Score (Randy Brecker, 1969)

Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn

Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone

Hal Galper - piano, electric piano

Larry Coryell - guitar

on tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 8:

Eddie Gomez - bass

Mickey Roker - drums

on tracks 5, 6, 8:

Jerry Dodgion - alto flute

on tracks 2, 7:

Chuck Rainey - electric bass

Bernard Purdie - drums

Who's that saxophonist again? That name kinda rings a bell. I guess his future looks pretty bright...

Yes, this is Michael Brecker's first recording, yes he was only 19, and yes he would go on to have a very dense career in both jazz and pop spheres among other places. That was still to come, though - in early 1969, Michael was a fresh face on the jazz scene, the younger brother of Randy Brecker; Randy had already established himself in the New York jazz scene for two years, having played with Horace Silver and the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis orchestra. It's important to note that although Michael plays an important sideman role, this is Randy's recording. It was Randy's initiative as a leader at play, which is why he got Michael (his brother, mind you!) in the first place.

This is a very lean debut for Randy Brecker, showcasing his unique trumpet chops, his wry yet harmonically sophisticated writing, and his growing interest in the burgeoning idea of jazz-rock fusion. The general aesthetic is honestly pretty dated (just look at the album cover), which is reflected in the writing and especially the jazz-rock numbers, but it adds a kind of charm to the album. Even the recording work by Rudy Van Gelder gives the album an irrepressibly late 60's setting, which honestly does more well than harm.

For instance, Randy's two bossa tunes, "Morning Song" and "The Marble Sea", are standouts in their simultaneously peaceful and self-effacing nature. The latter is very harmonically simple, perhaps too much so, but the bridge inspires some twists and turns in Randy's and Larry Coryell's solos; there's even a chorus of them playing collectively. That being said, "Morning Song" is probably the better of the two; it's harmonically complex, the form is interesting, but it's quite pleasing and accessible (I feel that the melody to "Marble Sea" is too busy). The two tunes also benefit from an extra touch, Randy's Thad Jones bandmate Jerry Dodgion contributing alto flute to the written ensemble passages.

Probably my favorite pure Randy track on the album is his jazz waltz "Pipe Dream", with its witty title, shifting harmonies, Larry Coryell's guitar, and just its overall relaxed mood. Coryell, Eddie Gomez and Randy all contribute solos, and Mickey Roker adds some exquisite drumming to the mix. Not to mention, the album's overwhelmingly dated quality evades this track, which in terms of language implied by the title, is also the most transcendent on the album. Compared to most of the other tracks, it does way more that it needs to; it's most definitely the best glimpse of how Randy's writing would develop, as well as how his playing already had up to that point.

As for the tracks featuring Michael, where better to start than the anomaly on the album, the kooky minute-nineteen duet between brothers "The Weasel Goes Out To Lunch". It's a playful romp based on "Pop Goes the Weasel", but as the title infers, Randy and Michael take it way out in a way that frankly makes it quite adorable. It serves to reflect the days when they were kids, each playing their instrument (Randy on trumpet, Michael on clarinet) in their separate bedrooms through a connecting Jack-and-Jill bathroom. It also serves to showcase their remarkable chemistry together, which would be further showcased in the rock band Dreams, as well as their own well-renowned Brecker Brothers band. Definitely the most unique and fun track on the album.

Next is Hal Galper's "The Name Game", which features several distinct sections that still blend together to create a nice overall arc. Both Breckers and Galper himself navigate these turns very well, but admittedly it is Michael's solo that stands out, if anything else for how unusually patient its pace is. It definitely showcases a strong maturity for nineteen years old, no less for his first big recording date. It's also very beautifully melodic, even when utilizing Coltrane-inspired patterns, something Michael would eventually become consumed by. There's something very honest and human about this embryonic version of the mature Michael Brecker style.

