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Avg: 4.5 (68 ratings)
- Date Released: May 22, 2007
- Genre: Jazz
- Style: Jazz/Blues
- Label: Heads Up / Telarc
Session great calls in some favors for his final album.
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We Say...
Although he was the most in-demand of studio session men, one gets the sense that on Pilgrimage the only clock Michael Brecker was watching was his own: it was the last album he made prior to his untimely death from a rare form of cancer in January 2007. Brecker knew the seriousness of his condition and wanted to record a legitimate jazz album as his farewell. Still in possession of his full technical prowess, Brecker enlisted an all-star rhythm section consisting of Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau alternating on piano, Pat Metheny on guitar, bassist John Patitucci, and Jack DeJohnette on drums, and got down to business.
The result is a no-nonsense album that illustrates Brecker’s total mastery of the saxophone. His steely tenor effortlessly navigates the twists and turns of both "The Mean Time" and "Anagra" with DeJohnette nipping at his heels. Patitucci is a forceful presence throughout, allowing both Hancock and Mehldau the freedom to comment in spontaneous ways. Pat Metheny interjects a bluesier, down-home quality to the solos, and his entrances often jump-start new strains of logic. The album balances between uptempo smokers, the yearning title piece, and the lovely theme "Half Moon Lane." Pilgrimage is a worthy final addition to Michael Brecker’s legacy. -
They Say...
Given the heartbreaking context in which this album was released -- this was the final recording by saxophonist Michael Brecker, who died of myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia only a few months before its release -- there might be a certain temptation to cut it some slack for sentimental reasons. However, leniency is hardly needed. Leading a group comprised of jaw-dropping talents (pianists Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, guitarist Pat Metheny, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Jack DeJohnette) and playing for the first time a program consisting entirely of original compositions, Brecker delivers an emotionally rich and startlingly powerful album of straight-ahead modern jazz that will stand as his musical epitaph and will effectively confound anyone who has ever been tempted to dismiss him as a mere jazz-pop fusioneer. It will also frustrate anyone looking for maudlin emotion or even any obvious product of existential angst; the only concession to sentiment here is on the title of a ballad, "When Can I Kiss You Again?," a quote from Brecker's teenage son during a period in his treatment when his family was not allowed to touch him. But even that track, with its unusual chord progression and sometimes rather arid solos, retains a core of tough-mindedness within the tenderness. Most of the rest of the program consists of uptempo and medium-tempo burners that swing with a powerful sense of urgency and life, and precious little foreshadowing of the tragedy that all involved knew was soon to come. This is a brilliant and inspiring album -- and would be whether or not it had anything to do with the death of one of the great figures in American jazz. This CD was nominated in 2007 for a Grammy award as Best Jazz Instrumental Album (Individual or Group), and Brecker's improvisation on "Anagram" was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.
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| 01. |  |
The Mean Time |
6:56 |
|
| 02. | |
Five Months from Midnight |
7:41 |
|
| 03. | |
Anagram |
10:11 |
|
| 04. | |
Tumbleweed |
9:39 |
|
| 05. | |
When Can I Kiss You Again? |
9:45 |
|
| 06. | |
Cardinal Rule |
7:33 |
|
| 07. | |
Half Moon Lane |
7:18 |
|
| 08. | |
Loose Threads |
8:36 |
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| 09. | |
Pilgrimage |
10:02 |
|
09 Total Tracks, 77:41 Total Length
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Credits
- Michael Brecker - Arranger // Michael Brecker - Arranger // Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor) // Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor) // Michael Brecker - Producer // Michael Brecker - Producer // Michael Brecker - EWI // Michael Brecker - EWI // Jack DeJohnette - Drums // Jack DeJohnette - Drums // Gil Goldstein - Arranger // Gil Goldstein - Producer // Herbie Hancock - Piano // Herbie Hancock - Piano // Pat Metheny - Guitar // Pat Metheny - Guitar // Pat Metheny - Producer // Pat Metheny - Producer // John Patitucci - Bass // Michael Bishop - Mastering // Joe Ferla - Engineer // Joe Ferla - Mixing // Dave Love - Associate Producer // Brad Mehldau - Piano // Brad Mehldau - Piano // Wolfgang Müller - Associate Producer // Kevin Porter - Assistant Engineer // Steve Rodby - Producer // Mark Wilder - Mastering // David Oakes - Technical Assistance // Gary Gold - Tracking // Darryl Pitt - Executive Producer // Darryl Pitt - Photography // Carolyn Chrzan - Guitar Technician // Brian Pugh - Assistant Engineer // Hyomin Kang - Assistant Engineer // Susan Brecker - Art Direction // Philip Calabresi - Tuning // Ismael Cunha - Tuning // Chris Hinderaker - Production Coordination // Indhira Rojas - Graphic Design // Indhira Rojas - Art Direction // Indhira Rojas - Cover Art
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