Home » Jazz Articles » Patricia Brennan
Jazz Articles about Patricia Brennan
Stephan Crump: Slow Water
by Glenn Astarita
Bassist-composer Stephan Crump's sonic odyssey Slow Water is a profound exploration of the essence and myriad forms of water. It goes beyond merely depicting its physical flow; rather, it delves into the symbolic and existential significances that water holds. This project emerges as a creative masterwork, reflecting Crump's deep contemplation of humanity's intricate relationship with this elemental force. Inspired by a lifetime of individual experiences and societal observations, Crump crafts an album that is both thought-provoking and sonically captivating.
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson: Cloudward
by Doug Collette
The title of guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's Cloudward alludes to the sense of optimism she has stated she felt when writing the bulk of the material in fall of 2022. And while this palpable sense of faith in the future is in marked contrast to the tangible air of eerie foreboding that surfaced so often on this LP's predecessors, the presence of largely the same personnel lineup--the Amaryllis Sextet-- provides a stable link of continuity. The reappearance of prior collaborators recording ...
Continue ReadingTomas Fujiwara 7 Poets Trio: Pith
by John Sharpe
In many ways, Pith, the second offering from drummer Tomas Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio, pursues the course set by the eponymous debut (Rogue Art, 2020) with its lightly swinging lyricism, moments of reflective calm, and a restrained aesthetic which nonetheless permits adventurous forays. The unusual instrumentation, in which the leader supplements his trapset with Tomeka Reid's cello and Patricia Brennan's vibraphone, promotes a cool, airy feel, which at times recalls the chamber elegance and collective give and take of the ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson: Cloudward
by Mike Jurkovic
Guitarist, composer & raconteur Mary Halvorson could very comfortably (and rightfully) wear the sobriquet of “The Charles Mingus of Guitar" if she wanted to. But even that open-ended comparison would limit her as she outdoes herself again on Cloudward. Though it must surely be getting harder to top herself given the string of releases--the deliberately articulate schizophrenia Amaryllis and Belladonna (Nonesuch, 2022), the unbridled trio synergy Multicolored Midnight (Cunneiform, 2018), the crackling mad invention propelling 2018's Code Girl (Firehouse 12 ...
Continue ReadingJeff Lederer with Mary LaRose: Schoenberg on the Beach
by Jerome Wilson
Saxophonist Jeff Lederer has used several unexpected inspirations for musical projects over the years, such as Shaker hymns and the writings of Herman Melville. Schoenberg on the Beach may be the most audacious thing he has ever done. It blends the compositions of Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern and the sounds of Coney Island together into an intriguing song cycle performed by a team of exceptional jazz musicians. Schoenberg lived in Los Angeles in the latter part of ...
Continue ReadingTomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio: Pith
by Mark Corroto
The instructions that came with Tomas Fujiwara's 2019 release, 7 Poets Trio (RogueArt), read, “I'd like to tell you as little as possible about this music before you listen to it... and create your own scenes for which these songs can be soundtracks." The same advice is warranted for Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio follow up recording Pith. Historically, the talented composer and drummer writes music with his band mate's individual voices in mind. He does so in ensembles ...
Continue ReadingPatricia Brennan: More Touch
by Mike Jurkovic
It's uncanny how More Touch, vibraphonist Patricia Brennan's scarily good follow-up to her head-turning debut Maquishti (Valley of Search, 2021) follows one around all day. Its essence is in the air, in the room, in the conversation. It sneaks around the corner and races down the stairs, out into the street, and breaks into any and all of the machinations that drive the day. Born of its own fevered animation, the music on More Touchis brazen. Atmospheric yet ...
Continue Reading