Even the "embryonic" Michael has a mature, thoughtful side, which aside from "Name Game" is also featured on Randy's "Bangalore". The melody is fairly short with some meter changes, and the harmony is very complex; while very derivative (borderline plagiarism) of tunes from Herbie Hancock or Wayne Shorter, Randy proves himself capable of maintaining interest while snaking through the tricky form. Then when Michael solos, he dances delicately through the changes as if he'd been playing them his whole life. It's also a rare treat to hear Michael as recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, as his saxophone sound is given much more warmth here, which especially shows on this track.

Hal Galper's "The Vamp" changes gears into rock territory. This is one of my favorite standalone tracks for its purely likeable demeanor, helped by the static harmony and boosted by the contribution of legendary drummer Bernard Purdie. As the title implies, the basic harmony never changes, giving the soloists ample opportunity to stretch out. Randy does. By God, does he stretch out! This is definitely proof positive of why Randy's one of my favorite trumpet players: his burnished sound, warm demeanor, and his chromatic tricks are all on full display here. 

As for Michael, he delivers as well, contributing pure, raw energy in his solo. He starts out with a screaming R&B-styled romp while inserting some frantic late-Coltrane honking and screeching to balance it out. As Michael's solo draws to a close, Randy joins in to create one of the best moments on the album: two brothers, screeching together, just going for it. It is this moment that proves both brothers are truly equals.

Randy (left) and Michael, circa early 1970's.

Now, my problems with the album. Not many of the compositions themselves are that great, and are more springboards for playing within a certain idiom. They usually work to this extent, housing complexity and some excellent solos, but not much else. Much of the album is also very derivative; Randy's "Bangalore" has a nearly identical rhythmic/harmonic pattern as Herbie Hancock's "Riot" from Speak Like a Child. In fact, much of the bossa material gives off a similar relaxed vibe to that album, which is in part due to drummer Mickey Roker and especially alto flautist Jerry Dodgion having appeared on it a year earlier. This doesn't mean Randy or Hal Galper are bad composers at this point - on the contrary, "Pipe Dream" and "Score" are really solid pieces that should be played more. And none of the other pieces are bad or unlistenable per se, they're just a little too derivative.

Another problem the album has, albeit more forgivable, is that it doesn't really blend jazz and rock; it just has them co-existing together, which isn't necessarily the same as fusion. In general, the album sounds like a movie soundtrack from the time period, due especially to the severe contrast between the jazz and rock tunes. As for the rock numbers themselves, the title track has a good place on the album, but having "The Vamp" in the middle of an entire side of more low-key sounds is pretty jarring. ("The Vamp" isn't even that great a tune anyway, and its title seems to be self-aware of that.) Even Galper's "Name Game", an amalgamation of jazz grooves, only goes so far as including a bossa nova section as opposed to a more obvious rock backbeat. The gap is also apparent by usage of two opposed, separate rhythm sections for the jazz and rock numbers; ironically, bassist Eddie Gomez, while on the jazz numbers here, would eventually go on with Michael to play in the acclaimed fusion group Steps Ahead.

That being said, major props must be given to the album's stalwart, guitarist Larry Coryell, who threads jazz changes just as well as shredding out rock rhythms. He was undoubtedly on the same page as Randy in terms of mixing jazz with rock, something Coryell had done with Gary Burton's group much more successfully. The two separate rhythm sections also do their jobs beautifully. Eddie Gomez provides some signature acrobatic bass antics, and his tandem with the texturally sound Mickey Roker provides some of the most beautiful backdrops on the album. Then of course, there's Bernard Purdie with rock-solid bassist Chuck Rainey: what else can be said?

