MICHAEL BRECKER - Two Blocks from the Edge (1997) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Although Michael Brecker made his initial reputation as a greatly in-demand studio player able to play quite credibly in commercial settings, his recordings for Impulse! have all been strictly straight-ahead. Displaying his roots in John Coltrane and Ernie Watts, Brecker has developed his own approach to sheets-of-sound playing while not being shy about playing quite lyrically. From the opening medium-tempo blues "Madame Toulouse" and the catchy "Bye George" (which could almost have been written by Horace Silver) to the funky and slyly humorous closer, "Delta City Blues," this is a particularly strong outing. With pianist Joey Calderazzo (often emulating McCoy Tyner to at least a small degree) and an alert and intuitive rhythm section (bassist James Genus, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, and percussionist Don Alias), Brecker often creates fiery solos that linger to their optimum length before the mood changes. Recommended. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:
1 Madame Toulouse 5:19
Composed By – Michael Brecker
2 Two Blocks From The Edge 8:32
Composed By – Michael Brecker
3 Bye George 6:59
Composed By – Joey Calderazzo
4 El Nino 7:41
Composed By – Joey Calderazzo
5 Cat's Cradle 6:43
Composed By – Joey Calderazzo
6 The Impaler 7:13
Composed By – Jeff Watts
7 How Long 'Til The Sun 7:39
Composed By – Michael Brecker
8 Delta City Blues 5:37
Composed By – Michael Brecker
Credits:
Bass – James Genus
Drums – Jeff "Tain" Watts
Percussion – Don Alias
Piano, Producer – Joey Calderazzo
Saxophone [Tenor], Producer – Michael Brecker