Michael Brecker Q&A at The University of North Texas 1984

Summary

En este fascinante relato, un músico proveniente de una familia con profunda raíz musical comparte su viaje personal y artístico. Nacido en Filadelfia, comenzó con el clarinete antes de enamorarse del saxofón tras escuchar a Cannonball Adderley. Estudió en la Universidad de Indiana, explorando desde la medicina hasta las bellas artes, antes de decidirse por la música y trasladarse a Nueva York. Allí, su carrera despegó, tocando en diversos géneros, desde el jazz hasta el rock y el R&B, y colaborando con numerosos artistas destacados. El narrador destaca la importancia de la improvisación, el aprendizaje continuo y el hallazgo de su sonido único, ofreciendo una visión inspiradora de la persistencia y la pasión por la música.

Takeaways

• 😊 Comenzó tocando el clarinete a una edad muy joven
• 🎸 Estuvo muy influenciado por músicos de blues y guitarra eléctrica
• 🎷 Pasó de tocar el clarinete al saxofón después de escuchar a Cannonball Adderley
• 🏀 Jugaba baloncesto en la escuela secundaria al mismo tiempo que tocaba música profesionalmente
• 👨‍🎓 Estudió brevemente medicina y bellas artes antes de dedicarse por completo a la música
• 🗽 Se mudó a Nueva York a los 19 años para dedicarse profesionalmente a la música

Q & A

¿De dónde es originario el músico mencionado en el guion?

El músico mencionado en el guion es originario de Filadelfia.

¿Qué instrumentos tocan los padres y la hermana del músico?

El padre del músico es organista, su madre es pianista y su hermana también es pianista.

¿Cuál fue el primer instrumento que tocó el músico y a qué edad comenzó?

El primer instrumento que tocó fue el clarinete a una edad muy temprana, y recuerda aprender solos de clarinete para los discos de Jimmy Joo free cuando tenía unos seis años.

¿Quiénes fueron las primeras influencias musicales del músico?

Las primeras influencias musicales del músico fueron Clifford Brown y Jimmy Joo free.

¿Qué cambio significativo en su carrera ocurrió después de escuchar a Cannonball Adderley?

Después de escuchar a Cannonball Adderley, el músico cambió de tocar el clarinete al saxofón y comenzó a tomárselo más en serio.

¿En qué universidad estudió inicialmente el músico y qué cambio de carrera hizo mientras estaba allí?

El músico estudió inicialmente en la Universidad de Indiana como mayor en música, pero en el último minuto cambió su especialización a premedicina como un acto de rebeldía.

¿Cómo fue el proceso de transición del músico hacia la música profesional?

El músico comenzó a tocar profesionalmente en la escuela secundaria, escuchando mucho a Coltrane y tocando con músicos mayores. Estudió de forma privada y tocó mucho alrededor de Filadelfia antes de mudarse a Nueva York a los 19 años.

¿Qué grupo formó con su hermano y otros músicos, y cómo fue recibido?

Formó un grupo con su hermano y otros músicos llamado 'Dreams', que aunque fue un fracaso comercial, les dio reputación en el negocio como una buena sección de vientos.

¿Qué tipo de música exploró el músico al mudarse a Nueva York?

Al mudarse a Nueva York, el músico exploró más a fondo la música rock y R&B, estudiando ese idioma y prestando atención a muchos guitarristas.

¿Qué consejo ofrece el músico sobre la elección de equipos y la búsqueda de un sonido propio?

El músico aconseja ir tras lo que uno escucha y no dejarse influenciar por los demás, destacando la importancia de encontrar lo que suena bien para uno mismo, basándose en su experiencia personal al cambiar a un nuevo conjunto de boquilla y caña.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Inicios y desarrollo temprano

El orador, nacido en Filadelfia en una familia musical, creció pensando que todos eran músicos. Comenzó con el clarinete y luego pasó al saxofón influenciado por Cannonball Adderley. Durante la escuela secundaria, comenzó a tocar profesionalmente y se sumergió en la música de John Coltrane. Aunque inicialmente se inscribió en la Universidad de Indiana como estudiante de música, cambió a premedicina como acto de rebeldía, pero finalmente se mudó a Nueva York para seguir su pasión por la música. En Nueva York, gracias a su hermano Randy, se integró rápidamente en la escena musical.

