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Michael Brecker: The Tenor Voice That Rewrote Jazz
Born: March 29, 1949 | Died: January 13, 2007

Michael Brecker grew up in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. His dad, Bobby, played piano and brought jazz into the family home daily. Young Michael heard John Coltrane's music and fell deeply in love. He picked up the tenor saxophone and never put it down. He became one of the most recorded musicians in history, appearing on over 900 albums.

Michael arrived in New York City at age 20 with big dreams and bigger talent. He played with drummer Billy Cobham in the exciting jazz-rock group Dreams. He also performed alongside his brother Randy, pianist Horace Silver, and the brilliant Herbie Hancock. Pat Metheny and McCoy Tyner became close musical partners too. These relationships pushed Michael to constantly grow and reach higher.

Two recordings stand above the rest. His self-titled 1987 debut, Michael Brecker, sat at No. 1 on Billboard's Jazz Chart for 21 weeks. His final album, Pilgrimage, recorded in 2006 while he was gravely ill, left the jazz world speechless. Both albums prove he poured every ounce of himself into his music. He won 15 Grammy Awards over his remarkable career.

Michael passed away January 13, 2007, after battling a blood disorder called MDS. The jazz world grieved deeply and immediately. Spotify described him as "the biggest influence on other tenors since Wayne Shorter". Every saxophone student alive today studies his techniques and phrasing. Michael Brecker did not just play jazz — he forever changed it.