His father, a jazz pianist and amateur musician, introduced Michael Brecker to jazz early on. Brecker was part of a generation that saw jazz music as an option and not as an enemy. He began his studies on clarinet at age five, and then switched to alto saxophone school. Finally, he settled on the tenor. After only one year at Indiana University Michael Brecker left to move to New York City in 1970. He quickly established himself as an exciting and dynamic jazz soloist and became the most prominent pop/R artist.
