Saxophone icon Michael Brecker was born this week (March 29, to be exact) in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, in 1949. The saxophonist, who died from complications related to leukemia in 2007, would have been 70 years old today. Despite his absence, Brecker’s influence continues to shape the sound of modern jazz. His unique approach to phrasing and harmonics has become the lingua franca for saxophonists around the globe, and the impact he made during his far-too-short lifetime has extended beyond the borders of jazz into pop, funk, rock and beyond. On “Delta City Blues,” today’s Song of the Day, he demonstrates his virtuosic technique with characteristic ease and efficiency, leaping across octaves during the song’s intro before steamrolling through the song’s harmonically knotty solo section. It’s an astounding showcase by one of music’s greatest improvisers of all time.
