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Patrick Brennan: Tilting Curvaceous
by John Sharpe
In spite of being active on the NYC scene since the mid-'70s, alto saxophonist and composer patrick brennan (he prefers his name spelled entirely in lowercase letters) has a relatively sparse discography, to which tilting curvaceous constitutes a splendid addition. It constitutes the seventh release by his S0nic 0penings band since Introducing S0UP (Deep Dish, 1981), but the first since 2007's Muhheankuntuk (Clean Feed). Bassist Hilliard Greene has been an ever-present since 2002, though trumpeter Brian Groder, drummer Michael TA ...
read morePatrick Brennan Sonic Openings: Tilting Curvaceous
by Karl Ackermann
The quintet project Tilting Curvaceous is saxophonist/composer Patrick Brennan's sixth leader/co-leader date since the late 1990s. His duo recording Terraphonia (Creative Sources Recordings, 2019) with guitarist Abdul Moimême demonstrated a strong affinity for free improvisation within unconventional settings and uncommon concepts. Brennan is joined by trumpeter and flugelhorn player Brian Groder. The native New Yorker has been a long-time fixture on the NYC jazz scene and has devoted a significant part of his career to the frequent use of free-form ...
read morePatrick Brennan and sOnic Opening: Tilting Curvaceous
by Howard Mandel
Tilting Curvaceous is all-of-a-piece, s0nic 0penings' instigator and extraordinary alto saxophonist Patrick Brennan informs us, emerging from a single meta-groove interface," to be heard whole. That may come naturally to fans of creative improvisation since the breakthroughs of Ornette Coleman, say, and new constructions by composers including Cecil Taylor, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Henry Threadgill and Brennan himself. However, as presented in 14 distinct tracks, this album is also a suite of inter-related movements--separate, comparable, able to ...
read moreKeisuke Kishi: Elsewhere
by Dan McClenaghan
The album is titled Elsewhere. It is the work of Japanese drummer Keisuke Kishi, who is based in New York. But where is elsewhere? Is it the western shore of Oahu, an area of stark landscapes and poverty, in relative isolation from the bustling tourism of Waikiki? Or is it Bagamoyo, Tanzania? The album's cover art features a photo from Bagamoyo. Kishi has spent time in both of these locales. Or is elsewhere East Village, New York City, Kishi's home ...
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