Patricia Brennan: Of the Near and Far

Not one to rest on her laurels, vibraphonist/marimbist Patricia Brennan has continued to challenge herself and her listeners with each stop in the studio. Her tireless dedication to her craft is undoubtedly one of the reasons for her meteoric rise in the creative jazz community, which could be charted particularly after 2021 when she released her propitious solo disc, Maquishti (Valley of Search) . Since then she has had barely a moment's pause, with More Touch (Pyroclastic) coming in 2022 and then 2024's widely-acclaimed Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic) lifting her to peak recognition and visibility, not to mention her peerless work along the way in support of fellow pathbreaking artists such as Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara, and Dan Weiss. So how could she continue to raise her game? By augmenting her band by adding a string section, an ambitious use of electronics, and a heady conceptual apparatus inspired by the surprising patterns found in constellations, all harnessed in support of intricate compositions as indebted to rock as they are to jazz and contemporary classical music. Thus, we have Of the Near and Far, and it represents another triumph in Brennan's impressive body of work.

One of the qualities that made Breaking Stretch so captivating was its rhythmic potency, which served to render Brennan's sometimes esoteric tendencies a bit more accessible. The same trait is often present here, notable from the opening moments of "Antlia," the album's irresistible opener, dedicated to French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille's discovery of that constellation in the eighteenth century, and which he found to have mechanical properties akin to an air pump. With drummer John Hollenbeck and bassist Kim Cass laying down a fierce Afrobeat-style groove, Brennan joins pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and guitarist Miles Okazaki in generating their own machine-like patterns, enhanced considerably by the special energy provided by the strings. Violinists Modney and Pala Garcia, violist Kyle Armbrust and cellist Michael Nicolas are employed in a variety of ways on the album; here they are used with zestful thrusts and parries, as a way to sharpen the music's rhythmic edge rather than softening it.

Other pieces reveal Brennan's rock influences, especially "Aquarius," which highlights her way with a catchy melody, and "Andromeda," which gives Okazaki in particular a chance to stretch out furiously. But just as effective, and even more captivating, are those tracks that almost defy description, combining the many facets of Brennan's muse in ever- intriguing combinations. "Citlalli" delves heavily into abstraction, with electronic artist Arktureye and the strings taking the lead in sketching a cosmic expanse that eventually takes a more definitive shape as heavily processed percussion is introduced to the mix. And "When You Stare Into the Abyss," prompted by Friedrich Nietzsche's famous rumination, begins with all the metaphysical dread one would expect, with densely-hued layers of sound that then give way to something more lyrical and hopeful, as the ensemble coalesces around another of Brennan's stirring motifs.

Through all seven of the album's bewitching tracks, one is continually struck by how Brennan has upended the typical expectations surrounding the role of the musicians in the group. While one can listen closely to each track and identify the contributions of each artist separately, or occasionally admire an inspired "solo," it is just as likely that one comes to forget the particularities of each instrument as the collective power of the music takes over. Perhaps part of the credit should go to Eli Greenhoe, who Brennan charged with conductor duties in leading the group. In any event, it is clear that in creating her distinctive brand of beyond-category music, Brennan has also crafted an ensemble beyond individual egos—and that is indeed an accomplishment, given the superb musicianship found here.

Of the Near and Far may be a more challenging and enigmatic album than its predecessors. But it may also be a more alluring one, as it is a truly immersive experience to unlock and explore its many mysteries.