Claus Ogerman Featuring Michael Brecker - Ogerman, Claus (CD 1991)

The German maestro Claus Ogerman is no strange to jazz and jazz musicians having worked with the greatests like Bill Evans and the rapport with Brecker on this recording is most evident. The strings and woodwinds appears very subtly on the mix leaving the saxophone a needed room to explore the beautiful and dense harmonies written by Ogerman. Michael Brecker works to his full advantage every time he emerges from the background showing why he is considered the most talented post Coltrane tenorist. I would only hoped the arrangements had that little extra spark to let Michael flying a bit higher which is his trademark. GRP production is top notch as ever. In my opinion the best tracks are 1,2 and 4 and the supporting musicians in several contexts besides the Ogerman orchestra are brother Randy Brecker,tp, Alan Pasqua,p, Vinnie Colaiuta,dr,Steve Gadd,dr, Marcus Miller,el b, Robben Ford,gt, Dean Parks,gt, Paulinho da Cost,perc, and Abraham Laboriel,b,. All the 5 tracks are on the 8 to 10 min. range giving ample opportunity to all involved show their talents but we must understand that this is not a standard recording of a jazz soloist supported by a band. It´s otherwise just great music being played by top musicians in their full potential with a background of sounds created by an artist. Such music has greater effected when listened on the still of the evening when lights are low and the day noises vanished for good.