Michael Brecker In Hospital With Serious Illness

Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Michael Brecker, who has played on many popular smooth jazz recordings, has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, known as MDS. It’s a blood disorder that can lead to leukemia. Brecker, who is 56, is said to be seriously ill and has cancelled all of his scheduled concerts for the time being. He is now undergoing chemotherapy at the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in New York City and is scheduled to undergo a bone-marrow transplant.

Brecker has had a storied career, and has collaborated in the studio with artists such as David Benoit, George Benson, Larry Carlton, Bob James, Earl Klugh, Chuck Loeb, David Sanborn, Diana Krall and many others. Recently, Brecker performed on the album by Jason Miles' Maximum Grooves called Coast to Coast and was a special guest on an album by steel pan player Andy Narell called The Passage.

In May 2004, Michael signed with the Heads Up recording label – home to Spyro Gyra, Marion Meadows, Pieces of a Dream, Nestor Torres and others – and was due to release a new album sometime in 2006. If you would like to send Brecker a get-well message, you can e-mail info@michaelbrecker.com.

You can also send a letter to:

Michael Brecker
Room 1137
Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021

Brian Soergel [smoothjazzvibes.com]
Technorati tag: Jazz