{"id":804,"date":"2020-05-19T21:56:10","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T02:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=804"},"modified":"2021-06-24T17:11:16","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T22:11:16","slug":"review-the-brecker-brothers-live-and-unreleased","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-the-brecker-brothers-live-and-unreleased\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: The Brecker Brothers’ ‘Live and Unreleased’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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\u2019s hallmarks. There was also their then-groundbreaking, now common, use of electronics on acoustic instruments like Michael\u2019s saxophone or Randy\u2019s 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 <\/em> (Piloo Records, 2020) showcases the group performing fantastically at Onkel P\u00f6\u2019s Carnegie Hall in Hamburg, Germany in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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 \u201cSponge\u201d, 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\u2019s performance on this track particularly stands out, masterfully conversing with his brother\u2019s tenor saxophone as they exchange licks. Both experiment effectively with pedal effects to provide nearly 10-minutes of continuous intensity, excitement, and ingenuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another notable track is that of the band\u2019s most popular song, the legendary fusion standard \u201cSome Skunk Funk.\u201d 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\u2019s best-recorded version. Jason\u2019s solo utilizes the slap bass method, alluding to everyone from Jaco Pastorius to Bootsy Collins. The album also features \u201cFunky Sea, Funky Dew\u201d, another popular Brecker Brothers tune. Barry Finnerty\u2019s guitar solo combines a modern tone with jazz chops, producing a sound not unlike John McLaughlin. Meanwhile, Michael Brecker\u2019s fascinating solo morphs from jazz fusion into experimental music and back, using electronics to create the record\u2019s best solo. Excellent atmospheric textures are additionally provided by the electronics of Mark Gray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The closing compositions showcase the group\u2019s ability to perform more accessible, pop-oriented originals with \u201cEast River\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t Get Funny With My Money.\u201d 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\u2019s 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 \u201cserious\u201d sounds of the evening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n