FalcFans Forums

I know this is off the subject but besides sports I am a music buff especially jazz music and wanted to post this since the man michael brecker has influenced jazz almost like no other saxophonist other than john coltrane died today. His talents were just remarkable and there is no better compliment to an artist as to say that he sounds like another mike brecker which brecker influenced so many saxophonist its endless.

I had tohught mike was getting better since his daughter had given him some blood to slow the process and he was getting better but all the sudden out of nowhere the sad sad news of Brecker passing is a shock.Unfortunatly most people are not into jazz music but maybe just by posting this some of you will take a listen to the man Michael Brecker who was one of the most gifted players ever and there will not be another one.Mike was the mariah carey of tenor players that is how big he was in the jazz world. You never know when its your time ,live life to the fullest and appreciate every day.

God Bless Michiel Brecker and condonlences to his family

Rest in peace Mike!

Saxophonist Michael Brecker succumbs to cancer
Posted 1/13/2007 5:06 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this



NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Brecker, a versatile and much-studied jazz saxophonist who won 11 Grammys over a career that spanned more than three decades, died Saturday at age 57.
Brecker died in New York of leukemia, according to his longtime friend and agent, Darryl Pitt.

In recent years, the saxophonist had struggled myelodysplastic syndrome, a cancer in which the bone marrow stops producing enough healthy blood cells. The disease, known as MDS, often progresses to leukemia.

Becker, who had a home in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, was born in 1949 in Philadelphia and had won 11 Grammys for his work as a tenor saxophonist. He was inspired to study the tenor saxophone by the work of jazz legend John Coltrane, according to his website.

He and his brothers led a successful jazz-rock fusion group called the Brecker Brothers. Throughout his career, he recorded and performed with numerous jazz and pop music leaders, including Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell, according to the site.

His technique on the saxophone was widely emulated and taught. Jazziz magazine once called him "inarguably the most influential tenor stylist of the last 25 years."

Though somewhat introverted, his struggle with the blood disease led him to publicly encourage people to enroll in marrow donor programs.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Yeah Scout he was a great one. I am also a follower of Jazz, though i prefer the pre bebop period..my favorite sax guys were Johnny hodges, Paul Gonsalves and Benny Carter.

Hmm, besides football we have jazz in common interesting BB. I have been playing sax for a long long time and one of the first sax players I heard was brecker so this loss has hit me hard since he was my fav contemporary player. I have most of his recordings and he influenced more sax players since coltrane at least on tenor. I play sax as a hobby now but being out in the work world you need a bread and butter job so sax/jazz is another passion besides sports.

There is practically no coverage on TV or internet with the loss of this Jazz Giant,I can't believe it. Mike was very a humble person and it always fasincates me with innovators like brecker they have to work there tail off but have the great talent to back it up to get to be innovators and legends. Reminds me alot of sports where you may be gifted but you still have to work your tail off to be truly great to be an innovator(montana,elway,marino) will vick ever learn?

What ever your passion is I am sure people look up to those who they want to be like thats what brecker was to many a saxophone player.Its interesting very gifted people don't understand how talented they are compared to those of us who don't have that unique talent. His loss will be truly missed and I imagine he probably is up there playing with Coltrane,hodges,desmond in the ulimate jam session.

God bless Mike brecker!

Oh BB, it might interest you that yes I also love the bebop era players before the contemporary age. Charlie Parker,Phil Woods, Adderley,Desmond(cool school),Art Pepper etc etc. Not only do I love sax players but other instruments as well trumpet Arturo Sandoval,maynard ferguson,..mingus,bill evans etc etc .......

Jazz isn't very appreciated in american culture as it is over in Europe which is another reason not alot of coverage on Mike Brecker.