Espírito
Randy Brecker
Espírito is Randy Brecker’s 2026 SRG Jazz release and his first album of all‑new, original material in many years, a contemporary jazz project that celebrates the trumpeter’s six‑decade career shaping the sound of jazz, R&B, and rock. Spanning ten tracks and about 39 minutes—Ven Aquí, Pacific Blue, Sophia, Hot Sauce, Time Flies, Moonlight, Espírito, Butterscotch, In the Side Pocket, and Before We Say Goodbye—the record was composed, arranged, and produced by the Architects Of Sound, Claude Villani and Jeff Lorber, and features an all‑star studio band including Lorber on keys, Erick Walls on guitar, David Mann (sax/arrangements), drummers Gary Novak and John “JR” Robinson, bassist Cornelius Mims, percussionist Lenny Castro, and guest spots from saxophonist Mike Phillips, guitarist Mark Lettieri, and Brecker’s wife, saxophonist Ada Rovatti. The result is a sleek, groove‑driven set that blends smooth jazz, fusion, and R&B, giving Brecker a polished, radio‑ready backdrop while still leaving room for his lyrical, harmonically rich trumpet and flugelhorn lines to shine.
The album’s material moves through a range of moods while staying grounded in melody and pocket. Ven Aquí and Pacific Blue set the tone with relaxed, Latin‑tinged and coastal atmospheres; Sophia and Hot Sauce push into punchier, funk‑fusion territory, the latter spotlighting Walls’ guitar over a tight rhythm section. Time Flies and Before We Say Goodbye, both featuring Ada Rovatti (and Lettieri on the closer), lean more reflective, balancing smooth balladry with subtle harmonic twists, while the title track Espírito and tunes like Butterscotch and In the Side Pocket offer quintessential contemporary jazz: hooky themes, polished production, and space for Brecker to phrase with the conversational ease of a veteran soloist. Across the record, the Architects Of Sound treat Brecker as both legend and active collaborator, crafting arrangements that nod to his legacy with artists from Steely Dan and Jaco Pastorius to Parliament/Funkadelic while clearly positioning Espírito as a fresh chapter—an accessible, modern showcase of what his trumpet can still do inside an elegant, groove‑oriented context.
Espírito
Randy Brecker
Espírito is Randy Brecker’s 2026 SRG Jazz release and his first album of all‑new, original material in many years, a contemporary jazz project that celebrates the trumpeter’s six‑decade career shaping the sound of jazz, R&B, and rock. Spanning ten tracks and about 39 minutes—Ven Aquí, Pacific Blue, Sophia, Hot Sauce, Time Flies, Moonlight, Espírito, Butterscotch, In the Side Pocket, and Before We Say Goodbye—the record was composed, arranged, and produced by the Architects Of Sound, Claude Villani and Jeff Lorber, and features an all‑star studio band including Lorber on keys, Erick Walls on guitar, David Mann (sax/arrangements), drummers Gary Novak and John “JR” Robinson, bassist Cornelius Mims, percussionist Lenny Castro, and guest spots from saxophonist Mike Phillips, guitarist Mark Lettieri, and Brecker’s wife, saxophonist Ada Rovatti. The result is a sleek, groove‑driven set that blends smooth jazz, fusion, and R&B, giving Brecker a polished, radio‑ready backdrop while still leaving room for his lyrical, harmonically rich trumpet and flugelhorn lines to shine.
The album’s material moves through a range of moods while staying grounded in melody and pocket. Ven Aquí and Pacific Blue set the tone with relaxed, Latin‑tinged and coastal atmospheres; Sophia and Hot Sauce push into punchier, funk‑fusion territory, the latter spotlighting Walls’ guitar over a tight rhythm section. Time Flies and Before We Say Goodbye, both featuring Ada Rovatti (and Lettieri on the closer), lean more reflective, balancing smooth balladry with subtle harmonic twists, while the title track Espírito and tunes like Butterscotch and In the Side Pocket offer quintessential contemporary jazz: hooky themes, polished production, and space for Brecker to phrase with the conversational ease of a veteran soloist. Across the record, the Architects Of Sound treat Brecker as both legend and active collaborator, crafting arrangements that nod to his legacy with artists from Steely Dan and Jaco Pastorius to Parliament/Funkadelic while clearly positioning Espírito as a fresh chapter—an accessible, modern showcase of what his trumpet can still do inside an elegant, groove‑oriented context.