Michael Brecker

Michael Brecker distinguished himself through technical mastery and profound influence as a tenor saxophonist, shaping more subsequent tenor players than any figure since Wayne Shorter. He postponed issuing his debut recording under his own name for an extended period. For much of his working life he operated as a premier session musician, frequently providing accompaniment for pop vocalists, a role that led some jazz observers to undervalue his commanding improvisational command.

Brecker began on clarinet and alto before adopting the tenor during high school. His earliest engagements occurred with ensembles oriented toward rock and R&B. After relocating to New York in 1969 he joined Dreams, one of the first fusion bands. Between 1973 and 1974 he worked with Horace Silver, performed in Billy Cobham’s groups, and spent most of the decade co-leading the commercially successful funk unit the Brecker Brothers alongside his brother, trumpeter Randy Brecker.

In the early 1980s he became a member of Steps, later known as Steps Ahead, and added the EWI, an electronic wind instrument, to his arsenal. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he participated in countless studio dates, surfacing on sessions that ranged from James Taylor and Yoko Ono to Paul Simon.

The appearance of his first leader album in 1987, when he was already 38, coincided with a shift toward more demanding jazz environments. He followed with further leader dates in 1988 and 1990, partnered with McCoy Tyner on one of 1995’s most notable jazz recordings, and toured with a reunited Brecker Brothers band. Two Blocks from the Edge appeared in 1998; Time Is of the Essence followed the next year. Nearness of You: The Ballad Book arrived in 2001 and Wide Angles in 2003.

After experiencing unexplained back pain during a 2005 concert, Brecker was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a cancer of the blood marrow. When no fully matched bone-marrow donor could be found, he underwent an experimental, partially matched blood-stem-cell transplant from his daughter late that year. He died on January 13, 2007. Released several months afterward, his final album, Pilgrimage, contained only original material for the first time and featured pianists Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, guitarist Pat Metheny, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Jack DeJohnette.