Vocalist Kaylé Brecher has continuously honed her skills as a creative composer and arranger. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Temple University with a double major in performance and compositions/arranging, she has always pushed for continued growth. Brecher studied composition and arranging privately with Jim McNeely and Michael Abene, a vehicle to polish her creative writing. The fruits of her fertile ideas afforded three original compositions and two of her versions of Freddie Hubbard tunes to be published by Freddie Hubbard’s publishing company Hubtones, and two of her versions of Herbie Hancock tunes also published by Hancock Music.

Bredux: Collected Edges is Brecher’s ninth album. A beautifully curated collection of eleven tunes that highlight Brecher’s arrangements, adventurism, and adaptability. Fred Neil’s “Wild Child (World of Trouble),” made famous by Tom Rush, opens the set. Brecher wrote the arrangement, which is a slow funky groove. Brecher’s singing is answered by muted trumpet by Matt Cappy, as she transforms the melody form from a folky acoustic guitar groove to a deeply funky groove. The arrangement builds through the first chorus, traversing the form with steady energy. Frank Butrey‘s guitar takes a fresh harmonic path as he proceeds to build his solo with chords and climbing single lines. His tone is bright and clothed in delay, reverb, and chorus. Brecher follows with her chorus of scatting. Her focus is playing with small motifs as she moves the idea around rhythmically and with intervals. Brecher’s arrangement blossoms like a folk dance, with added signs of fusion and jazz, but her interpretation of the melody contributes to the tune’s success.

“Spy Music” is a hip arrangement of a Sheldon Peterson tune with lyrics added by Brecher. The arrangement features a hipster groove, angular melody, and many band hits. A clear gem on the album. The manner in which Brecher phrases the melody resonates in a horn-like fashion with its legato and accented treatment. The result is a tune that is contemporary as it climbs and cadences. Furthermore, the intuitive solidarity amongst the musicians is apparent, and this ambitious musical experiment is a win.