The general mediocrity in the writing is more than made up for with the slam-bang title track. A catchy Hal Galper melody, some cool harmonic turns, both Brecker brothers soloing, Larry Coryell's rock stylings, Bernard Purdie's driving rhythm - this couldn't fail, even if it tried. Alongside "Pipe Dream", it's my favorite composition on the album, and the way it plays out is just as good. Michael stretches out for an insane two choruses (listen for possibly the highest note he ever hit!), Randy enters and matches the intensity, and Coryell relishes in rockish passion; all the while, Purdie's drum groove propels and tosses the metaphorical salad throughout the whole track. In contrast to "The Vamp", the composition itself is at the same level as the playing at hand, making "Score" a more successful foray into rock. (I like the groove and the playing on "The Vamp", but "Score" is overall just more solid.)

On the whole, Score is nothing too impressive, but it showcases a very unique talent in Randy Brecker. His compositions are solid, but it's his and everyone else's playing that really sells the album; the tunes mostly work as different idiomatic contexts in which to feature the musicians, and it's pulled off beautifully. Often, the tunes themselves are elevated by the players performing them, but "Pipe Dream" and the Hal Galper title track are underrated classics. "The Weasel Goes Out to Lunch" is also a unique piece of recording history, and is the most unique and probably notable track as well. Of course, Michael Brecker proves to be a solid front-line partner, even at nineteen, cementing the brothers' chemistry that would be continued into Dreams and the Brecker Brothers. To me, this might be one of Michael's finest recordings just for the elements of rawness and imperfection; any slight blemish when he solos here serve to add humanity to an already quite developed sound.

That being said, like any of Michael's sideman recordings, he seems to threaten to take over the album, but Score still acts as a fine recording with Randy as the mastermind. This is clearly his brainchild, and despite the mostly mediocre writing, the musicians he assembles are all top-notch. He and Michael would both go on to greater things, but this isn't a bad starting point in the least. I'd recommend it mostly as an advanced "vibes" or "aesthetic" album to listen to as if you owned a bachelor pad. 6/10.

Tracklist:

1. Bangalore

2. Score

3. The Name Game

4. The Weasel Goes Out to Lunch

5. Morning Song

6. Pipe Dream

7. The Vamp

8. The Marble Sea

Further reading:

Ode to a Tenor Titan: The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker by Bill Milkowski - there's a good enough section on Score that chronicles Michael's first big recording session, but like much of the book, it's a lot of "wow, look at what he does here! Look how cool his solo here is!"

That being said, the book itself is pretty good overall, and I'll have to write a review on it sometime.

Timelines (SHIFT, 2022)

SHIFT is:

Benjamin Rosfeld, modular synthesizer, vocals

Benji Skaloot - electric bass

Matt Robertson - drums

(I'm late to the game, as this album has been out for well over a month, but I think it's more about saying how relevant this still is. Enjoy.)

This is a first for me - first electronic/rock album I've reviewed, not to mention first review of an album made by my friends. I've had the pleasure of getting to see the development of this album, from the first single to the mature perspective that permeates the project. I've also had the privilege of getting first-hand accounts of the project's creation from the band's drummer, my close friend Matt Robertson.

First, some history of the band - Matt and Benji have been friends for a long time, and I've heard many a document of their jams together from high school. When Benji went to college, he met Benjamin Rosfeld, and the two bonded over their shared love of prog rock and electronic music, among other things (they, along with Matt, share a similar sense of humor). Then, when the two Bens traveled to Springfield, Missouri (where Matt and I live), Ben Rosfeld met Matt and the three realized their potential chemistry together.

Their first released single as a band, "Assemble", is what I think of when I think of SHIFT. A driving rock beat, a minimalist-esque bassline, and some wonderfully unhinged vocals and synthesizer. The lyrics are also delightfully brainy, portraying a robot with a human brain. It's probably not a fair comparison, but it brings to mind the more looney acts of the 1980's, like Talking Heads and Cars (when my dad first heard this song, he thought Ben Rosfeld sounded exactly like Gary Numan). While this is a great introduction to the band and all of its members, the primary highlight is the brain of Benjamin Rosfeld.