05:04

🎤 Experiencias y transiciones

El narrador describe su crecimiento musical influenciado por la música rock y R&B, y cómo su capacidad para tocar estilos distintos al bebop lo ayudó a encontrar trabajo en Nueva York. Formó una banda llamada Dreams que, a pesar de no tener éxito comercial, le estableció como un músico respetado. Posteriormente, trabajó con Horace Silver y formó los Brecker Brothers con su hermano. Actualmente, está involucrado en el grupo Steps Ahead y trabaja en la composición mientras mantiene su rol en Saturday Night Live.

10:08

🔊 Exploración de nuevos sonidos

El orador comparte su experiencia tocando el saxofón eléctrico y cómo utilizó efectos económicos para innovar en su sonido. Discute la influencia de los guitarristas en su estilo y la importancia de absorber diversos influjos musicales. Se describe como un músico que aprende e integra lo que escucha en su estilo de una manera que eventualmente se convierte en parte de su identidad musical única.

15:08

🥁 La importancia del ritmo y la experimentación

El orador enfatiza la importancia de la conexión con la sección rítmica y cómo el ritmo es central en la música jazz. Relata su experiencia aprendiendo a tocar la batería para mejorar su comprensión del ritmo y sugiere que otros músicos exploren instrumentos de la sección rítmica. Además, habla de su enfoque menos disciplinado hacia la práctica, basado en rachas de inspiración en lugar de una rutina fija.

20:09

🎹 Exploraciones composicionales

El orador detalla su actual enfoque en la composición, trabajando con técnicas como la escritura de doce tonos para desarrollar un nuevo vocabulario musical. A pesar de la complejidad y el desafío, encuentra que este enfoque proporciona herramientas útiles para su crecimiento artístico. También menciona su trabajo con Hal Galper y su experiencia en un ambiente acústico contrastante con sus proyectos eléctricos anteriores.

25:11

🎧 Adaptación y visión de la música moderna

El orador reflexiona sobre el estado actual de la música y la influencia de la tecnología, específicamente en el ámbito del jazz y la música electrónica. Subraya la importancia de los músicos detrás de la tecnología y cómo personalmente ha integrado los sonidos electrónicos en su trabajo con Steps Ahead, describiendo la experiencia como tocar en 'Technicolor' en lugar de 'blanco y negro'.

30:13

🌱 Crecimiento personal y equilibrio

El orador discute cómo la búsqueda del equilibrio entre la vida personal y la carrera musical ha impactado su enfoque y bienestar. Aunque la música sigue siendo una parte central de su vida, ha aprendido a no dejar que domine completamente, buscando un estado más saludable y equilibrado que a su vez beneficia su creatividad y rendimiento.

35:17

🎼 Colaboraciones y aprendizajes

El orador comparte sus experiencias trabajando con diversos músicos como Pat Metheny y James Taylor, destacando la importancia de la colaboración y el aprendizaje mutuo en su desarrollo artístico. También expresa su admiración por David Sanborn, destacando la capacidad única de Sanborn para mezclar sonidos y emociones a través de su saxofón.

40:24

🎶 Impresiones finales y reflexiones

El párrafo parece contener expresiones y fragmentos sueltos, posiblemente relacionados con la conclusión de una actuación o los pensamientos finales del orador. Dado que el contenido específico no está claro, este resumen asume que el orador está finalizando su charla o presentación con reflexiones finales o agradecimientos.

46:12

🔚 Conclusiones y despedida

Este segmento parece indicar el cierre de la sesión o la conclusión de una actuación musical. Aunque el contenido es vago, sugiere el fin de una experiencia compartida, posiblemente agradeciendo a la audiencia o a los participantes antes de despedirse.

