Randy Brecker, Trumpet, 1945, Philadelphia, PA
Randy studied classical trumpet in Philadelphia before attending Indiana University to study with Dave Baker. He played in the big-band that won first prize at the collegiate jazz festival at Notre Dame. During a tour of Europe with this band he decided to leave school and remained in Europe for several months before moving to New York and joining Blood, Sweat and Tears in 1967. In 1968 he moved to Horace Silver's group and also performed in big bands led by Clark Terry, Duke Pearson, and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis. In 1970 he and his brother, Mike Brecker, formed a jazz-rock group, Dreams, with Billy Cobham. The band was not commercially successful, but the brothers were constantly in demand for studio work. From 1974 to 1979 the brothers led the Brecker Brothers Band. Thereafter, Randy and his wife, Elaine Elias, led a group of their own. He is a versatile musician who has played jazz, rock, and jazz-rock. He prefers jazz-rock because it offers him the greatest scope for inventive composition and performance.
Eddie South, Violin, 1904, Louisiana, MO
Eddie studied music extensively, including a period at Chicago Musical College. In 1924 he became the music director of Jimmy Wade's Syncopators. In 1928 he toured Europe and studied in Paris and Budapest. He returned to Chicago in 1931 and organized a band with Everett Barksdale and Milt Hinton. He returned to Paris in 1937 and made a group of historically important recordings with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. The finest playing of his career is represented on these recordings. Later he lived and worked in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. South was one of the finest classically trained violinists ever to play jazz. He had a dark tone and a powerful bowing attack with immaculate technique. Eddie South died in 1962.
