Randy Brecker: Toe to Toe (1990)

Randy Brecker is essentially a fine hard bop trumpet soloist, but one versatile enough to fit into nearly any setting, including in the pop world, funk bands, and electronic fusion. He studied classical trumpet and attended Indiana University. Brecker was with Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1967, and spent 1968-1969 playing with Horace Silver's quintet. He also appeared with the big bands of Clark Terry, Duke Pearson, Frank Foster, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis orchestra. After playing with the early fusion group Dreams in 1969, he worked with Larry Coryell's Eleventh House and Billy Cobham, in addition to keeping very busy with studio work. He teamed up with Michael Brecker in the popular funk-oriented Brecker Brothers (1974-1979); in the '80s he often collaborated with his wife, pianist/vocalist Eliane Elias; and in the '90s he toured with the reunited Brecker Brothers. But Randy Brecker still sounds best when in a freewheeling bebop combo, and fortunately he occasionally records in that type of spontaneous setting.

Tracklist:
1.Mr. Skinny [Brecker] 5:36
2.Trading Secrets [Brecker] 5:10
3.It Creeps up on You [Brecker] 4:53
4.The Glider [Brecker] 6:04
5.Toe to Toe [Brecker] 4:54
6.It's up to You [Brecker] 5:50
7.What Is the Answer [Brecker] 4:41
8.Lost 4 Words [Brecker] 6:14
Personnel:
Victor Bailey - Bass (Electric)
Jim Beard - Arranger, Bass, Drum Machine, Drum Programming, Keyboards, Mixing, Producer
Regina Belle - Vocals (Background)
Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker - Arranger, Electric Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Mixing, Producer, Trumpet, Vocals
Dennis Chambers - Drums, Drums (Snare)
Dag Haeggqvist Executive Producer
Jon Herington Guitar
Bashiri Johnson - Percussion
Darryl Jones - Bass
Mark Ledford - Arranger, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Bob Mintzer - Clarinet (Bass)
============
320K
Uploading
Fileserve
Depositfiles

Lenny White: Renderers of Spirit (1996)

Drummer Lenny White doesn't explore much new territory on Renderers Of Spirit, which contains nothing that will make you forget that he played drums on the legendary Bitches Brew sessions for Miles Davis, or that, along with Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Al DiMeola, he helped define 1970s jazz-fusion as Return to Forever.

But even though the compositions here survey what amounts to the by-now familiar R&B meets jazz domain, White and company make the journey enough of a comfortably swinging stroll to make it worth the trip. White's sound and plump backbeat on drums in "Ho-Cake" sound straight outta hip-hop (that is, before they dissolve in a limpid pool of what's now called "smooth jazz"), and bassist Victor Bailey bounces off the walls in his own title, "Pick Pocket."

Renderers includes contributions from fellow Miles alumni Foley and Bennie Maupin, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, and Michael Brecker (In fact, "Countdown 2000" would not sound out of place on Davis' album Tutu). It closes with a challenging jazz-funk mind-meld of Jackie McLean's "Dr. Jackyle" wih Sly Stone's "Africa Talks To You," and also includes covers (with vocals) of Burt Bacharach's "Walk On By" (which nominally works) and of Christopher Cross' "Sailing" (which absolutely does not).

Tracklist:

01 - Whew! What A Dream
02 - Ho-Cake
03 - Walk On By
04 - Pick Pocket
05 - Savant
06 - Sailing
07 - The Abyss
08 - SwingTime
09 - Beggin'
10 - Countdown: 2000
11 - Dr. Jackle/Africa Talks To You

Personnel:

Geri Allen - Piano
Victor Bailey - Bass, Arranger
Don Blackman - Organ, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes
Michael Brecker - Saxophone
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
Jerry Brooks - Bass
Dean Brown - Guitar
Stanley Clarke - Tenor, Bass Solo
Jon Dryden - Synthesizer, Arranger
George Duke - Moog Synthesizer
Vince Evans - Synthesizer, Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes
Foley - Lead Bass
Javon Jackson - Sax (Tenor)
Dechown Jenkens - Guitar
Mark Johnson - Guitar, Vocals
Darryl Jones - Bass
Mark Ledford - Guitar, Trumpet, Arranger, Vocals
Kim Lesley - Vocals (bckgr)
Pete Levin - Synthesizer, Arranger, Keyboards, Programming, Orchestration
Bennie Maupin - Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Jean McClain - Vocals (bckgr)
Audrey Northington - Vocals
Nicki Richards - Arranger, Vocals
Patrice Rushen - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards
Michael "Patches" Stewart - Trumpet
Danny Walsh - Saxophone
Lenny White - Organ, Arranger, Cymbals, Drums, Keyboards, Programming, Producer
Bernard Wright - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer
Pookie Zari - Synthesizer

===========

320K

Uploading

Fileserve

Hotfile

Steps Ahesd: Magnetic (1986)

The last Steps Ahead recording to feature Michael Brecker, this album finds the band exploring the use of electronic instruments and synthesis. Michael Brecker's use of the Akai E.W.I. (electronic wind instrument) is astonishing.

Tracklist:
1.Trains (7:31) [Mike Mainieri]
2.Beirut (8:15) [V.Bailey, M.Brecker, P.Erskine, C.Loeb, M.Mainieri]
3.Cajun (6:16) [Michael Brecker]
4.In a Sentimental Mood (3:30) [Duke Ellington]
5.Magnetic Love (5:33) [Mike Mainieri, Scott Martin]
6.Sumo (5:50) [Michael Brecker]
7.All the Tea in China (5:05) [Peter Erskine]
8.Something I Said (4:23) [Peter Erskine]
9.Reprise (Magnetic Love) (1:15) [Mike Mainieri, Scott Martin]
Personnel:
VICTOR BAILEY- bass
MICHAEL BRECKER- tenor sax, steiner EWI
CHUCK LOEB, HIRAM BULLOCK, PAUL JACKSON- guitar
MIKE MAINIERI- vibes, synthesizers, keyboards
KENNY KIRKLAND, PHIL ASHLEY- synthesizers
PETER ERSKINE- drums, synthesizer, percussion
DIANNE REEVES- lead vocal (5)
DIVA GRAY, JANIS PENDARVIS, JOCELYN BROWN — background vocals
----------------
Fileserve @ 320K