Jazz trumpeter and composer Randy Brecker has shaped the sound of jazz, R&B and rock for more than four decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa. His 19 GRAMMY® nominations and seven awards are testament to his talent.
Born in 1945 in Philadelphia, Randy’s musical talent was nurtured from an early age. He attended Indiana University from 1963-66 and later moved to New York where he landed gigs with such prominent bands as Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, the Duke Pearson Big Band and the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. After performing and touring with Horace Silver, Randy and his brother, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, formed their own group that had immeasurable impact and influence, they released six albums and garnered seven GRAMMY® nominations between 1975 and 1981. Their eponymous first record, which Randy wrote, arranged, and produced, featured his now classic composition Some Skunk Funk. Randy would go on to release numerous acclaimed albums as a leader, and his recent co-led recording with Eric Marienthal, Double Dealin’, which earned them a GRAMMY Award in 2020. He also co-leads the Brecker Brothers Reunion Band with his wife, saxophonist Ada Rovatti, another all-star on The Jazz Cruise.
Without apology, we hold Randy in the highest possible regard as a musician and a person. He’s been a vital part of The Jazz Cruise since the beginning.