The UMO Jazz Orchestra in Helsinki is one of several leading big bands in Europe staffed by full time professionals. Europeans take big bands much more seriously than we do in the UK; they are much more part of the scene and many attract quite sizeable followings. This concert, recorded by Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, captured Brecker in full flight and the UMO Orchestra in inspired form. It’s an important document as Brecker was one of the finest soloists in jazz, as he demonstrates here; whether it be his own thoughtful ballad ‘Never Alone’, a grooving version of Horace Silver’s ‘Nutville’, when locking horns with local tenor star Manuel Dunkel, or his stirring playing on his own composition “Song for Barry” (the dedication to Barry Rogers, who played with Brecker in the group Dreams), Brecker was captured at the top of his game. UMO reached out to a number of excellent arrangers to provide suitable charts for this concert – Rich Shemaria was the band’s regular arranger and his work was augmented by the likes of Kenny Berger, Mike Mossman, Vince Mendoza and Jerry Ascione which are interpreted with inch perfect dynamics, intonation and articulation. But of course it is Brecker who is the star here, his playing sounding as inspired as it has ever been on record.