Randy Brecker is a Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter and composer whose work has shaped jazz, R&B, and rock for over six decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn have graced recordings by James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Parliament/Funkadelic, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius, and Frank Zappa.
Born in 1945 in Philadelphia, Brecker studied at Indiana University (1963–66) under Bill Adam, David Baker, and Jerry Coker. He moved to New York and performed with Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, Duke Pearson’s Big Band, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. After a brief stint with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he joined the Horace Silver Quintet. His debut solo album Score (1968) featured his brother Michael Brecker.
In the early ’70s, Brecker played with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and co-founded the fusion group Dreams with Michael Brecker, Barry Rogers, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie. He also worked with Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House, Stevie Wonder, and Billy Cobham, and recorded with Hal Galper.
In 1975, the Brecker Brothers Band was formed, releasing six albums on Arista, including The Brecker Brothers (1975), Back to Back (1976), and Detente (1980), earning seven Grammy nominations. Their signature tune “Some Skunk Funk” became a jazz-fusion classic.
The brothers reunited in 1992 for The Return of the Brecker Brothers, followed by Out of the Loop (1994), which won two Grammys. Randy’s solo album Into the Sun (1997), inspired by Brazilian music, earned his first solo Grammy.
In 2001, Brecker released Hangin’ in the City, introducing his alter ego “Randroid.” His 2003 album 34th n’ Lex won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. He toured Europe with Soulbop and headlined Japan’s Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival with the Brecker Brothers.
In 2004, he performed with the WDR Big Band at Leverkusen Jazz Fest—his last performance with Michael Brecker. In 2005, his wife Ada Rovatti joined him on stage. Randy Brecker Live with the WDR Big Band (2007) won another Grammy. That year also saw the release of Soulbop (live 2-CD set) featuring Dave Kikoski, Victor Bailey, Steve Smith/Rodney Holmes, and Hiram Bullock.
Brecker returned to Brazilian music with Randy in Brazil (2008), recorded in São Paulo, winning a Grammy and earning acclaim from AllAboutJazz. A tribute concert in Japan was released as Tribute to the Brecker Brothers.
In 2009, he collaborated with Polish pianist Wlodek Pawlik on Jazz Suite Tykocin, honoring his heritage. The Jazz Ballad Song Book (2011) with the Danish Radio Big Band earned four Grammy nominations. In 2012, Sony Legacy released The Brecker Brothers – The Complete Arista Albums Collection.
His 2013 project Randy Brecker’s Brecker Brothers Band Reunion featured past members and a dual-disc release (studio album + live DVD), dedicated to Michael and other departed bandmates. That year, Night in Calisia with Pawlik and the Kalisz Philharmonic earned Brecker his sixth Grammy.
In 2015, RandyPOP! reimagined pop hits with Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Adam Rogers, John Patitucci, Nate Smith, and Amanda Brecker.
Recent releases include Randy Brecker with the NDR Big Band (2019), 11 Brecker compositions arranged by Jörg Achim Keller, featuring Dave Sanborn, Ada Rovatti, and Wolfgang Haffner; Together (2018) with the UMO Jazz Orchestra, composed/arranged by Mats Holmquist; Live at Sweet Basil 1988 (DVD, 2018) with Bob Berg, Dave Kikoski, Dieter Ilg, and Joey Baron; Brecker Plays Rovatti (2018), 10 Ada Rovatti compositions, featuring Randy, Ada, David Kikoski, Alex Claffy, Rodney Holmes, Adam Rogers, Jim Beard, and Café; Double Dealin’ (2020) with Eric Marienthal, George Whitty, John Patitucci, and Dave Weckl (Grammy-nominated); Brecker Brothers Band Live and Unreleased 1980, a 2-CD set (DeltaMusic/Piloo); Quint5t with Liebman, Copland, Gress, and Baron; and Live at the Amazonas Green Jazz Fest (2023) with the Manaus Big Band.
In 2020, Brecker won his seventh Grammy for his solo on “Sozinho” (Rocks with NDR Big Band) and topped the JazzTimes Readers Poll for trumpet.
As a composer, performer, and Yamaha Artist/Clinician, Randy Brecker continues to inspire musicians worldwide.