Keywords

💡Música

La música es el eje central del video, destacando la importancia de la herencia musical familiar y la dedicación personal al aprendizaje y la práctica de instrumentos musicales. El narrador comparte cómo creció en una familia donde todos tocaban un instrumento, lo que subraya la música como un elemento definitorio en su vida y desarrollo profesional.

💡Familia musical

El concepto de 'familia musical' se refiere a un entorno familiar donde la música juega un papel central, con miembros que participan activamente en la práctica de instrumentos o en carreras relacionadas con la música. En el video, el narrador describe cómo su familia, con padres y hermanos músicos, influyó profundamente en su propia trayectoria musical.

💡Clarinetista

El clarinete fue el primer instrumento que el narrador aprendió a tocar, aunque menciona no haberlo hecho particularmente bien al principio. Este detalle ilustra la evolución y el desarrollo personal en la música, donde los músicos pueden comenzar con un instrumento y luego encontrar su verdadera pasión y habilidad en otro.

💡Saxofonista

Convertirse en saxofonista marcó un punto de inflexión en la vida del narrador. Inspirado por Cannonball Adderley, el cambio al saxofón simboliza un compromiso más serio con la música y el inicio de su carrera profesional. Este instrumento se convierte en el medio principal a través del cual el narrador expresa su arte.

💡Jazz

El jazz es mencionado como un género musical fundamental en la formación y carrera del narrador. A través de figuras como Clifford Brown, Jimmy Joo free, y Coltrane, el narrador destaca cómo el jazz y sus solistas influenciaron su técnica y estilo musical, reflejando la importancia de este género en su desarrollo como músico.

💡Educación musical

La educación musical se aborda a través de la experiencia del narrador en Indiana University y su decisión de cambiar de música a premed, para luego enfocarse nuevamente en la música. Este aspecto subraya la búsqueda de identidad y el conflicto entre las expectativas familiares y los deseos personales.

💡Improvisación

La improvisación es un tema relevante en la narrativa, especialmente en el contexto del jazz. El narrador menciona la importancia de la improvisación y cómo se ha enfocado en desarrollar un estilo personal a través de la experimentación y la influencia de otros músicos, incluyendo guitarristas, reflejando la naturaleza exploratoria de su enfoque musical.

💡Grabaciones

Las grabaciones y la participación en álbumes se destacan como partes importantes de la carrera del narrador. A través de colaboraciones con su hermano y otros músicos, así como su trabajo en grupos como 'Dreams' y 'Brecker Brothers', se enfatiza la diversidad de experiencias y estilos musicales en los que ha participado.

💡Técnica musical

La técnica musical se aborda a través de la discusión sobre la importancia de la práctica, el aprendizaje de solos, y la adaptación de técnicas de otros instrumentos al saxofón. El narrador comparte su enfoque hacia la práctica y cómo la experimentación y el aprendizaje continuo han sido fundamentales en su desarrollo técnico.

💡Innovación

La innovación se menciona en el contexto de explorar nuevos sonidos y técnicas, especialmente en relación con la música electrónica y el uso de efectos en el saxofón. El narrador habla sobre su interés en incorporar elementos electrónicos en su música, reflejando su deseo de experimentar y evolucionar constantemente como artista.

Highlights

Grew up in a musical family in Philadelphia, started on clarinet then switched to saxophone

Moved to New York at age 19, started getting work through connections from his brother Randy

Formed group Dreams that got some attention but didn't sell many records

Played with Horace Silver's group for a year and a half as a learning experience

Formed Brecker Brothers group, made albums, toured a lot

Currently playing with Steps Ahead, studying composition, plays on Saturday Night Live weekly

