2009 · Album
Tring-A-Ling
Recorded 1977 · Choice (original); Candid (2009 CD reissue) · Produced by Unknown
Tring-A-Ling: Brackeen's Trio in Motion
Joanne Brackeen leads a loose, swinging session with Michael Brecker's tenor front and center.
The session that produced Tring-a-Ling was organized around Joanne Brackeen, who led it and wrote much of the material. The lineup brought together a rhythm section of Cecil McBee and Clint Houston on bass and Billy Hart on drums, with Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone adding the horn voice. Brecker was still early in the career that would make him one of the most recognized saxophonists of his generation, and his presence gives the record a notable edge.
The music is straightforward post-bop with a lot of energy. Brackeen's piano comps with a sharp, percussive attack, and the rhythm section pushes hard without getting cluttered. Brecker plays with the fluent, muscular phrasing that already marked him as a step ahead of most of his peers, and the interplay between his tenor and Brackeen's keyboard work is the main reason to hear the album.
In terms of placement, this is not the first place most listeners should start with Brackeen or Brecker. It is a solid, enjoyable record for listeners who want to hear both players in a lively small-group setting. DownBeat gave it four stars, and the reviewer called Brackeen "one helluva pianist, composer and leader," which is a fair summary of what the record shows.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Michael Brecker
All 29 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
