NY tone master 7, but his pieces where modded beyond recognition, so if this is in original shape in or not in this vid I don't know but most likely it's a modded link.

 

I thought it was actually a Four **** model, which had a huge chamber... It sure sounds huge with him playing it.

 

Thanks for sharing this, great song and great band. Fabulous Brecker Brothers. I had the pleasure of meeting Randy years ago at a jazz fest and he signed a Windplayer mag for me

 

Too much resistance - look at his neck. He had to find an easier-playing piece that still had depth and DG was able to help him. I kind of like the modified 'Studio' sound of the mid-period.

 

My neck looks the same and its more about playing with a "open" throath than too much resistance. That being said, MB clearly had problems with his neck.

 

Brecker is playing a Florida double ring Link in this clip, not a Four **** or a NY tone master-there are other clips showing those. You can see close up views of this piece on the Arista all stars set at Montreux

. Count the rings on the shank.
I don't know what tip opening his double ring was, it would be interesting to know, I heard it was small to medium, like a 6* I think, but I don't know if that is true. It probably doesn't matter as he would have tried dozens of Links to find that magic one for him, and us!

 

I actually, um... did not watch the video. For some reason I just thought "Oh. This must be the In Pursuit of the 27th Man record with that Four ****."
Yes, this is clearly a later Link, a STM.

 

Yeah definitely a double ring... probably with added baffle material... one thing i will say for certain is that he was definitely a handsome young man.

 

He sounds great here. But I personally would be hard-pressed to say he sounds BETTER here, that there’s a Link thing going on here, on this indifferent conversion of an old VHS tape with compressed, okay-at-best sound.

 

I've posted these in a previous thread, but I think they're quite pertinent to this discussion:

Doesn't look like a Double-Ring to me. 2nd vid, look at around the 6:20 mark. Whatever type/model/vintage Link it is, I can guaranfreakingtee you it was NOT stock!
MB always sounded great, but for my personal taste, his metal Link yrs. were the best.

 

I love Brecker's tone during the Link era. There was a grittiness and depth that I did not always get from the later set ups he used.

And from the amazing session with Mel Lewis, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Freddie Hubbard and MB

 

there's a facebook group called "in honor of michael brecker".
Run by Louis Gerrits.
He has and knows so much Brecker minutia it is nuts.
should ask him about it.

Is he on this forum?

 

That's a Master or Four Star Link in the Cobham video. I never understand why everybody thinks all his mouthpieces were "heavily modified". If you sit down and play these pieces, fit the right strength/brand reed and blow hard, they play well. Add a microphone, plus Brecker wasn't some little dude, add his personal concept and out comes his great sound.
I was fortunate to hear him live with Hal Galpers band and I had just started playing. I still like his Link years the best.
I remember seeing him years later in the kitchen at the Vanguard going through a box of La Voz reeds complaining and being frustrated that they were all too soft. As much as his playing was always incredible, after hearing him on the Link, the Guardala just wasn't the same thing.

 

I never understand why everybody thinks all his mouthpieces were "heavily modified". If you sit down and play these pieces, fit the right strength/brand reed and blow hard, they play well. Add a microphone, plus Brecker wasn't some little dude, add his personal concept and out comes his great sound.

I could not agree more ! I have played the same Link on tenor for decades in all kinds of settings.
I have a friend that has a whole bunch of Links and one of them " a Flo Link" has way too much baffle for me ...that thing plays really bright!
As for him looking like he is struggling..ha ha ha ! Does he sound like he is ? Not at that age anyhow.
I do believe he went more towards the DG pieces with age and under the weight of a heavy work schedule.

 

I also really like Brecker's sound from the 70's when he was playing Links. Could anyone please recommend some albums from this period to listen to? I like the Brecker Brother's stuff, but would really like to hear some more hard bop. I already have the Hal Galper Reach Out album. Are there any others I should check out? Didn't he spend some time with Horace Silver?

 

Look for Mel Lewis and Friends. There is a video I posted above from this session

 

All well here John, thanks. Hope all is fine with you too.

Michael B. might have used a 'Klangbogen' to get that Link brightness. :bluewink:

 

Dammit Peter.......off to Google! ;-)

*edit*.....you mean this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KlangBogen_Wien
lol.... I know what you mean! I've never seen one of those......things......before!

"smaller than normal" (?) is the way to get an edge on a Link.
Vintage Links and other vintage mouthpieces just play better in small tips.
I have a 6* New York DR that plays with edge. It's all about concept and reed choices.
Ideally, playing as soft a reed as you can play on small tip gives you the most expressive sound. Not a big tip with a soft reed.
The perfect example of that is Joe Henderson. C* and a number 2 reed.

