On
Out of the Loop,
Randy and
Michael Brecker stepped up to the plate with their second long-player of the '90s, 20 years after their first foray into the jazz-funk-fusion realm. The album is surprisingly strong, and any fears of a paint-by-numbers attempt to cash in on past glories are quickly dispelled with the opening "Slang," which is reminiscent of
Amandla-era
Miles. Here, as throughout the disc,
Michael's sax solo burns with abandon, while brother
Randy's trumpet glides across a tastefully smooth and melodic terrain. "African Skies" has a decidedly
Yellowjackets feel, with
Michael again turning in a remarkably energetic solo turn. The set-closing "And Then She Wept" features
Randy's attractive flügelhorn, as does the
Eliane Elias-produced "Secret Heart," where
Michael's soprano sax and EWI share the spotlight. "Scrunch" is a funky piece of programmed hip-hop over which the brothers
Brecker play a riff similar to those they and
the Average White Band delivered in the mid-'70s. Both
Randy and the late
Michael Brecker went on to make names for themselves in the jazz world after fronting their brotherly band in the '70s, earning the respect of critics and jazz fans alike. With
Out of the Loop, they made a solid musical statement in a contemporary format, one they helped create and in which they proved to be masters. ~ Jim Newsom