This is probably a good time to talk about Rosfeld; as the frontman of the trio, he possesses a very strong presence. For one, his voice instantly catches the listener's attention, similar to someone like Gary Numan, but also more a natural extension of his speaking voice. In "Assemble", Rosfeld goes from straight lyrics to the chant "Assemble!" to a wild chorus of screaming, serving to highlight his wide vocal range. Just as notable as his vocal skill, if not more so, are his stylings on synthesizer: he has perfect control over every timbre he decides to use. While not as prevalent on "Assemble", Rosfeld perfectly utilizes his synth to fit every context on the album. (Incidentally, his father Ken Rosfeld's studio was where the band recorded this album.)

I got to witness the evolution of "Assemble"; like many of the band's songs, it is built on a bass riff created by Benji Skaloot, something he has become a master of. Some more personal history: Benji was a major reason I decided to pursue music. He gave me my first experience of being in a band, and in the year he graduated high school, he exposed me to all kinds of different music, from the iconoclasts Frank Zappa and Jaco Pastorius, to more modern sounds from Thundercat and Snarky Puppy, to even the free jazz great Albert Ayler. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much Benji is influenced by King Crimson, something that has carried over into SHIFT through every member. That being said, he's always been someone who dares to be original; his ideas and personality are special, and I consider it a privilege to know him.

Another very signature Benji Skaloot bass vamp is the basis of the band's next single, "Cold Summer Haze"; the fact that this coexists with "Assemble" proves the band's diverse and uncategorizable nature. This vamp is much more melodious, soaked in envelope reverb and backed by a much more relaxed hip-hop groove. It also serves as a harmonic cushion for some minimal synth noodling and introspective crooning from Rosfeld (both Bens contributed to the lyrics). The oxymoron in the title further adds to the bright yet foggy atmosphere this track creates, as well as the feeling during summer of time seeming to disintegrate.

Last, but certainly not least, is the drummer Matt Robertson, who has given me much firsthand account of the band's sessions. As the last piece of the SHIFT puzzle, he knows exactly where to fit, providing grooves and textures that drive the band, but don't overpower. While Rosfeld came from electronic music and Benji's background was more classic rock, Matt's primary influence is jazz - this doesn't even begin to describe his musical vision, however. Besides classic Coltrane, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy and Herbie Hancock, he's also into J Dilla, Kendrick Lamar, Death Grips, black midi, and Thundercat just to name a few. (Incidentally, the Bens share a love for these artists as well.) Besides learning from him musically, we've also been close friends for about 3 years at this point, and we've talked to each other about almost everything under the sun since then.

Matt also doesn't shy away from dealing with personal/emotional issues such as burnout, which inspired the writing of the band's final released single "A Decade Feels Different Every Time". The melody is very much something Matt would write, inspired by the ancient quality of the perfect fourth interval, and the lyrics show a maturity and perspective far outside merely being a jazz drummer. The song addresses finding solace in technology, which in reality is nothing but overstimulation and burnout in the long run; it ties in perfectly with the band's sound and themes. Only adding to the feast is Rosfeld's idiosyncratic vocal delivery (especially during the second theme), and his icy synth gives the melody an air of resemblance to Eurythmics. I also really enjoy the bass solo over the vamp during the bridge.

Now, for a review of the album itself: as the title suggests, it represents different stages in all of time. The opener, aptly titled "Origin", represents the beginning of the universe itself, and masterfully depicts it through entropy-fueled shifts (pun not intended) between odd meters. After a slow, cathedral-esque forming of molecules in 11/8 and a more moshy 5/8 chorus, the two sonorities mesh before giving way to an entire new section: skitterish and frenzied bass fills in 7/8. It is this new section that opens the floodgates for a wild and woolly drum solo from Matt, until a light beacon from the synth cues the formation of land underneath Rosfeld's soaring cries. The whole thing is capped off perfectly when the motive from the beginning appears at a much faster tempo, before disintegrating into the still-intact 5/8 mosh theme. The final bass note almost seems to chime as the album cuts directly to the next song, "A Decade Feels Different Every Time". This seems to take the focus from the universe down to humanity, especially our constant need for distraction and "peace of mind" instead giving us information overload.

