Jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker began his amazing journey to Tykocin, Poland, in 1994, when he met Wlodek Pawlik, an acclaimed Polish pianist. In 2005, Brecker’s brother, Michael, a jazz saxophonist and his longtime musical partner, was diagnosed with leukemia. Pawlik helped in the search for a stem cell donor, which took the Breckers to their family’s roots in Tykocin. Sadly, Michael Brecker succumbed to the disease early in 2007. Nostalgic Journey: Tykocin Jazz Suite (Summit) features orchestral and small combo jazz compositions by Pawlik, who performs with his trio and Randy Brecker, and with the Symphony Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic of Bialystok.
There are some beautiful compositions on this album; I especially like the straight-ahead jazz tunes where Brecker is soaring with Pawlik’s talented group behind him. — M.S.
