''The Brecker Bros.'' is the first album by the American jazz fusion group, the
Brecker Brothers
The Brecker Brothers were a jazz fusion music duo consisting of siblings Michael and Randy. Michael played saxophone, flute, and EWI, and Randy played trumpet and flugelhorn. The brothers attended Cheltenham High School in Wyncote, Pennsyl ...
. It was released by
Arista Records
Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertain ...
in 1975.
Reception
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
awarded the album 4.5 stars and its review by Michael G. Nastos states, "First date for brothers from 1975. Side one is solid jazz/funk/fusion".
[Nastos, Michael G. ''Allmusic'' review: ''The Brecker Bros'' Retrieved 27 June 2015] At the
1976 Grammy Awards
The 18th Annual Grammy Awards were held February 28, 1976, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1975.
Award winners
*Record of the Year
**"Love Will Keep Us Together" - Capt ...
the album received three nominations, for Best R&B Instrumental Performance ("Sneakin’ up Behind You"), Best New Artist and Best Instrumental Arrangement (Randy Brecker for "Some Skunk Funk").
Track listing
All compositions by Randy Brecker except where noted.
# "Some Skunk Funk" - 5:51
# "Sponge" - 4:05
# "A Creature of Many Faces" - 7:40
# "Twilight" - 5:43
# "Sneakin’ up Behind You"
(Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of ...
, Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B.
Early life
Brecker was born on N ...
, Don Grolnick
Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a ses ...
, Will Lee
William Lee (born William Lubovsky; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hooper ...
, David Sanborn
David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental Pop music, pop and R&B. He released his first solo ...
) - 4:54
# "Rocks" - 4:39
# "Levitate" - 4:31
# "Oh My Stars" - 3:13
# "D.B.B." - 4:46
Personnel
The Brecker Brothers
*
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of ...
– tenor saxophone
*
Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B.
Early life
Brecker was born on N ...
– trumpet,
flugelhorn
The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...
, vocals (8)
Other Musicians
*
David Sanborn
David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental Pop music, pop and R&B. He released his first solo ...
– alto saxophone
*
Don Grolnick
Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a ses ...
– keyboards
*
Bob Mann – guitars
*
Will Lee
William Lee (born William Lubovsky; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hooper ...
– electric bass, vocals (5)
*
Harvey Mason
Harvey William Mason (born February 22, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, record producer, and member of the band Fourplay.
Mason, who attended Berklee in the 1960s, received an Honorary Doctorate at Berklee's 2015 Commencement Ceremony ...
– drums
*
Chris Parker – additional drums (5)
*
Ralph MacDonald
Ralph Anthony MacDonald (March 15, 1944 – December 18, 2011) was a Trinbagonian-American percussionist, songwriter, musical arranger, record producer, steelpan virtuoso and philanthropist.
His compositions include "Where Is the Love", a Gramm ...
– percussion
Production
* Steve Backer – executive producer
* Randy Brecker – producer
* Gerald Block – engineer, remixing
* David Stone – remix assistant
* Leanne Ungar – remix assistant
* Bob Heimall – art direction
* Arron Associates – design
* John Paul Endress – photography
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brecker Bros, The
1975 debut albums
Brecker Brothers albums
Arista Records albums