Recorded alive inwards New York, this explosive laid of jazz, funk, as well as stone cloth was without inquiry ahead of its time. Michael as well as Randy's purpose of electronically altered saxophone as well as trumpet sounds is amazing.
This is just an absolute JEWEL. Zappa fans volition recognize Terry Bozzio inwards add-on to the Brecker brothers themselves, as well as MAN, what a combo! Michael Brecker just shreds on every solo, as well as Randy finds nuances alongside the "electric trumpet" that receive got never been heard before or since. Some volition desire this for the novelty of the electrical tenor sax as well as trumpet, but at that topographic point are FINE examples of modern BeBop solos here, over a high-powered beat department that kicks as well as jumps all over everything the soloists lay down. This is the variety of beat department that tin sack brand ANYBODY audio good, but the Brecker brothers talent is unmatched; a combination that presents an social club of magnitude. Bass players NEED to listen Neil Jason, as well as guitar players NEED to listen Barry Finnerty on this. Blistering tight unison lines volition evidence i time once to a greater extent than why Zappa saved his nigh intricate horn passages for these guys, as well as why yous won't listen them at tempo alongside anybody else. I sincerely promise for to a greater extent than of this largely unexplored season of jazz. I haven't flora anything else that quite measures upward to this.
"Heavy Metal Be-Bop" is a province grade fusion recording. The outset melody is from the studio as well as the balance are recorded from a smoking alive set. "East River" is the studio melody as well as is vocal. The vocal has a funky bassline as well as is fun but compared to the balance of the disc it is out of place. The balance of the disc is unreal. The band consists of Neal Jason on bass, Barry Finnerty on guitar, Terry Bozzio on drums, Michael Brecker on Sax, as well as Randy Brecker on trumpet. "Inside Out" is a Randy Brecker melody as well as Randy, Michael as well as Barry all receive got about fun alongside it. The melody is basic (For the Brecker Brothers) as well as they all play over the groove laid past times Bozzio/Jason. "Some Skunk Funk" is about other Randy Brecker composition as well as a classic. This is i of the funkiest tunes that I receive got always heard as well as the brothers play about of the greatest horn lines that yous volition always hear. There are also about unison lines as well as the ability of the band is on par alongside metal. "Sponge" is about other funky slice as well as it features the explosive drumming of Bozzio. The band trades fours throughout Bozzio's rhythmic wizardry. "Funky sea, Funky Dew' is a Michael Brecker extravaganza. He takes the studio version as well as improves on it. Not alone is his playing during the vocal cracking but at that topographic point is a solo at the halt that is amazing as well as and then he is joined past times just the bass of Jason which elevates him to a degree that is beyond words. "Squids" is the closer to this laid as well as has the brothers ,once again, playing over about serious funk. This disc is i of the greatest I've always heard as well as is the greatest Horn orientated fusion disc ever. I alone want that at that topographic point were to a greater extent than than v alive songs but those v are worth whatever price. As highly recommended every bit anything tin sack be.
This is the nigh incredible music ever, no BB album has surpassed this. H5N1 alive album alongside Terry Bozzio having just joined the band subsequently leaving Frank Zappa. The version of Some Skunk Funk is worth the whole price. Phenomenal! Will larn out yous out of breath as well as panting for more. One studio rail variety of ok, an attempt at top 40, but the balance is - wow! Line upward is guitar, bass, drums as well as Breckers. Randy plays about organ as well as uses a harmonizer to add together 5ths as well as 4ths to his trumpet, thence it sounds similar to a greater extent than than just 2 horn players. Just difficult to imagine what this would receive got been similar to come across live. Too bad it wasn't a double album when it was released inwards the tardily 70's. I desire to a greater extent than of this!
While artists to a greater extent than frequently than non facial expression for an album championship that inwards about way reflects the music contained within, few receive got come upward up alongside a advert that, inwards 3 elementary words, says it all every bit much every bit today's Rediscovery: The Brecker Brothers' Heavy Metal Bebop. H5N1 positively incendiary alive recording (barring bassist Neil Jason's funkified, studio-recorded, set-opening vocal anthem, "East River"), it sports a completely revamped lineup from the group's Don't Stop the Music (Arista), released the previous year. While this album was reviewed every bit business office of Legacy Recordings' 2012 box set, The Complete Arista Albums Collection, its sheer ability as well as raw liberate energy demanded inclusion every bit a Rediscovery.