The next track, "7001", is most definitely my favorite. The bassline is simple yet elegant, the groove is deep, and the vocal line soars as if it were the Angel of Death. In fact, the song may as well be called "I'll see you on the other side of life", considering the drama and memorability of that line, repeated throughout the song. The chorus is a splendid offset, allowing itself to build up and dementedly decay before returning to the verse. Rosfeld also adds some disintegrating computer noises to close the second chorus, a perfect transition to the bridge, during which the floor opens up in terms of rhythm. The bass sound on the bridge is beautifully mastered, and it suits the mood set by Rosfeld's dramatic spoken-word interlude (probably my favorite lyrics too):

Nothing can escape the laws of the universe.

Just as the fruit fly lives and dies

and decays within two months,

so must all things end.

Every particle decays,

every molecule and every galaxy

eventually sucked into the abyss.

All things decay and all things end.

I'll see you on the other side of life.

After the return of the verse and chorus, the end of humanity seems to be signaled by the direct cut into "Cold Summer Haze". Its spot on the album conjures up ironically peaceful images of the last humans to exist, waking up to see the sun rise over a completely motionless lake. (I'm positive I'm taking artistic liberties here.) The next song, "Assemble", most definitely represents this "other side of life", with its robotic bassline and post-apocalyptic setting.

The closer, the eleven-minute epic "In Fields", starts in a melancholy fashion with a synth drone, some wonderfully spare Skaloot bass noodling, and Rosfeld's vocals at their most haunting and seemingly wordless. This introduction is one of my absolute favorite bits of music on the album. Its starkly meditative contrast from much of the album intrigues me enough to want to see where they take it next. When the drums kick in, the narrator mourns the loss of his home, and the musical aura seems to capture the end of time itself. The rock/sea shanty beat here works to update the typical doo-wop/rock ballad groove, as well as adapt it to more serious and mournful subject matter. While the song on its own is great, Rosfeld attempts to draw the album's continuity to a close in a later verse, quoting lines from three of the previous songs, which honestly works. As great as the synthesizer work on the album is, the switch to piano during the final minutes of the album is also a sigh of relief.

I like how this song mirrors the opening "Origins" in its strong contrast of different sections, bookending the album, yet doesn't copy it. As nuanced as both songs are, the length of this track gives it not only more space to breathe, but a more melancholy/contemplative nature; it also serves to parallel "Origins" by instead representing the slow disintegration of life as we know it. The latter especially is emphasized by the appearance of a speech by Dune author Frank Herbert, stressing the importance of sustaining the planet. This move proves just how much SHIFT owes to science fiction in its storytelling and predictions of how life's grim realities will progress in the near future. 

What makes these pieces interesting are the different takes on the verse-chorus-bridge pop/rock formula; the most simplistic in this regard is "Cold Summer Haze", which lacks a bridge, whereas the most expansive are "7001", "Origins", and "In Fields". Furthermore, the pieces benefit from the band's shared knowledge of sound and texture, from each electronic sound to something as subtle as a tiny cymbal reverberating in the beginning of "In Fields". It's not overbearing, either; as artists, they know when to dial it down so that the louder sections work more effectively. What ties everything together is just how beautifully the individual pieces cohere into a large, overarching statement.

I say this not just as a friend of the band, but an admirer of their music: it's promising that they're still quite young and manage to create something with so much depth and maturity. If they make something like this now, imagine what they'll be doing five or ten years from now. No pressure though. Overall, a striking debut from the band. 10/10.

Tracklist:

1. Origins

2. A Decade Feels Different Every Time

3. 7001

4. Cold Summer Haze

5. Assemble

6. In Fields

Further listening:

SHIFT's YouTube channel - the album in its entirety plus a live version of "Assemble". Go to listen to the album; my frenetic chicken scratch descriptions don't do it justice.