Tod Dickow and Charged Particles with special guest Randy Brecker at Kuumbwa Jazz Center

In 2021, Bay-area based jazz trio, Charged Particles, released the CD “Live at the Baked Potato” with tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow playing the compositions of Michael Brecker. The quartet’s CD was named among the best 2021 jazz releases in JazzTimes magazine, Jazzwise Magazine, the San Jose Mercury News, Glide Magazine, Nippertown Magazine, and more publications. Bill Milkowski, author of Michael Brecker’s biography, said the record is “staggering in its authenticity.” Downbeat Magazine said that the record features “exciting, satisfying stuff”. LA Jazz Scene said Dickow captures “the magic and brilliance of Brecker and saturates the group with power and purpose”, which “all three rhythm section members bring excitement and creativity to the bandstand.” Jazz Life magazine said that Dickow is “one of the best saxophonists in the world.”...

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In 2021, Bay-area based jazz trio, Charged Particles, released the CD “Live at the Baked Potato” with tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow playing the compositions of Michael Brecker. The quartet’s CD was named among the best 2021 jazz releases in JazzTimes magazine, Jazzwise Magazine, the San Jose Mercury News, Glide Magazine, Nippertown Magazine, and more publications. Bill Milkowski, author of Michael Brecker’s biography, said the record is “staggering in its authenticity.” Downbeat Magazine said that the record features “exciting, satisfying stuff”. LA Jazz Scene said Dickow captures “the magic and brilliance of Brecker and saturates the group with power and purpose”, which “all three rhythm section members bring excitement and creativity to the bandstand.” Jazz Life magazine said that Dickow is “one of the best saxophonists in the world.”
This performance by Randy Brecker, Tod Dickow and Charged Particles will be remarkable, as it will be the first California performance by the quintet celebrating Michael Brecker the composer, Michael Brecker the saxophonist, and Michael Brecker the band leader, with a very special guest: Brecker’s brother, GRAMMY-winning jazz superstar and trumpeter Randy Brecker.
The concerts by the quintet will present performances of many widely varying compositions of Michael’s, from the many different phases of his professional life: co-leading the Brecker Brothers with Randy, co-leading Steps Ahead, leading his own quartets and quintets, and more. The band members will introduce each piece by providing a few words about what was going on in Michael’s life then, the significance of the song, the meaning of the title (often quite interesting), and the place of the song in his larger repertoire.

Listeners will walk away with a deep understanding of the man and his music and its place in the larger idiom, as well as with smiles from having heard a night of lots of musical energy, interaction, and creativity.

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