And, every bit expected, it sounds absolutely tremendous through my Tetra Speaker rig. This is an album that—featuring a meat quintet where saxophonist Michael Brecker as well as trumpeter Randy Brecker are joined, inwards add-on to Jason, past times guitarist Barry Finnerty as well as drummer Terry Bozzio, alongside additional percussion as well as overdubs added inwards post-production—rips through about of the best cloth from the group's before albums, including a lite speed version of "Some Skunk Funk" as well as slightly faster, fifty-fifty to a greater extent than nuclear-infused receive got on "Sponge," both from the group's 1975 Arista debut, The Brecker Bros.
H5N1 slight breather comes alongside Don't Stop the Music's mostly mellower "Funky Sea, Funky Dew," Michael's alone compositional contribution to the set. Still, an extended a cappella as well as heavily processed saxophone outro is both an album highlight as well as demonstration of why Michael was already i of the nigh influential saxophonists of his generation...and would continue to choke fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thence inwards the decades leading to his untimely passing inwards 2007 at the too-young historic catamenia of 57. H5N1 closing "Squids," from the same record, also feels less wholly unfettered than the album's outset 3 alive tracks, but soundless possessed to a greater extent than mental attitude as well as liberate energy per foursquare inch at a fourth dimension when fusion was, inwards general, tardily morphing its way into the easier-on- the-ears predecessor to what would ultimately choke smoothen jazz. The album's alone previously unheard alive rail is also its outset alive one: Randy's potently altered blues, "Inside Out," played alongside a greasy shuffle from Jason as well as Bozzio that, quite simply, agency it.
Throughout this 42-minute set—all but 3 of them recorded alive at My Father's Place inwards Roslyn, NY—the entire band plays every bit if its life depended on it. Michael Brecker soars, piece older blood brother Randy (similarly processing his horn alongside a harmonizer, envelope filter as well as more) matches his younger sibling's liberate energy greenback for searing note, the pair seemingly unable to play anything but the correct greenback at the correct time—except, occasionally, when they played the incorrect greenback at exactly the correct time...because alongside music this unshackled, at that topographic point are no incorrect notes, just ones that drive the player(s) inwards unexpected directions. While rarely featured, Jason as well as Bozzio hold the pulse at a fever pitch throughout, thundering where necessary—especially on the high octane "Sponge" where, alongside a novel solo section, a three-way trade-off betwixt the 2 Breckers as well as Finnerty represents the album at its nigh reckless, raw as well as relentless—but laying dorsum every bit required alongside equal aplomb.
The surprise of the laid is, however, Finnerty. Having outset heard the guitarist on a alive radio broadcast of the Crusaders, playing a solo to the championship rail of keyboardist Joe Sample's Rainbow Seeker (ABC, 1978) that remains memorable to this day, it was clear that he may receive got had large shoes to fill upward inwards replacing Larry Carlton inwards that grouping but—clearly imbued alongside similar chops as well as linguistic command—the guitarist brought an edgier New York vibe as well as completely unlike variety of lyricism to the successful Texan-centric West Coast group.
So, when lastly hearing Heavy Metal Bebop for the outset time—a lilliputian tardily to the game, a duet years subsequently it was outset released—I already knew he had all he needed to non just fit the 2 Breckers, but to genuinely upward the ante. While the Breckers receive got the lion's part of the solo space, every fourth dimension Finnerty is featured it's a revelation...and all the to a greater extent than a criminal offence that, despite remaining active inwards the ensuing years, the guitarist has never managed to garner the broader acclaim he deserves—if nada else based on his contribution to Heavy Metal Bebop but, alongside Miles Davis, Billy Cobham, Hubert Laws as well as Eliane Elias also inwards his résumé, clearly possessing fifty-fifty more.
Tracks Listing
1.East River (3:38)
2.Inside Out (9:32)
3.Some Skunk Funk (7:01 )
4.Sponge (6:24)
5.Funky Sea,Funky Dew (8:03)
6.Squids (7:57 )
Total Time 41:55
Personnel:
- Randy Brecker / electrical trumpet, keyboards
- Michael Brecker / electrical tenor sax
- Barry Finnerty / guitars, GuitarGanizer, background vocals
- Terry Bozzio / drums, background vocals
- Neil Jason / bass, Pb vocals
Additional Musicians
- Sammy Figueroa / percussion
- Rafael Cruz / percussion
- Kask Monet / handclaps, percussion, background vocals
- Jeff Schoen / background vocals
- Roy Herring / background vocals
- Paul Schaeffer / fender rhodes
- Victoria / tambourine
- Alan Schwartzberg / drums
- Bob Clearmountain & friends / handclaps
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