PETER ERSKINE - Peter Erskine (1982-1991) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Drummer Peter Erskine's debut as a leader (originally made for Contemporary and reissued on CD in the OJC series) finds him using top players (most of whom had played with Steps Ahead) in various combinations. Erskine performs a few of his own originals (including an 11-minute "All's Well That Ends" and a short drum solo) plus "My Ship," Wayne Shorter's "E.S.P.," and Bob Mintzer's "Change of Mind." With such musicians as trumpeter Randy Brecker, tenors Michael Brecker and Mintzer, pianist Kenny Kirkland, and vibraphonist Mike Mainieri getting some solo space, this post-bop music (from an often-overlooked set) is of consistent high quality. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Leroy Street 7:55
Peter Erskine
2 In Statu Nascendi 1:30
Peter Erskine
3 E.S.P. 2:58
Wayne Shorter
4 Change of Mind 7:29
Bob Mintzer
5 All's Well That Ends 11:08
Peter Erskine
6 My Ship 5:44
Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
7 Coyote Blues 4:42
Peter Erskine
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Congas, Shaker, Drum [Bata Drum] – Don Alias
Drums, Percussion, Keyboards [Obx] – Peter Erskine
Electric Piano, Keyboards [Obx] – Don Grolnick
Piano – Kenny Kirkland
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Mintzer
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Mike Mainieri

JOHN ABERCROMBIE - Night (1984) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This surprising 1984 effort from John Abercrombie finds the guitarist in conversation with Jan Hammer, Jack DeJohnette, and Mike Brecker. The lack of a bassist on this session is not felt; the spaciousness of the music and the masterful playing of all parties involved keep the focus clearly on the melodies, both scripted and improvised. This can best be heard on the title track, a lovely, tear-wrenching ballad. On some of the more up-tempo tracks, Hammer covers the bass end with his keyboards almost like he is taking part in an organ trio. Unlike the high-velocity fusion that Hammer is best known for in his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Al DiMeola, and elsewhere, his work on Night is highly subdued. In fact, his playing is one of the most pleasant things about this record. It's nice to hear him doing something other than blaring away at a million miles a minute. He really is an excellent keyboardist, and his range is often underappreciated. However, the excellent compositions by Hammer and Abercrombie are the strongest thing about Night. One of the best is the opener, "Ethereggae," which features an incredible guitar solo over a sparse, haunting synth figure and DeJohnette's incomparable comping. When Brecker adds his pointed, searching tenor, the despair and loneliness of the music are almost too much to bear. This record is the kind of album that one would like to hear while enjoying a late-night cigarette on the roof of a Manhattan apartment. Moody, atmospheric, and beautiful. by Daniel Gioffre  
Tracklist :
1 Ethereggae 8:23
Composed By – Jan Hammer
2 Night 4:56
Composed By – John Abercrombie
3 3 East 4:27
Composed By – John Abercrombie
4 Look Around 8:55
Composed By – John Abercrombie
5 Believe You Me 7:36
Composed By – John Abercrombie
6 Four On One 6:42
Composed By – John Abercrombie
Credits :
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – John Abercrombie
Keyboards – Jan Hammer
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker

JOHN ABERCROMBIE - Getting There (1987) APE (image+.cue), lossless

The music on this 1988 release from guitarist John Abercrombie is groomed to such aseptic perfection that little remains of the musical personalities behind these sounds. Abercrombie, bassist Marc Johnson, drummer Peter Erskine, and saxophonist Michael Brecker (on three tracks) turn in immaculate performances, rich in technique and austere, cerebral exchanges, but despite the musical prowess, the listener is left to gaze on blankly, uninvolved. The malaise is typified by Abercrombie's guitar synthesizer, which too frequently renders the leader's brush strokes in a muted monochrome. Similarly, while the signature "Fortress of Solitude" chill of an ECM date is not the issue, the release's enervating engineering does sap the vitality from these performances. There are, nestled among this generally reflective, introverted music, some rewarding bits, notably Abercrombie's short jazz waltz, "Labour Day," where he sets aside the guitar synthesizer and electronic enhancements to serve up some delicious straight-ahead sounds. Two of the tracks with Brecker, Abercrombie's "Sidekicks" and Johnson's "Furs on Ice," have initially engaging melodies and rhythmic interest, but their promise is not realized. These two tracks would make excellent instrumental beds for a pair of latter day Steely Dan songs, but they do not sustain interest on their own. Musicians of the caliber of Abercrombie, Johnson, Erskine, and Brecker cannot fail to generate interest when they get together. This time out, though, their efforts would have been better presented as a master class workshop. The broader fan base, however, can take a pass. by Jim Todd  
Tracklist :
1     Sidekicks 5:17
John Abercrombie
2     Upon a Time 4:28
John Abercrombie
3     Getting There 7:35
John Abercrombie
4     Remember Hymn 5:17
John Abercrombie
5     Thalia 4:19
Vince Mendoza
6     Furs on Ice 8:09
Marc Johnson
7     Chance 4:56
John Abercrombie
8     Labour Day 3:47
John Abercrombie
Credits :
Bass – Marc Johnson
Drums – Peter Erskine
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer – John Abercrombie
Tenor Saxophone, Guest – Michael Brecker

