Michael Brecker - Tenor Sax Solo on "Quartet No. 2 (Part 2)"

Well here it is. This is truly a monsterous solo. It’s Brecker’s finest on record in my opinion. The composition is dedicated to John Coltrane and I think Mike was tuning into Trane’s spirit when he played this in 1980. Brecker was like the next logical step after Coltrane. Trane took his playing as far as it would go. Stretching way out beyond blues, be-bop, and modal jazz into the nether regions of interstellar- space. Brecker drew from Coltrane’s vocabulary and brought his own unique sound to it. After Coltrane, Brecker is one of the most emulated saxophonists of all time. His total command technically of the tenor is unmatched. Because his style is so copied, some people are tired of hearing Brecker type licks. Remember though that Brecker’s sound and style are his own. The same thing happened to Jaco, Bird, Coltrane, and all the great giants of jazz. This solo is the heart of Brecker’s concept. It’s filled with out of the key ideas and modal pentatonic patterns. Dig in.

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