German-born composer, arranger and orchestrator Claus Ogerman first came to my attention via the stunning work he did with people like George Benson, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall and Oscar Peterson. I've always been a sucker for strings and I think the man is simply awesome. At the same time, to me, Michael Brecker is simply one of the best tenor saxophonists that ever lived. When I came across this on Amazon a few years ago and saw that it not only featured both of the above named... more info
Brecker w/ strings.:
This is Brecker at his best. Ogerman's arrangements are very tonal, accessible and serve as a great context for Brecker's unusually restrained playing. The production quality is also top notch. If you're a Brecker fan, this is a "must own".
Divine Intervention:
Hearing a truly gifted musician at their pinnacle is almost a spiritual experiance. This album, and particularly the track 'In the presence and absence of each other Part 1' defines the epitomy of musical acheivment in my eyes. Brecker's reputation as the premier saxophonist of his time was forged on this album. Although I could go on for paragraphs justifying this statement, I'll let the music speak for itself. Lifting with emotion, montaged with endless creativity, and raising the bar on technique... more info
Exquisite, sublime:
The Jazziz review posted for this album must have been phoned in... From what I have read, Clause Ogerman initiated this album project as a concerto for jazz tenor sax & orchestra; capitalizing on any commercial trend had noting to do with it.
This album is SO beautiful. The writing and arranging is so great--I wish that this was what the 21st Century symphony orchestra was about. Brecker plays so passionately; I've heard a couple of other things he's done with orchestra, and this is by far the best... more info
