A Tribute to Michael Brecker 3 - Brecker Brothers & Steps Ahead

This morning I joined host Bill McCann for his "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" radio program on WCDB 90.9 FM and presented a four hour tribute to the late Michael Brecker.

In January of 2007 I went on the program and played a three-part program made up of Brecker's early work as a sideman, his work as a leader and his sideman work from his later career. The next year I stuck mainly to the saxophonist's work as a leader, playing two or three of my favorite tracks from each of his nine solo releases as well as a collection of various jazz standards he played on.

Today I chose a program made up of music by the two groups's Brecker was most closely associated with throughout his career - the Brecker Brothers and Steps Ahead.

Here's what was played ...

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL BRECKER 3:
BRECKER BROTHERS & STEPS AHEAD 2/27/10

“Tee Bag” (13:45)
CD: Steps Ahead Smokin in the Pit (1980)
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Some Skunk Funk” (5:53)
CD: Brecker Brothers The Brecker Brothers (1975)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Bob Mann (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Rocks” (4:41)
CD: Brecker Brothers The Brecker Brothers (1975)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Bob Mann (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Fawlty Tenors” (10:48)
CD: Steps Ahead Smokin’ in the Pit (1980)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Night Flight” (6:18)
CD: Brecker Brothers Back to Back (1976)
Compser: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Steve Khan (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz (percussion)

“Tabula Rasa” (8:20)
CD: Brecker Brothers Don’t Stop the Music (1977)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Steve Khan (guitar), Don Grolnick, Doug Riley (keys), Will Lee (bass), Lenny White (drums), Ralph McDonald, Sammy Figueroa (percussion)

“Sponge” (6:23)
CD: Brecker Brothers Heavy Metal Bebop (1978)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass), Terry Bozzio (drums)

“Funy Sea, Funky Dew” (8:02)
CD: Brecker Brothers Heavy Metal Bebop (1978)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass), Terry Bozzio (drums)

“Uncle Bob” (11:00)
CD: Steps Ahead Step by Step (1980)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Bullet Train” (5:32)
CD: Steps Ahead Step by Step (1980)
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Not Ethiopia” (5:45)
CD: Brecker Brothers Straphangin’ (1981)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Mark Gray (keys), Marcus Miller (bass), Richie Morales (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

“Take A Walk” (11:56)
CD: Steps Ahead Paradox (1982)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Song for Barry” (5:07)
CD: Brecker Brothers Return of the Brecker Brothers (1992)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass), Max Risenhoover (synth & percussion programming)

“Above & Below” (7:05)
CD: Brecker Brothers Return of the Brecker Brothers (1992)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass),

“Pools” (11:22)
CD: Steps Ahead Steps Ahead (1983)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eliane Elias (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Both Sides of the Coin” (6:15)
CD: Steps Ahead Steps Ahead (1983)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eliane Elias (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Slang” (6:12)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), James Genus (bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“African Skies” (7:50)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass), Rodney Holmes (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“Harpoon” (7:45)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), James Genus (bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“Sumo” (9:08)
CD: Steps Ahead Live In Tokyo 1986
Compser: Michael Brecker
Mike Maineri (vibes), Mike Stern (guitar), Daryl Jones (bass), Steve Smith (drums)

“Trains” (9:27)
CD: Steps Ahead Live in Tokyo 1986
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Maineri (vibes), Mike Stern (guitar), Daryl Jones (bass), Steve Smith (drums)