MICHAEL BRECKER - Now You See It... (Now You Don't) (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

For Now You See It..., Michael Brecker's third recording as a leader, the tenor great used different personnel on most of the selections but played consistently well. Jim Beard's synthesizers were utilized for atmosphere, to set up a funky groove, or to provide a backdrop for the leader. Some of the music sounds like updated John Coltrane (Joey Calderazzo's McCoy Tyner-influenced piano helps), while other pieces could almost pass for Weather Report, if Wayne Shorter rather than Joe Zawinul had been the lead voice. Most of the originals (either by Brecker, Beard, or producer Don Grolnick) project moods rather than feature strong melodies, but Michael Brecker's often-raging tenor makes the most of each opportunity. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Escher Sketch (A Tale Of Two Rhythms) 5:23
Written-By – Michael Brecker
2 Minsk 9:03
Written-By – Don Grolnick
3 Ode To The Doo Da Day 5:51
Written-By – Jim Beard
4 Never Alone 5:35
Written-By – Michael Brecker
5 Peep 7:25
Written-By – Michael Brecker
6 Dogs In The Wine Shop 6:33
Written-By – Don Grolnick
7 Quiet City 6:04
Written-By – Jim Beard
8 The Meaning Of The Blues 5:57
Written-By – Bobbie Troup, Leah Worth
Credits:
Bass, Acoustic Bass – Jay Anderson (tracks: 5, 8)
Bass, Electric Bass – Victor Bailey (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Drums – Omar Hakim (tracks: 4, 7)
Drums, Cymbal [Crash Cymbal] – Adam Nussbaum (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8)
Guitar – Jon Herington (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 5)
Percussion – Don Alias (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7), Milton Cardona (tracks: 6), Steve Berrios (tracks: 6)
Piano – Joey Calderazzo (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8)
Producer – Don Grolnick
Programmed By [Synthesizer Programming] – Jason Miles (tracks: 1)
Synthesizer, Keyboards – Jim Beard (tracks: 1 to 7)
Tenor Saxophone, Electronic Wind Instrument [Akai EWI], Keyboards, Drum Programming – Michael Brecker

