Return of the Brecker Brothers is an album by the American jazz fusion group, the Brecker Brothers. It was released by GRP Records in 1992, their first recording after a decade-long hiatus. The track "Big Idea" was released as an R&B single.
Return of the Brecker Brothers | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 1992 | |||
Studio | Right Track Recording New York | |||
Genre | Jazz fusion, jazz funk | |||
Length | 63:03 | |||
Label | GRP | |||
Producer | Brecker Brothers | |||
Brecker Brothers chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Reception
editAllMusic awarded the album with 3.5 stars and its review by Thom Jurek states: "This set marked a fitting return for the Breckers, who never let the fashionable tenets of the smooth jazz '90s totally appropriate their creativity or their sound".[1] At the 1993 Grammy Awards the album received three nominations: Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Best R&B Instrumental Performance ("Big Idea") and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (Randy Brecker on "Above & Below").
Track listing
edit- "Song for Barry" (Michael Brecker) — 5:07
- "King of the Lobby" (Michael Brecker) — 5:20
- "Big Idea" (Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Robbie Kilgore) — 4:20
- "Above & Below" (Randy Brecker) — 7:05
- "That’s All There Is to It" (Randy Brecker) — 5:26
- "Wakaria (What’s Up?)" (Michael Brecker) — 5:26
- "On the Backside" (Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker) — 6:25
- "Sozinho (Alone)" (Randy Brecker) — 7:36
- "Spherical" (Michael Brecker) — 5:58
- "Good Gracious" (Randy Brecker) — 5:13
- "Roppongi" (Randy Brecker) — 4:56
Personnel
editThe Brecker Brothers
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, Akai EWI (1, 6, 11), keyboards (1, 2, 9), synthesizer programming (1, 2, 6, 9), arrangements (1, 2, 5, 7, 9), soprano saxophone (6)
- Randy Brecker – trumpet (1–7, 9, 10, 11), flugelhorn (1, 2, 6, 8), arrangements (4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), vocals (5)
Other Musicians
- Max Risenhoover – synthesizer programming (1, 2), percussion programming (1), bass (2), drums (2), arrangements (2), snare drum programming (6), ride cymbal (6), cymbals (8)
- George Whitty – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8–11), additional Rhodes piano (3), arrangements (5, 9), acoustic piano (7), programming (7), additional arrangements (7), synthesizer programming (9, 11)
- Mary "Maz" Kessler – keyboards (3, 7), drum programming (3, 7), arrangements (3)
- Robbie Kilgore – Rhodes piano (3), bass (3), arrangements (3), additional acoustic piano (7), synth bass (7)
- Mike Stern – guitars (1, 2, 4, 8–11)
- Dean Brown – guitars (2, 5, 11)
- Armand Sabal-Lecco – bass (1, 5, 6), piccolo bass (1, 6), vocals (1, 6), drums (6), percussion (6), arrangements (6)
- James Genus – bass (4, 10, 12), acoustic bass (7, 8), electric bass (8)
- Dennis Chambers – drums (4, 5, 6, 8–11)
- Don Alias – percussion (1, 8, 9, 11)
- Bashiri Johnson – percussion (4)
- David Sanborn – alto saxophone (2)
- Jason Miles – arrangements (2)
- Veera – voices (2, 3)
- Will Lee – additional voices (5), bass (9)
- Malcolm Pollack – additional voices (5)
Production
edit- Dave Grusin – executive producer
- Larry Rosen – executive producer
- The Brecker Brothers – producers (1, 2, 4–11)
- Maz & Kilgore – producers (3, 7), mixing (7)
- Max Risenhoover – co-producer, editing, sequencing
- George Whitty – co-producer
- Todd Childress – engineer, assistant engineer
- Malcolm Pollack – engineer
- Garry Rindfuss – engineer
- Michael White – engineer, assistant engineer
- Jenny Bette – assistant engineer
- Brian Kinkead – assistant engineer
- Lolly Grodner – assistant engineer
- Ray Bardani – mixing (1, 2, 3)
- Joe Ferla – mixing (4, 5, 6, 8–11)
- Joseph Doughney – post-production engineer
- Michael Landy – post-production engineer
- Adam Zelinda – post-production engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
- Kyle Benson – A&R
- Cameron Mizell – production coordinator
- Hollis King – art direction
- Scott Johnson – design
- Sonny Mediana – design
- Andy Ruggirello – design
- Dan Serrano – design
- Sharon Franklin – design assistant
- Darryl Pitt – cover concept, photography
- Judith Schiller – photography
Return of the Brecker Brothers – Live in Barcelona (VHS)
editIn 1992, a VHS video entitled "Return of the Brecker Brothers – Live in Barcelona" was released by GRP Records of a concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona.[2] The concert has not officially been released on DVD format. It was officially released on Laser disk however. (GRP Video – PILJ-1124)
Track listing
edit- "Above & Below" (Randy Brecker)
- "Spherical" (Michael Brecker)
- "Some Skunk Funk" (Randy Brecker)
- "Common Ground" (Mike Stern)
- "Song for Barry" (Michael Brecker)
- "Inside Out" (Randy Brecker)
Personnel
edit- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, EWI
- Randy Brecker – trumpet
- George Whitty – keyboards
- Mike Stern – guitars
- James Genus – bass
- Dennis Chambers – drums
References
edit- ^ a b Jurek, Thom Allmusic Review: Return of the Brecker Brothers accessed 27 June 2015
- ^ "Return of Brecker Brothers - With Mike Stern (Live in Barcelona 1992)". Retrieved 1 July 2015.