Live And Unreleased (2LP)

The return of a great band! The archival recording, 'Live and Unreleased', documents the Brecker Brothers at the peak of their powers during a European tour on a particularly happening night in Hamburg on July 2, 1980 at the legendary Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall.

One of the best-selling, most potent bands of the '70s, the Brecker Brothers defined the swaggering sound of New York funk-fusion during the decade. On the strength of such contemporary crossover recordings as their 1975 self-titled debut, 1976's Back to Back, 1977's Don't Stop the Music and 1978's Heavy Metal Be-Bop, brothers Randy and Michael Brecker set a new standard in jazz with their tight arrangements, catchy funk grooves, melodic grooves and scintillating solos.

A showcase for the brothers' legendary chops, Live and Unreleased also shines a light on Finery's scorching guitar licks, Gray's innovative Prophet V and Mini-Moog work, Jason's slap bass prowess and Morales' thunderous drumming throughout 10 exhilarating tracks. Among the highlights are a 19-minute version of "Funky Sea, Funky Dew" (from 1977's Don't Stop The Music) that features an astounding 9-minute unaccompanied solo from Michael Brecker that has him deeply into an experimental mode with electronic effects.

Personnel: Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Randy Brecker (trumpet & vocals), Mark Gray (keyboards), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (electric bass & vocals), Richie Morales (drums)