Well Tim, I think you'd agree that the normal/average tip opening that most people seem to play is right around .105/7*. That's all I meant.
Totally agree about concept and reed choices, but I'll also throw in airstream. I've had friends play my horn in the past (with my 'piece and reed) and they got nowhere near the edge I get when I'm playing it. Yet, they sound fine on their own setups. It's all about what one gets used to.

 

Brecker whew..!!! that Link is magnificent.

 

I know that this is an old thread but I have an interesting story. I have met and played some with with Danny Hull (Doobies, Eddie Money, Journey, etc.) and he told me that Michael got that Link from him. The next time that I talk to him I'm going to ask him the particulars about it.

 

I asked Dr David Dempsey if he knew the tip opening of the renown Brecker DR Link that Brecker used in the mid to late 70s. Alas the DR Link in question was not held at the archive.
David Dempsey kindly offered this extra detail on the specifications of the Michael Brecker mouthpiece collection that is held at the William Patterson- Living Jazz Archives space-the Brecker archive.

Michael Brecker Archive: Mouthpieces

Otto Link 50s-vintage STM "double line" 5, opened up - #75 of collection D18; "Freddie Gregory 1.2.1991" on side; corner repair, opened (to 8?)

Otto Link 60s-vintage STM "no USA" 5, opened via beveled table - #74 Table beveled, re-angled in "Butt cut" to open facing (to 8?)

Otto Link 70s-vintage STM "USA" 7* - #38 "KJB 10/6/03" on side; "Tenney Hollywood Custom" on shank

Otto Link 80s-90s vintage 7 (number on shank) - #39 Chamber opened, enlarged

Dukoff (70s) H7 - 45 - #60
Guardala custom model (no markings) - performance piece - #50
Guardala Pilgrimagemouthpiece - from case, loaned [not in collection] - (no markings)

"I unfortunately don't have a mouthpiece gauge available at present, so I'm not sure of the exact tip openings, but I've played them all and everything feels like a 7* or an 8. All of the Links have been worked on, nothing original - all opened up using one method or another, and the chambers appear to have been worked on as well. Those that have spent big money on the Guardala "Brecker model" will be disappointed to see the chambers on these pieces; Mike's pieces were completely different than the retail models."

I know that this is an old thread but I have an interesting story. I have met and played some with Danny Hull (Doobies, Eddie Money, Journey, etc.) and he told me that Michael got that Link from him. The next time that I talk to him I'm going to ask him the particulars about it.

In view of GHawk's post, it would be terrific if he or anyone with a contact could follow up this matter with Danny Hull.
What tip opening was the DR Link of renown that Michael Brecker used in the mid to late seventies?

 

I think I read in one of his interviews that someone stole that Four Star from him. I guess he always had to worry about someone after his stuff thinking that was how he got that sound. I’m not now or will be anywhere near him and I’ve gotten where I don’t take my good stuff to some gigs.

 

I think I read in one of his interviews that someone stole that Four Star from him. I guess he always had to worry about someone after his stuff thinking that was how he got that sound. I'm not now or will be anywhere near him and I've gotten where I don't take my good stuff to some gigs.

Damn Tim......if I had to worry about my equipment at a gig, I wouldn't play there. Then again, there are other measures of "insurance" I carry.

 

I’m the least Brecker expert-type out there, but a sjust a casual knower of things MB I was always under the impression that he played pretty normal person mouthpieces until he messed up his throat and had to start playing (expertly crafted) pea shooting screamers.

 

 

William Paterson's Jazz Archive has several of Brecker's mouthpieces, including a few Otto Links. There's also a Dukoff H7 and a couple Guardalas. Not sure if the Links are any of the ones he was playing in the 70's, but it's interesting he still had so many after not playing them out for years.

http://livingjazzarchives.org/archives/michael-brecker-archive/michael-brecker-photo-gallery/

 

On the following link you can find all 6 mouthpieces MB appear to have played during his entire careeer. Four of them are Links.

Account Suspended

 

He played a 4**** or Master Link on Horace Silver’s Pursuit of the 27th Man (1973?), which was killing.
I never see it mentioned, nor is it shown in this “all-inclusive” photo collection... but he and Steve G. And Liebman were all into these at that time.
It is seen in the photos from that session.

 

Phil Barone could probably tell us more about those 4****s that these guys played.

 

I might be wrong, but I hear mostly Coltrane in Brecker's sound. If I had to guess, I would say that is his main influence on tone. It would make sense that he explored at length, the double ring and other older Links.

 

You're not wrong, Brecker was always open about his love of Coltrane's music and the powerful influence it had on him. From what I understand, he was also heavily influenced by funk players like Maceo Parker and rock guitarists, so those concepts found their way into his sound too. His gravitation toward Dukoffs probably had a lot to do with his developing concept.

But mainly I'm commenting to bookmark all these excellent videos. He sounds so very excellent in all of them, he'll always be a treasure of American music.