About this Artist
Tenor saxophonist and composer MICHAEL BRECKER is an eleven-time Grammy-winner and the only saxophonist to win both the "Best Jazz Instrumental Performance" and "Best Jazz Instrumental Solo" awards two years in a row. As a result of his stylistic and harmonic innovations, Brecker is among the most studied instrumentalists in music schools throughout the world today.
Born into a musical household in 1949 in Philadelphia, Brecker and his brother, Randy, were exposed early on to the music of Dave Brubeck, Clifford Brown, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins. He studied at the University of Indiana, then moved to New York City, landing work with several bands before co-founding the pioneering jazz-rock group Dreams in 1970.
Brecker went on to record and perform with a virtual Who's Who of jazz and pop giants in the '70s and '80s, including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Chet Baker, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, Pat Metheny, Frank Zappa, and many others.
Brecker's solo debut, Michael Brecker, was voted Jazz Album of the Year in both Down Beat and Jazziz magazines. The followup, Don't Try This at Home, garnered Brecker his first Grammy. After investigating new rhythmic concepts on 1990's Now You See It… Now You Don't, Brecker reunited with Randy for 1992's Return of the Brecker Brothers and Out of the Loop (1994). Additional Grammys landed on the saxophonist's shelf with the release of Brecker's Tales from the Hudson (1997), which also resulted in his being named Best Soloist of the Year by JazzLife and Jazz Man of the Year by Swing Journal.
Following 1998's Two Blocks from the Edge and 1999's Time Is of the Essence, Brecker then recorded Nearness of You: The Ballad Book with jazz innovators Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, and Jack DeJohnette, with James Taylor adding vocals.
Brecker began 2003 with he recording of his first large ensemble record. Wide Angles, which features the 15-piece Michael Brecker Quindectet, received three Grammy nominations, winning the award in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble category.