Transcripts

this is kind of a funny situation cuz uh

I really feel like planning great

musicians this is funny

what but the whole point of me coming

here is partially to talk I think you

know well we'll split the difference

we'll split the difference and uh you

know uh I'll tell you a little bit my

life I guess and what I'm doing right

now and then we'll play a little more

and maybe take some questions

okay I'm not used to having it no

microphone here this is on one TV uh I

went through a brief history real

quickly uh I was born in Philadelphia I

came from a musical family

everyone in my family plays some

instrument or another my father's

archanis my mother's a pianist my

sister's a pianist uh I play a little

piano and when I was a kid I thought

everyone was a musician you know it was

the kind of family I grew up in

it was a shock to me to find out that

that we were kind of an oddity

I began on clarinet at a very young age

and played it not too well and was more

interested in sports really my first

influences were that I can remember were

Clifford Brown and uh Jimmy Joo free I

remember learning clarinet solos for uh

author Jimmy juvie records when I was

about six years old I still play into a

to a garbage can for reverb you know and

I had a little gold wastebasket and

that's where I practiced and to this day

I still love reverb you know whenever I

do an album they always have to turn my

echo down in the mix you know uh I

switched to saxophone after hearing

Cannonball Adderley play and began to

take it seriously I guess in in junior

high school also playing basketball that

was my major pastime and I started

playing professionally really in high

school I started listening to a lot of

Coltrane and was playing with a lot of

musicians that were older than me and I

studied privately which I generally

always did and still do and I played a

lot around Philadelphia and eventually

went to Indiana University initially to

be a music major and I switched my major

at the last minute this is my one of my

moments of rebelling I realized that I

had been playing music half my life half

my life partially to compete you know or

to for my parents approval you know

because that was the way my family was

so I switched I was at Indiana

University and I switched to premed

it's a brilliant decision and I was

stuck out there and pre-med and that

wasn't working too well so I tried Fine

Arts you know and meanwhile all the time

all I did was uh was spend time in the

music school practicing my fine arts

teacher I had some talent in drawing uh

I became friends with all my teachers

and he just told me to move to New York

and play music so he Lila he dropped a

subtle hint so I did that I moved to New

York when I was 19 and my older brother

Randy was had been living in New York

for about two to three years at that

point and was was playing beautifully

and and starting to work quite a bit he

did really well very quickly and he was

very nice to me when I went there and

introduced me to a lot of people and I

didn't have to scuffle real hard because

I did have some connections through him

of course I you know I scuffled for a

couple years but I always managed to

work I just took any gig I could get you

know any kind of weird rehearsals that

didn't pay anything you know and I

always was fortunate to meet people you

know particularly the weirdest

rehearsals that's where I met some

sometimes the people that became most

important later on I also you know

continue to study privately with various

people I tried all kinds of I study the

Schillinger system and and took some

lessons from Joe Henderson and and

studied with Joe Allard who uses me as

an example of what not to do when the

saxophone and

uh I like walking off camera here

where's the camp ah is the camera I at

that point uh I I neglected to mention I

guess that I'd always been playing rock

and roll and R&B you know in

Philadelphia I grew up listening to Ray

Charles and had always been uh you know

listening to AM radio much to the dismay

of my parents you know and so I began

put you know really getting into into

rock music in college and and was very

serious about it and I really listened

to a lot of blues and studied that idiom

and checked out a lot of guitar players

and by the time I moved to New York it

just happened to be that kind of timing

where there was a kind of a and need for

horn players that did a wanted to play

on records that uh that could play

something other than bebop which I also

was able to do so I started getting some

work on some albums and I formed a group

with my brother and some other people

called dreams we did some recording for

Columbia the records were an amazing

failure they were great musically but

they didn't sell anything but we did get

a reputation in the business as a good

horn section and Barry Rodgers was

playing trombone with us so we started

doing dates a lot of dates as a section

and I continued doing other things

playing a lot and lost the New York and

jamming a lot and uh just trying to stay

active after dreams broke up I went with

Horace silver for for about a year and a

half and that was one of my favorite

gigs ever because that was like going to

college for me you know I really really

worked hard I practiced a lot during