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

CHARLIE HADEN WITH MICHAEL BRECKER - American Dreams (2002) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This overly long quartet-plus-strings session is Charlie Haden's paean to an ideal America, made during a time that was ripe for such reflections. The band, with Haden on bass, Michael Brecker on tenor, Brad Mehldau on piano, and Brian Blade on drums, is unassailably strong. But listeners could have lived without the ear-candy sheen provided by the 34-piece orchestra, arranged primarily by Alan Broadbent, with additional contributions from Jeremy Lubbock and Vince Mendoza. (Broadbent and Mendoza also penned charts for Jane Monheit's In the Sun, released two weeks earlier.) Aside from outright banalities like "America the Beautiful" and "It Might Be You" (yes, the Stephen Bishop lite-radio hit), there are some saving graces, like Keith Jarrett's "Prism" and "No Lonely Nights," Mehldau's "Ron's Place," and Haden's two originals, "American Dreams" and "Nightfall." But Pat Metheny's "Travels" goes soggy without its Midwestern guitar twang, and Ornette Coleman's "Bird Food," one of only three tracks not to feature the orchestra, is so wildly out of place that its impact is somehow diminished -- notwithstanding a vivid pedal-point interlude about six minutes in. by David R. Adler  
Tracklist:
1 American Dreams 4:50
Arranged By – Alan Broadbent, Charlie Haden
Conductor – Alan Broadbent
Written-By – Charlie Haden
2 Travels 6:44
Arranged By, Conductor – Vince Mendoza
Programmed By [EVI, Synthesizer] – Judd Miller
Written-By – Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny
3 No Lovely Nights 5:16
Arranged By, Conductor – Alan Broadbent
Written-By – Keith Jarrett
4 It Might Be You 4:52
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Written-By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Dave Grusin
5 Prism 5:19
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Keith Jarrett
6 America The Beautiful 5:21
Arranged By, Conductor – Alan Broadbent
Written-By – Katharine Lee Bates, Samuel Augustus Ward
7 Nightfall 5:06
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Written-By – Charlie Haden
8 Ron's Place 7:27
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Brad Mehldau
9 Bittersweet 6:43
Arranged By, Conductor – Alan Broadbent
Written-By – Don Sebesky
10 Young And Foolish 5:36
Arranged By, Conductor – Alan Broadbent
Written-By – Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt
11 Bird Food 7:29
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Ornette Coleman
12 Sotto Voce 5:10
Programmed By [EVI, Synthesizer] – Judd Miller
Written-By, Arranged By, Conductor – Vince Mendoza
13 Love Like Ours 4:25
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Written-By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Dave Grusin
Credits:
Bass – Charlie Haden
Cello – Anne Karam (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Daniel Smith (4) (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Ernie Ehrhardt (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Jerome Kessler (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Jodi Burnett (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Larry Corbett (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Suzie Katayama (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Concertmaster – Joel Dearouin (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Murray Adler (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Contractor [Strings] – Jules Chaikin (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Double Bass – Charles Berghofer (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Edward Meares (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Norman Ludwin (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Putter Smith (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Drums – Brian Blade
Harp – Gayle Levant (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Piano – Brad Mehldau
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker (tracks: 2 to 13)
Text By [Poems By] – Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Viola – Carole Mukogawa (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Denyse Buffum (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Harry Shirinian (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), James Ross (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Marilyn Baker (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Ray Tischer (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Violin – Armen Garabedian (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Berj Garabedian (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Bruce Dukov (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Charles Everett (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Darius Campo (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Joel Dearouin (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), John Wittenberg (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Kirsten Fife (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Mari Tsumura (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Maurice Dicterow (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Murray Adler (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Joe Ketendjian (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Patricia Johnson (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Peter Kent (2) (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Pip Clarke-Ling (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Shari Zippert (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), Susan Chatman (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13)

MICHAEL BRECKER QUINDECTET - Wide Angles (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

An early 2002 tour of the U.K. found Michael Brecker playing his old material with a larger band that included some instruments usually falling outside the standard jazz combo (i.e., oboe, French horn). Perhaps a live recording of the genesis of this album would have been preferable since Wide Angles provides such mixed results. For such a large band with so many great players, it all ends up being window-dressing. The recording makes Brecker the center of attention, and despite some truly lyrical playing, there's little interaction between soloist and ensemble. The ten tracks (nine by Brecker with Don Grolnick's "Evening Faces," the exception) are a suite, according to Brecker and arranger Gil Goldstein. When it sticks to the cerebral and introspective, it flows very well. Even if he isn't paying much attention to what's going on behind him, Brecker is at least expressive and as inspired as ever. The standard-issue fusion and funk of "Night Jessamine," where the quindectet are totally superfluous, trips things up and should have been left to a smaller unit. With so much focus on the tenor saxophonist, Brecker fanatics will justifiably go ape. Listeners wanting to hear mainstream bassist John Patitucci, the usually experimental violinist Mark Feldman, or any of the other capable players interacting will find their roles too supportive. by David Jeffries 
Tracklist:
1 Broadband 6:48
Michael Brecker
2 Cool Day In Hell 7:51
Michael Brecker
3 Angles Of Repose 6:42
Michael Brecker
4 Timbuktu 7:58
Michael Brecker
5 Night Jessamine 5:23
Michael Brecker
6 Scylla 10:40
George Whitty / Michael Brecker
7 Brexterity 6:41
Michael Brecker
8 Evening Faces 7:14
Don Grolnick
9 Modus Operandy 5:27
Michael Brecker
10 Never Alone 5:42
Michael Brecker
Credits:
Arranged By – Gil Goldstein (tracks: 3, 6, 8)
Bass – John Patitucci
Bass Clarinet – Iain Dixon
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Clarinet – Iain Dixon
Composed By – Don Grolnick (tracks: 8), George Whitty (tracks: 6), Michael Brecker (tracks: 1 to 7, 9, 10)
Drums – Antonio Sanchez
English Horn – Charles Pillow
Flute – Steve Wilson
French Horn – Peter Gordon
Guitar – Adam Rogers
Oboe – Charles Pillow
Percussion – Daniel Sadownick
Producer, Orchestrated By, Conductor, Arranged By [Additional Arrangement] – Gil Goldstein
Tenor Saxophone, Producer, Arranged By – Michael Brecker
Trombone – Robin Eubanks
Trumpet – Alex "Sasha" Sipiagin
Viola – Lois Martin
Violin – Joyce Hammann, Mark Feldman