Jazz Articles about Randy Brecker

Randy Brecker: Hangin' In The City

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 2001

The looming question on Hangin' In The City is the identity of the mysterious cosmic contributor, Randroid. What do you think? Whoever he is, this Randroid guy does a lot of vocals, and he's using Randy Brecker's lyrics. And he's put together something with Hangin' In The City that aims for pure slurpy pop. (Admittedly, there's some nice scattered solo inspiration; and even a small helping of out blowing on “I Talk To The Trees.") Rapper, funk guru, songster: what ...

Randy Brecker: Hangin' In The City

by Glenn Astarita
August 1, 2001

A true stylist who has performed with a who's who of jazz, pop and jazz-fusion artists, trumpeter Randy Brecker's latest solo effort includes his equally renowned brother, saxophonist Michael Brecker and vibraphonist Joe Locke along with perennial studio musicians; guitarist Hiram Bullock, bassist Will Lee and others. Here, Brecker injects a bit of whimsy into a set consisting of funk-groove rhythms, hip-hop, tight horn charts, synths, drum programming and everything and anything producer George Whitty decided to utilize for this ...

David Lahm: More Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell

by Glenn Astarita
May 1, 2001

More Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell signifies pianist/composer David Lahm’s follow up effort to Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell. Once again, Lahm integrates a portion of the folk-rock singer’s body of work into the jazz genre while receiving sturdy and sympathetic support from saxophonists Roger Rosenberg and Vincent Herring along with the estimable trumpeter, Randy Brecker.

With this release, Lahm continues to delve into Ms. Mitchell’s recorded legacy while contributing three of his own compositions to this hearty mix. Herring ...

T.K. Blue: Eyes of the Elders

by James Nichols
May 1, 2001

Saxophonist and flutist T.K. Blue, the artist formerly known as Talib Kibwe, continues to evolve his own brand of post-bop on Eyes of the Elders, his second release as a leader for Arkadia Jazz. Despite the pretentious title, this album contains some worthy performances by a cadre of jazz veterans and young lions. Though T.K. Blue fits the ubiquitous description of the contemporary jazzer infatuated with jazz tradition, he actually spent years paying his dues with jazz veterans including Abdullah ...

Andy Summers: Peggy's Blue Skylight

by Todd S. Jenkins
March 1, 2001

The former Police guitarist assays the multifaceted works of Charles Mingus on this compelling disc, offering updates of the temperamental bassist’s timeless compositions. Summers previously tackled solid material by Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk and other jazzmen on his 1997 project The Last Dance of Mr. X, with bassist Tony Levin and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Peggy’s Blue Skylight finds Summers and a wider cast mining Mingus’ legacy more deeply, revealing that these classic tunes still have plenty to offer contemporary ...

T.K. Blue: Eyes Of The Elders

by AAJ Staff
February 1, 2001

When he was the artist known as Talib Qadir Kibwe, T.K. Blue spent a good many years as Randy Weston's musical director, and he performed on some of Weston's now-classic recordings with Melba Liston like The Spirits Of Our Ancestors and Volcano Blues. Previously, Kibwe lived in Paris for eight years after a three-year association with Abdullah Ibrahim in the late 1970's. Journeying to Africa from his Paris base throughout the 1980's, Kibwe delved deeper and deeper into the spiritual ...

Various: Thank You, Joe!

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 2000

Arkadia has a good thing going for it: tribute albums. Interestingly, Thank You, Joe! is Arkadia's first CD of appreciation extended to a living jazz legend. Previous honorees have included John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Gerry Mulligan.Thank goodness that Arkadia had the insight to honor Henderson. Such a tribute raises the question, however, of how many other living jazz innovators should be honored: Lucky Thompson, Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck, Jon Hendricks, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Horace Silver, Roy ...