae groove, Randy does the nearly unpardonable, namely singing some rather lame lyrics (and his voice ain't the greatest either) trying to play it up for laughs but just falling flat on his butt. Oh well, like th song says "I'm only huuumannnnn--"

6. Wakaria (What's Up?) - Michael takes an EXTREMELY rare turn on soprano sax in this African influenced outing, playful but a bit repetitive for my taste.

7. On the Backside - - Hip-Hop meets Crime Jazz vibe here, pretty cool in an early 90's sort of way.

8. Sozohino (Alone) - Beautiful haunting jazz-ballad

9. Spherical - Randy sure loves Monk, as evidenced by his penchant for twisty, angular and yet very witty melody lines.

10. Good Gracious - Loud, bawdy and just good sleazy fun!

11. Roppongi - Great closing tune, that alternates jamming funk and thses perky yet twisted Salsa sections, and at the loud downward swoop of bassist James Genus, turns on a dime into some of the stompingest funk ya ever heard, great fun!

I am a big fan of the Brecker Brothers' work of the 70's and early 80's when they produced a unique style of music, characterized by powerful grooves and wonderful, original melodies and harmonies. Together with the great individual skills of Michael and Randy and of the various other band members, they were responsible for some of the greatest Jazz (funk) records IMHO. I decided to buy this cd after i was quite enthusiastic about their 'Live in Barcelona' video. The video featured the BB playing with Mike Stern, Dennis Chambers, James Genus, George Whitty; all of whom can also be found on this cd. Unfortunately the chemistry and energy of that band cannot be found on this cd. The slick 'revenge of the eighties' production of keyboardists Whitty and Risenhoover makes for a cardboardy, mechanic sound that does not do justice to the richness of the music. They took good care to make even the few musical parts that they were not allowed to play sound like they come from their synthesisers. And that includes everything from Dennis Chambers' drumming until Michael Breckers' saxophone. This fact is seriously detrimental to the general flow and groove of the music, which is all the more noticable and painful for someone acquainted with the BB's prior work. Why? Why not take the great band to the studio and have them play all the tunes in a couple of days? Better even, why not use the material that was recorded live? In the mean time tell the keyboardist to stay behind his keyboard. Knowing the 'Live in Barcelona' video, it is painfully clear that despite of some great compositions, this cd was a wasted opportunity for another BB classic.

This is absolutely one of my all time favorites! (Second only to "Out of the Loop," the Brecker Brothers release about 1994-ish) The composition and arranging are unmistakably Brecker Brothers and the performances on the album are outstanding, as ususal!

Just as the title implies, this was a reunion album of sorts for The Brecker Brothers as both the late Michael and Randy had been working on their own individual projects for a decade or so before they reunited for this one. The program consists of mostly original tunes, including a somewhat comical vocal from Randy on "That's All There Is To It." The disc has recently been reissued, and I would recommend it to fans of The Breckers or the jazz fusion genre.

The same talent and energy of the old Brecker Brothers, but a whole new "thang." Outstanding composing, excellent improvisation, tight ensemble and great energy. This is one of my favorites. (I also recommend "Out of the Loop" - another outstanding recording from the Bros - won a Grammy the year to came out and for good cause!)

I LIKE JAZZ AND I HEARD TO RANDY BRECKER IN MEXICO, RECENTLY IN MEXICO CITY AND I THINK THAT THEM MUSIC IS STILL FRESH AN QUITE GOOD, FOR THIS REASONS I'M BUYING ALL THE CD'S OF THE BRECKER BROTHERS AS IT'S POSSIBLE FOR ME. I'D LIKE TO RECIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

THANKS & CONGRATULATIONS.

R. ROMERO

This is an inspired album, that carves in relief the kaleidoscopic creativity of these outstanding musicians brothers.

The front page of the CD is eloquent and talks by itself. This album goes over many different rhythms with such mastery and enraptured vision that has meant not only one of the best albums in the whole discography of these brothers, but besides a never ending motive to enjoy their craft: innovativeness of first order. You will never let disappointed with this album.

Praising recommended.

Take away the hip-hop, the samples (it's LAZY music, man) and Randy's bad singing (why does he do it - I hope it's meant as a bit of fun, but I fear otherwise; listen to some of his solo albums) this is a full-on high-octane, high-range, rubber-burning horn set that defined their sound over a decade earlier. It's tinged with the nineties' sound of world-music synth rhythms, which is not a criticism (I particularly like 'Wakaria' with it's quirky rhythms and tribal chant tip). I'm not a lover of Hip-hop, and would take sampled music and strap it to a large explosive device if only someone would ask; however, this is definately the Return of the Brecker Brothers. Welcome back boys, it's been a long time.