To Ravi Coltrane, the son of jazz legend John Coltrane, Brecker's ability to improvise effectively in a variety of styles had a lot to do with timing.
"Michael came out during a time when there were all these strands of music happening," Coltrane says. "Funk, rock and soul music — he found a way to make his sound work within all those genres."
Coltrane knew Brecker as a friend, as well as a major influence.
"I began studying the saxophone in the '80s, and there were a few modern-day saxophone players that most people focused on," Coltrane says. "For those followers of Michael, it demanded another caliber of focus and study."