that period all the time you know before

the gig I don't know how I did it in

retrospect I had a lot of guts I always

you know make amazing noise in the hotel

rooms and get

planes and I really wanted it you know

so I stayed with artists then after that

I went with a myriad of different groups

have played with Billy Cobham for a

while and then my brother Knight formed

a group called Brecker brothers and I

made a bunch of albums for Harris to

records and that and continued to you

know to tour a lot and practice a lot

and just also do record dates right now

I'm playing in a group called steps

ahead we just did another album we

finished it a couple days ago and that

should be out in a few weeks believe it

or not and I'm studying composition

presently and put working pretty hard on

that and I'm working around New York and

I play on Saturday Night Live every week

which is fun and I'm doing a complete

blank

what else that are gonna say um I'm

gonna throw it up and open to questions

in a minute cuz it's hard to talk to a

whole group of people not knowing really

where we're at you know everyone's at a

different place and it's silly for me to

talk about harmony and and an

improvisation because that's real well

covered here this is really the best

music school in the world I think and

you know I guess I'm not really here to

talk about that but I'll you know if

anybody has any questions about that I

use a summer saxophone

and it's a lavage medium read and this

happens to be dying this Reed and the

mouthpiece is presently a do cough do 9

and and that's a guest and I'm not

suggesting that all saxophone players

use this this is what works for me

everyone is different everyone hears

differently the only suggestion I can

make is go for what you hear and not and

if possible try not to let anyone sway

you you know if you're looking for a

sound stick with it you know unless it's

really obviously not working I know when

I switched to this I had been playing a

different setup for a long time and I

had to switch because of some physical

problems I had I found this setup and I

liked it a lot and a lot of people in

New York a lot of the saxophone players

told me to not not to use this and now

pretty much all of them are using the

same

so I kind of learned a lesson from that

you know I just have to go with with

what I think sounds good for me and you

know I hope that well I made this list

of things to talk about I don't really

feel like looking at it so maybe uh if

you feel comfortable enough to ask some

questions I'd be happy to you know to

answer them the best I can you know does

anybody want to put something into the

air yeah free jazz thing not it sounds

like you play - saxophone what is

actually happening what was happening

was that I was playing electric

saxophone and at that time I was using a

real cheap kind of a cheap effect you

know cheap thrills

if there really wasn't much I could use

it when that was there in terms of

electric things spent times have changed

quite a bit now but at that time I think

it was called a frequency analyzer and

it cost $40 or something like that and I

could push a little button and I found a

good use for it it was kind of limited

but I found a couple things that I could

do that enabled me to play chords and

play along with it and I think I was

using a an envelope follower and some

some other things that you know I say

they're cheap gimmicks but actually the

trick is figuring out how to use them so

they sound you know so they sound good

thank you did you did

yeah the question is why did I listen to

guitar players I did because I liked the

way they played but seriously I was

looking for other I mean pretty much my

playing is generally mimicking other

things that I've heard you know I'm not

tremendously original you know I just I

listen to things and then I learned them

or I hear them enough then they get into

my psyche and then I distort the hell

out of them what what I was doing then

was just I loved I was very excited by

guitar players particularly around in

the beginning in late 60s and uh and

early seventies it was just there was a

whole excitement happening on the

instrument you know the way they bent

notes and and where they played the

blues you know and I really uh I liked

what they were doing so I tried to uh I

figured out weird fingerings on the

saxophone to emulate you know the way

they would bend notes and try and get in

between the major and the minor third

you know and and as I was just

experiment looking for other avenues you

know I still you know I I don't just

copy saxophone players although like I

still love to copy saxophone player yeah

if I hear anyone play a phrase you know

if it really gets my ear I try and

figure out what it is you know I find a

record that it's on and out you know

slow it down if I have to and figure out

what it is

and I think it's a real useful tool also

you know to to learn solos I learned

parts of solos I know that's a question

that's often asked me did I learn solos

and the answer is yes but I didn't have

the discipline to learn whole solos

really I did it occasionally but I found

it helpful for me too if I was going to

do it to copy it out myself

and not do it out of a book because I

