Michael Brecker Noew You See it

October 18, 1987 was a very special day for the two brothers Michael Brecker & Randy Brecker. For years both had conquered the stages of the world together with their band Brecker Brothers and earned the reputation of being among the world´s leading jazz musicians on their instruments, the saxophone and the trumpet. On that evening in the legendary Hamburg factory, both were on stage together for the first time, each with their own band.

Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker has offered his horn to countless studio sessions since the late 1960s, many including his own bands. Purists might have considered Brecker's reputation sullied by his association with fusion–especially as performed in the 1970s by the Brecker Brothers, which featured him alongside his brother Randy on trumpet, and later by Steps Ahead–but since the mid-1980s, the tenorist has been on a post-bop roll. Time Is of the Essence extends Brecker's broad command of the styles pioneered during the mid-1960s. He's playing with a veritable supergroup, Pat Metheny adding efficient strums and riffs on guitar and Larry Goldings pillowing the atmosphere on a Hammond B3 organ. Three drummers alternate on the session, with the great Elvin Jones making the most turbulent storm and Bill Stewart providing the most detailed textures.

Michael Brecker, a major influence on today's young saxophonists, shows off his own influences a bit throughout this fine modern straight-ahead set. Brecker sounds surprisingly like Stanley Turrentine on parts of "Midnight Voyage," and otherwise displays his roots in Ernie Watts and John Coltrane. With the exception of Don Grolnick's "Willie T.," the music on the CD is comprised of group originals (five by the leader) and falls into the 1990s mainstream of jazz. While the tenor saxophonist has plenty of blowing space (really letting loose on the exciting closer, "Cabin Fever"), Pat Metheny is mostly pretty restrained (in a Jim Hall bag) except for his wild solo on guitar synth during "Song for Bilbao."

Wide Angles is a 70-minute suite spotlighting Michael Brecker's electrifying tenor saxophone accompanied by a 15-piece chamber jazz group. Each of the 10 compositions (all by Brecker except one cowritten with George Whitty and one by Don Grolnick) serves as an extended showcase for Brecker's tenor in its various manifestations-at times driving and fiery, at times poignant and gentle, always emotion-charged and technically prodigious.