The Brecker Brothers - Straphangin' (1981)

Even though I became a Michael Brecker fan a few years after this release (via Steps Ahead) and one of my high school band directors always talked about The Brecker Brothers, I overlooked this album in the early '80s. My mistake. This is funky good stuff that would have fit right alongside the Spyro Gyra and Tom Scott albums I was enjoying at the time. Ah, well - better late than never and all that. Stellar playing throughout - in addition to Mike and Randy, the band included Marcus Miller on bass, Manolo Badrena on percussion, and Barry Finnerty on guitar.

High Fidelity, September 1981, p. 85

The album cover photo was shot in a closed NYC subway station. More on that station and what it looked like recently: https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/old-city-hall-subway-station/

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #176
• Billboard Jazz: #28
• CashBox Jazz: #12

Tracks: Seven originals - four from Randy and three written by Michael. Things get smokin' with the funky lead title track and never let up: Threesome is a slow burning waltz, Bathsheba a high-energy Latin number (today it's my favorite track), and Why Can't I Be There is pleasant soft rock/instrumental pop. The closest we get to straight-ahead jazz is track 6, Not Ethiopia. If I'd had this album on vinyl back in '81, I'm guessing I would have played side 1 (tracks 1-3) more than side 2.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Around the time this album was released in 1981, my sister graduated from high school. Commencement ceremonies were usually held in the football stadium situated on the southeastern side of the high school campus, but a few of my sister's classmates decided to spray some graffiti on a few campus buildings - this is why we can't have nice things - so the ceremony was moved to an alternate location: the county rodeo arena. Dirt floor, no air conditioning, angry parents - you get the picture. We survived and life went on, but the song chosen by the seniors for the class song that year was Free Bird. Effin' Free Bird.

As my sister graduated, I was finishing up my freshman year of high school. My grades that semester? According to my personal archives (a.k.a. a shoebox of stuff my mother saved for me), here ya go:

• Band: 93
• Algebra: 83
• American History: 94
• Theatre Arts: 91
• English: 83
• Physical Science: 87

How in the world did I get a higher grade in history than my two electives? Sheesh. That right there is the sort of academic mediocrity that got this guy fast-tracked to a small, directional state university. But none of that school mess has much to do with this Brecker Bros. album other than coincidental timing, so never mind. As you were.