somehow it sank anymore and I also felt

offended helpful too once I learned it

to play it along with the record to

figure out how it lays over the rhythm

section the more often I took pieces you

know guitars or saxophones and you know

trumpets piano solos and and if I heard

a lick that I liked I'd steal it you

know and eventually I mean my memory is

not so good so I forget it and it would

come out in some other weird bizarre way

a few months later I found that it's

usually two months I worked on something

like two months later all of a sudden it

would creep out I'd be playing somewhere

and all of a sudden you know that would

come out

it was never really a conscious process

I was never one of those people that

could learn something and then play it

that night I just I always have to trust

that it's going to come out somewhere in

my psyche and it's it's music for me is

largely intuitive I was talking about

that earlier I'm not a real intellectual

kind of player my mind doesn't work that

way I think fairly quickly I'm aware of

the chords when I'm playing most of the

time I'm not real tuned into that lately

have been more tuned into shapes and

pivot points and melodies particularly

when I'm recording I've been trying to

concentrate on playing a lot melodically

and less and less mechanical playing

looser and just let you know what

naturally happens happen you know now

trying to color it I wanted to do this I

was thinking that this early maybe I'll

have Scott this is a risk I was talking

also earlier about time about rhythm for

me I think the most important thing is

is time you know I don't know the word

to use for it swinging or cooking or you

know without that it doesn't matter what

notes you play notes are important to

for me but if I'm not somehow really

connected in a meaningful way to what's

happening in the rhythm section it

really is pointless you know in jazz

music you know or jazz related music I

don't know how to quaint

I've never done this I just wanted this

I don't know one way I worked on it was

the plate it goes to play the drums I

was wondering if I could just this could

be real embarrassing

can you lift your seat a little bit just

lift Thanks over the coffee right bear

with me I haven't done this in quite a

few moons I just do our blues again the

same this will just to play a couple

quarters to play for nips and then I'll

stop around that I guess the same tempo

to it what oh yeah what

I did that I guess just a show I'm

serious that you know that for me rhythm

is the whole thing I'm real attached to

the drums I don't play it too often

anymore but you know when I was younger

I really sat down and tried to figure

out how three goes against four you know

what makes music swing and then from

playing with a lot of saxophone players

I used to play drums a lot with

saxophonist they used to like to play

with me because I knew where they were

coming from and it was like the reverse

side of the coin you know I suggest you

know I mean it's just a suggestion if

anyone wants to learn more about that's

to take up a rhythm section instrument

and you know screw around with it and

it's amazing what you learn uh yeah

no I've been thinking about it lately

like the question is about joy still do

I study saxophone privately not

presently I took a breathing lesson last

weekend from a trumpet player a lot of

times I you know I have you know end up

getting together with saxophone players

and a couple times I asked people for

ask people for lessons and they can help

take me seriously yeah but I've been

thinking of trying to get back with Joe

a little bit also I don't know thank you

I studied with a guy named Edgar Graner

there's a teachers at Julliard in New

York I know that's a kind of expansive

thing it's gonna be you I'll probably be

there for a long time and if part of its

just psychological approach you know

it's interesting thank you

huh talk more about that

it's kind of hard to talk about exact I

don't know its composition just giving

me some basic tools we're going to start

working on string writing soon right now

he has me working when it's gonna sound

ridiculous

that's lines it's twelve tone writing

you're making a matrix out of out of a

melody and then I'd explain this exactly

getting the voicings from the matrix and

it's a whole other way it's just another

way of thinking for me I'm used to

chords and and notes you know on lines

and it's just a way for me that it's

another tool I've been using you know

just trying to voice lines using kind of

different sister using this guy system

you know remains to be seen if it's

gonna you know help me a lot but I've

written a couple compositions on that

based on that approach that help at all

yep hi

question is how do I like working with

hail Galba right I liked working with

Howie Gamber he's a great pianist and

that was a chance to play a lot in the

coup stick setting because I was playing

with Brecker brothers a lot totally

electric and I needed to uh you know I

get crazy in either way if I get too

much one way or the other so we did

quite a bit of playing acoustically did

some touring and made a few albums uh

and he's a wonderful pianist thank you

yes I'll get over there Hitler's real

the question is what's the rehearsal

