YouTube (and others...) Music Vids - Referrals

[jblnut]

I'm a huge fan of Michael as well. It was indeed a sad day when he passed on. I grew up listening to the sounds of the Brecker Brothers as me and my friends tried to emulate them in our own high school jazz combos. I just recently bought a couple of their old records on the bay, and it's great to hear him play those funky tunes with the old band (Straphangin!) . I think he got expotentially better as he aged and I still regard his "Time is of the Essence" CD as his finest work (just my opinion).

He is greatly missed....

jblnut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGDa2Bf9Pj0

This is related to my post in What's Playing Now http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...postcount=1133

In that post I lamented my ignorance of a great artist who lived, played and passed away unnoticed by me, despite my chronology overlapping his completely. I'm going on record as saying Michael Brecker was the most important musician since John Coltrane. He was apparently also one of the nicest men on earth. Unlike talented yet egomanical musicians like Miles, he was modest, even self-effacing. And I now realize his musical accomplishments were great indeed, not like "he plays great" but rather "greatness." In a time in history like this where the major figures in the news, entertainment, sports and politics are anything but role models and haven't actually done anything special, he stands a true hero. I honestly wish I could have died so he could have lived. Many musicians and listeners speak of this man in worshipful tones I have not encountered before in the world of music.

This video contains portions of interviews that deal with jazz played at very advanced levels versus audiences, music's and spirituality's coincident worlds, musical growth and learning in a musician's life, and other fine things. There is a reference in it to where further interview video is available.

There are 28 videos on YouTube of Michael Brecker, and a lot more out there. I encourage anyone interested in these matters to explore what this man has to offer us in these difficult times we are facing. Most of all from his music. You might like the music behind this tribute video. It is gentler than most of what he played. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdc7S_Ecevw

I have discovered some great concert DVD's. Amazon has some. I'll get some recommendations together if anyone is interested. He even played great jazz fusion in his Steps Ahead band.

Clark in Peoria

[Ducatista47]

I think he got expotentially better as he aged and I still regard his "Time is of the Essence" CD as his finest work (just my opinion).

He is greatly missed....

jblnut

I think he kept getting better too. I was coincidentally listening to Time Is Of The Essence last night. Tonight I am listening to John Coltrane's Living Space and I am coming to the realization that I love Michael Brecker's music as much as Coltrane's. That is pretty much an ultimate statement for me.

Tales From The Hudson, Two Blocks From The Edge, Time Is Of The Essence, The Nearness Of You, Infinity (McCoy Tyner Trio), In The Door (Joey Calderazzo), the Jazz Baltica concerts, anything from the Nineties on - his later work just sends me. That he died at fifty seven and Coltrane at forty seems so wrong. Imagine what we are missing. They were both blazing ahead when they were taken from us.

Lucky for music lovers like us they both recorded and performed like crazy.

Clark

PS This is incredible, but I just discovered Brecker was quite handicapped when it came to playing wind instruments. Unlike say Bill Evans, who was perfectly physically built to play his instrument, Michael had a hole in each side of his larynx. That is why his neck inflated like a balloon whenever he blew. He played through soreness, pain and difficulty his entire career.

[Ducatista47]

If you like acoustic music you might want to trip down to Big Lots and risk three dollars on this DVD. It is a documentary of sorts, a very inside look at the musical relationship between David Grisman and Jerry Garcia. Put together by Grisman's daughter, it is unusual in style and tone, all to the better as far as I am concerned. It was funny to read criticisms on the web about it not being a very well made documentary. There must be a lot of deaf, stupid film fans out there! These self appointed critics must think they are Robert Flaherty back fresh from making Nanook Of The North and Man Of Aran. Idiots. (I'm afraid I am a lifetime film fan. I have noticed most contemporary documentaries and films are polished to the point of slick. It doesn't work with the usual vapid contents. You can't polish a turd... Take a hint, people. Homicide: Life On The Street was shot hand held in Super 16. By no coincidence it was the best TV show of the Nineties.) The performances are presented pretty much in their entirety and that goes against most documentary filmmakers instincts, but it serves the subject very well here.

Enough film talk. For music lovers, this is a treasure. Just watch it and don't forget to play it through your good stereo, not your HT rig. If you like Dawg music, God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen, a bonus special feature, is as good a Jazz performance as can be found anywhere. Don't miss the Outtakes section. Jerry Who with Vassar Clemons is supposed to be funny, but it is also touching and a revealing musician's take on audiences. What a sweet soul he is. If you take to the music video of The Thrill Is Gone in the feature, the video is a stand alone special feature too. Remember, if you need another another ace, go to the dog.

I think this film is very, very special and I can't recommend it enough. I can hear Bo now wondering out loud how it took me this long to discover this delightful treasure. The best three bucks I ever spent. The playing and singing is so good it is thrilling.

Clark