Review: The Brecker Brothers’ ‘Live and Unreleased’

The Brecker Brothers, throughout their twenty-year career, always embodied an interesting duality in their music. On the one hand, every member was accomplished in pop, funk, and R&B, performing on seminal albums with everyone from Frank Zappa to Parliament-Funkadelic. Their recordings are infused with a unique tightness of the horns and a deep groove, both of which became the group’s hallmarks. There was also their then-groundbreaking, now common, use of electronics on acoustic instruments like Michael’s saxophone or Randy’s trumpet. On the other hand, each of its members was fundamentally a jazz artist, playing with the complexity and feel of that style. This dynamic ultimately produced some of the best fusion recordings of the 1970s and 1980s. Live and Unreleased  (Piloo Records, 2020) showcases the group performing fantastically at Onkel Pö’s Carnegie Hall in Hamburg, Germany in 1980.

The sextet exudes energy and drive, making valuable statements in every solo as well as their tight connection as a band.  This is particularly true in their performance of the now-classic “Sponge”, in which the rhythm section of bassist Neil Jason and drummer Richie Morales vamp a hypnotic groove indebted to the funk rock of the late 1970s while leaving room for the rest of the ensemble to provide solos. Randy’s performance on this track particularly stands out, masterfully conversing with his brother’s tenor saxophone as they exchange licks. Both experiment effectively with pedal effects to provide nearly 10-minutes of continuous intensity, excitement, and ingenuity.

Another notable track is that of the band’s most popular song, the legendary fusion standard “Some Skunk Funk.” Here, it is performed at a substantially faster tempo than the famous studio version, with a heat and grit which arguably results in the piece’s best-recorded version. Jason’s solo utilizes the slap bass method, alluding to everyone from Jaco Pastorius to Bootsy Collins. The album also features “Funky Sea, Funky Dew”, another popular Brecker Brothers tune. Barry Finnerty’s guitar solo combines a modern tone with jazz chops, producing a sound not unlike John McLaughlin. Meanwhile, Michael Brecker’s fascinating solo morphs from jazz fusion into experimental music and back, using electronics to create the record’s best solo. Excellent atmospheric textures are additionally provided by the electronics of Mark Gray.

The closing compositions showcase the group’s ability to perform more accessible, pop-oriented originals with “East River” and “Don’t Get Funny With My Money.” The first is a delightful funk tune that engages audience members to sing along, providing the opportunity for some sheer fun. The second is a satirical song unique in the band’s repertoire but which similarly resonated with listeners. Although the Brecker Brothers sometimes faced criticism for their performance of seemingly more commercial pieces, both showcase the effectiveness of doing so when mixed with the more “serious” sounds of the evening. 

In terms of quality, Live and Unreleased rivals the group’s’ most popular live album,  Heavy Metal Be-Bop (Arista, 1978). It is a great contribution to the Brecker Brothers’ discography, itself of increasing relevance through its influence on a significant number of newer artists ranging from the party-focused music of the British band Ezra Collective to the merging of electronics with horns by Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah. 

‘Brecker Brothers Live and Unreleased’ is now available on Piloo Records

Or, if you would like to both purchase the album and help our site offset its operating costs, you can buy it from our Amazon affiliate store.

Tracklist: 1. Strap Hangin’, 2. Tee’d Off, 3. Sponge, 4. Funk Sea, Funky Dew, 5. I Don’t Know Either, 6. Inside Out, 7. Baffled, 8. Some Skunk Funk, 9. East River, 10. Don’t Get Funny With My Money.

Personnel: Randy Brecker (trumpet, vocals), Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Mark Gray (keyboards), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass, vocals), Richie Morales (drums).