scheduled for Saturday Night Live and

it's a very very hard gig I it's a

tremendous test of will and patience and

persistence I I get there at Saturday

morning and rehearse from 12:00 to 1:00

and then I show up for the gig

thank you okay occasionally we do we'll

do a pre-tape most of the plane we do on

the show is doing the commercials you

know and we play the theme in the

closing theme and now it's just it's fun

it's fun it's a fun job just to to watch

what goes on in the studio and it gets

really crazy and I enjoy it oh that was

a rerun that was from uh I don't think

he's uh he was good though what huh now

he's with the group he's with the stray

cats oh yeah yeah yeah so I rely really

didn't get to meet him um that

particular show though that was a rerun

we did a skit with with Eddie Murphy uh

playing James Brown in the hot tub

and there's two things that I don't like

to do that I always get embarrassed one

is go to the beach right and and the

other one is dance when both of them

unreal I always I do them but I'm queasy

about it you know and my friend was my

first show you know and what did I have

to do but get dressed up in a bathing

suit and dance

I think it's balls list fusion trike no

just kidding

uh that was from a review of the Brecker

brothers Sun salute

fact that was a review of Brecker

brothers we weren't even playing on the

album that they reviewed Hey they just

singled us out for some reason lose huh

my I guess my only comment is that I'm I

never liked the word fusion first of all

I mean that there was a kind of a fusion

sound happening in the in the late 70s

you know um right now all I can say is

I'm real excited by what's happening in

the whole kind of techno world I know it

freaks a lot of people out a lot of horn

players and rhythm section people get

paranoid because they think that the

machines are gonna take over you know

and uh I really find that for me it's a

state of mind with with steps we're

really working now with with a lot of

synthesized sounds and a sequencer and

and drum machine and we're trying to

work it into the music and and we've

been really considerably successful I'm

real pleased about it I said earlier

it's like all of a sudden for me it's

like playing in Technicolor instead of

black and white we have a sequencer

playing behind us and I know it's a

tough question to answer because it's

you know it's so general I mean there's

so many kinds of music and there's so

much good music happening you know and

some not so good and I really don't

think that the issue is elect is

electronics but the people who are

playing it you know huh

I don't I guess that's my answer thank

you well you're out

yeah the question was was the album

cityscape with Clouseau Germann a

challenge it was a challenge yeah and I

I loved the album I really am very proud

of that album there was I don't know

that was a real unique experience I hope

we do it again class Oakman is it really

is a really unique kind of arranger next

time we do it I'd like to spend more

time we did it fairly quickly and and

the music was difficult particularly the

chords that he writes you know I really

what I did was I just threw the chord

sheets away you know and use my ears cuz

I couldn't figure out what the heck it

you know he'd write the cord and then

the strings would be playing something

really bizarre so I really I had to

throw the music away what I tried to do

also was leave some space and some of it

you know and no no that was a great

experience

Thanks hello hello

sure yeah all of the about everything

you'd mentioned I practiced with the

metronome I've never been real good

undisciplined I hate to say it you know

I know I'm supposed to stand up here and

say well you know practice practice

practice discipline you know eight hours

a day I've always gone in spurts I have

the times used a metronome on two and

four I get depressed when I do it

because I rush you know

it does help you know uh I used to do a

lot of arpeggios you know I figure out a

series of notes I decided I'd like to

phrase write a four notes you know I I

put it in major you know I do it I do it

in whole steps and do it minor thirds do

it major thirds

you know backwards you know just string

a bunch of things together and and that

helped me quite a bit you know as I said

I learned solos for me the trick was I

played as much as I could I played along

with records you know and uh I spent a

lot of time wasting time in a certain

way pract you know practicing I have a

bizarre there's no sister I have no

system I just sit around and get

something in my head and then work on it

for a while and then maybe the next day

if I was lucky I'd work on it you know

and somehow it would sneak into my plane

I try to practice things that are going

to be practical um certain licks I was

talking about earlier certain licks or

certain phrases only sound good in

certain keys I'll learn them in every

key you know just to know it but I have

to stay aware that I'm really not gonna

play a certain thing down at the bottom

of the horn cuz it sounds like crud you

know uh playing with other saxophone

players has helped me a lot playing with

drummers just tenor in drums was a real

good good tool for me that's really kind

of a saxophone thing I don't know you

