I had the brief opportunity to work with Gordie in the Brown Burch Society show band.
Gordon Brisker tenor saxophone
Born: November 6, 1937 in Cincinnati, OH
Died: September 10, 2004 in Sydney, Australia
Tenor saxophonist, arranger and bandleader
by Todd S. Jenkins
Gordon Brisker, an exceptional tenorman and bandleader who had too few chances to shine on recordings, died of pancreatic cancer on September 10, 2004, in Sydney, Australia. He was 66 years old.
Brisker studied saxophone and clarinet at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, then gigged around town for a while before attending Berklee. He spent time in the bands of reedman Al Belletto and trumpeter Bill Berry before playing in the Woody Herman Orchestra from 1960 to '63.
After leaving Herman, Brisker freelanced around New York City for a while, played with Louie Bellson, then went back to Cincinnati where he did club gigs and worked on local television shows. In the late 1970s Brisker moved to Los Angeles for more studio opportunities. In 1980 he made his groundbreaking debut album as a leader, Collective Consciousness (Sutra), which opened more doors for tours and club work. He continued to lead recordings sporadically, the last being My Son John for the Naxos label.
Between 1983 and '85 Brisker taught at Berklee and wrote charts for Herb Pomeroy's band. Afterwards he returned to Los Angeles, performing with the likes of Anita O'Day, for whom he was musical director, and Bobby Shew. Around 1995 he joined the faculty of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Australia.
The late Gordon Brisker was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a long and successful career as a jazz musician in the USA, performing with the
Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Louie Bellson, Tony Bennett and Gerry Mulligan bands, working as a resident composer for The Tonight Show Orchestra and as Musical Director for Anita O'Day.
Leaving Los Angeles to accept a position as lecturer in Jazz Studies at the University of Sydney in the Conservatorium of Music, Gordon continued his career as an internationally
respected performer, composer and clinician.
Mostly recognized for his saxophone playing, he also recorded playing piano and flute, and his arrangements feature on many recordings. He recorded with acclaimed artists such as Freddy Hubbard, Bobby Shew, Stanley Clarke, Jack DeJonette, Tim Hagens and Mark Murphy, and also released a number of his own albums, featuring his remarkable compositions. His final recording, a live CD entitled "Child's Play", was released posthumously in Sydney.
