THE MICHAEL BRECKER
QUINDECTET LEGACY PROJECT
(working title)
Continuing Michael Brecker’s groundbreaking chamber-jazz orchestra vision from Wide Angles, developed in conversation with Susan Brecker and Darryl Pitt, led by Meg Okura.
The idea of string quartet and woodwinds was different… It gave me a wide palette with which to play over. It was not big band sounding.
— Michael Brecker, interview with Ted Panken (2003)
OCTOBER 6, 2026
BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
7:00 PM
1st Set
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9:30 PM
2nd Set
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The Tenor Chair & Ensemble
Michael Brecker is widely regarded as one of the most influential tenor saxophonists in modern jazz. While no one can replace him, generations of players have studied his work deeply.
In this project, the tenor chair is approached with care for each performance, inviting leading saxophonists to engage with the music while honoring Brecker’s voice. Each artist brings their own perspective while remaining connected to the spirit of the original ensemble.
The ensemble will consist largely of musicians from the original Wide Angles Quindectet touring band, joined by a small number of additional artists as needed.
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The Original Quindectet
In 2003, Michael Brecker formed the Quindectet, a fifteen-piece ensemble created to record the music for his landmark album Wide Angles. The album was released September 9, 2003 on Verve Records under the name Michael Brecker Quindectet.
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Wide Angles received the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
The group brought together an extraordinary assembly of musicians, including Antonio Sánchez, John Patitucci, Daniel Sadownick, Adam Rogers, Steve Wilson, Charles Pillow, Iain Dixon, Alex Sipiagin, Robin Eubanks, Peter Gordon, Mark Feldman, Joyce Hamman, Lois Martin, and Erik Friedlander, among others.
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The Quindectet performed internationally, including a tour of Japan with engagements at Blue Note Tokyo. These performances were documented and later released as Michael Brecker Quindectet – Angel of Repose / Live in Japan (Jazz Door, 2011), conducted by Gil Goldstein, recorded at Blue Note Tokyo.
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For the touring performances, several musicians joined the ensemble in place of members from the original recording session. The touring ensemble featured Bob Sheppard, Roger Rosenberg, Dan Willis, Boris Kozlov, Dave Eggar, and Meg Okura.
Repertoire
At the center of the Quindectet was Michael Brecker’s vision as a composer and bandleader. Brecker conceived the ensemble as a vehicle for his compositions. Brecker wrote the music and shaped the overall musical framework of the project, while Gil Goldstein developed the detailed orchestration that brought the ensemble’s distinctive sound to life.
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Music from Wide Angles (2003):
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Broadband
Cool Day in Hell
Angle of Repose
Timbuktu
Night Jessamine
Scylla
Brexterity
Evening Faces
Modus Operandy
Never Alone
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Selections from Angel of Repose / Live in Japan (Jazz Door, 2011), recorded at Blue Note Tokyo.
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Syzygy
Broadband (live version)
Scylla (live version)
Timbuktu (live version)
Itsbynne Reel
Angle of Repose (live version)
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In addition to the works recorded on Wide Angles, several additional Michael Brecker compositions exist in Quindectet orchestration, with arrangements completed by Gil Goldstein. These works expand the ensemble’s repertoire beyond the original album.
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Delta City Blues
Slings and Arrows
Arc of the Pendulum
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Future performances will continue to present Brecker’s music in the Quindectet format. Selected compositions from Brecker’s catalog may also be arranged for the ensemble, allowing the repertoire to grow thoughtfully while remaining rooted in Brecker’s original vision for the group.
BLUE NOTE TOKYO
February 12, 2004 (2nd Set)
Hollywood Bowl — August 25, 2004
Meg Okura with Michael Brecker following the performance.
Composer and violinist Meg Okura joined the touring Michael Brecker Quindectet following the release of Wide Angles. She was a featured soloist on the composition “Timbuktu,” documented in the Blue Note Tokyo live recording.
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Experiencing the Quindectet music left a lasting imprint. In the years since, Okura has developed a compositional voice similarly drawn to expanded instrumental palettes.
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Her most recent album ISAIAH (Adhyâropa Records, released February 20, 2026) with her Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble, includes her arrangement of Michael Brecker’s composition “African Skies,” featuring Randy Brecker. The album has received positive coverage in publications including DownBeat, JazzTimes, and Cultural Attaché.
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Her work as a composer has been recognized with numerous commissions and awards, including the ISJAC Fundamental Freedoms Commissioning Prize and the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra George Duke Commission Prize, for which she composed a work for the orchestra’s 68-piece ensemble.
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Having performed the Quindectet repertoire from within the ensemble and continued to explore similar musical territory in her own work, Okura now leads an effort to revive and reintroduce Brecker’s Quindectet music for contemporary audiences.
Artistic Direction
Why Now?
With the 20th anniversary of Michael Brecker’s passing approaching in 2027, this is a meaningful moment to revisit the music of the Wide Angles Quindectet and bring it back to the stage.
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A core group of musicians from the original touring ensemble have already expressed their commitment to participate, creating a rare opportunity to present this remarkable body of work again in a live setting.
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The project is now inviting collaborations with festivals, concert presenters, and select venues interested in bringing this music back to the stage.
Contact
Meg Okura
General Inquiries
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Media / PR Contact
Matt Merewitz
Fully Altered Media
matt@fullyaltered.com