know how well that works on other

instruments but that you know uh that

helped me a lot and I also keep a

notebook uh

I was right the date and and what I

practiced you know or the ideas that I

came up with and write the book is only

one page long so now it's gotten kind of

it's been a little thin lately you know

I look back at you know and I see like

the last time was like two months ago

when I saw my god as I said I practice

in spurts uh will be a whole series a

few weeks will really be hitting it and

then I stop and I play and I and other

things come up I should also say right

now in my life you know my priority was

always music music music you know before

everything and nothing else really

mattered and that's kind of turned

around for me in the past two or three

years so and it's not that it's taking a

backseat but it is taking a backseat a

little bit it's still very important to

me but I kind of found through trial and

error that uh that the rest of my life

direct directly affects the way I play

you know spiritually and mentally and so

I've been trying to keep you know trying

to stay healthy and keep a good balance

you know on a spiritual and mental and

physical level and and then music fits

in and it's a lot more healthy you know

I'm just not into killing myself anymore

I I tried that route and there and it

was it was not happy you know I

sometimes played well but I was very

miserable

thank you yeah

Brecker brothers never done a tour in

the United States where were you

I've never heard of it you know coming

to where I stood in Detroit and we stay

away from Detroit no no we played we

have played Detroit

we haven't toured in a good two or three

years really so I don't know where that

puts you chronologically

again it's not trying to say I hope soon

I've seen you by yourself like probably

ten times I see Randy myself yeah it's

in the works

there's nothing definite planned we

needed to take a little bit of a break

because we've been playing together for

years you know and uh you know just for

for our own health we wanted to just you

know kind of decipher pod projects for a

minute which you know we've done and

were in the process of doing and he's

making an album right now and it's real

good and he and his wife are expecting a

baby and it you know exciting things

happening there uh in a future I really

suspect will you know we'll do some

touring and playing together you know

cuz I I love to play with him we had a I

guess from being brothers and growing up

playing in the bathroom together uh we

have we have some kind of weird

intuitive uh communication I don't I

never have to ask how he's gonna phrase

something like if we have to play a part

you know I just we can just play it

right off you know and I suspect went

and has that with Branford you know and

who knows uh uh trying to think of

another book thank you

you catch my drift right uh well it's

Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey right

hi the question is what was it like

playing with Pat Metheny and the answer

is it was one of the best experiences I

ever had you know we did a tour with

Joni Mitchell together and that's where

we really found we had an affinity and

since recorded with him and toured with

him and we play really well together

there was talk about us doing something

in Japan together over the summer I

don't know if it's gonna crystallize but

I love his playing and his conception

and and the maturity in his playing and

he's really phenomenal musician no uh

that hasn't come up lately uh uh but I'd

certainly you know I mean if the

situation came up I would love to do

that you know thank you

okay that's absolutely yeah it's

actually a good question it's you know a

couple of my favorite subjects the

question is how I feel about playing

with James Taylor and and how I feel

about David Sanborn I respect James

tremendously because as it he's a very

innately natural musician extremely

talented and creative he's a he's a

little brain in every way and I liked

the recording I did with him because he

let us get involved in making uh parts

and determining where the music was

gonna go and uh what every musician does

that you know that is it in the kind of

sales bracket that he's in it's only

it's it's fun you know it becomes real

creative and and we enjoy it as far as

Dave Sanborn he's one of my favorite

living musicians and I'm a complete fan

afters you know they I can say more than

one note you know didn't then a lot of

people in intent you know he he just

plays amazingly well uh he's a real

voice you know is there something very

uh I know the word not another word I'm

looking for

like uh he has a unique sound you know

and that gorgeous way of playing

lyrically passionate you know and you

know freaks me out it's a real pleasure

to stand next to him listen to him

playing and he's also pretty much my

favorite player to play with in a

section cuz we have a real nice kind of

way we are sounds on you would think

that they wouldn't blend but they kind

of blend real nicely you know I've

learned a lot from him thank you

maybe this - what -

Oh

Oh

Oh

Oh

you

I don't know what I last about a course

in a half you know let's do that let's

do oh oh

kind of

you

mmm

bobaloo the building

turns and

you