Patricia Brennan Septet

Having demonstrated her skills in solo and quartet settings, Mexican-American vibraphonist/marimba player Patricia Brennan ups her game further by adding a horn section and electronics to her highly rhythmic program. The voltage boost is used sparingly, mostly to extend the brassiness of Adam O’Farrill’s trumpet leads and add oscillating whizzes to the mallet instruments, However layering trumpet and saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Mark Shim reed riffs broaden the foundation of Brennan’s compositions further defined by the billowing crunch of Kim Cass’ bass, Marcus Gilmore’s drums and Mauricio Herrera’s percussion.

Unlike a standard Latin-Jazz romp, refined writing and arrangement means that, for instance, on the title tune an emotional tenor saxophone break surges into multiphonics while doubled with metal bar pops that eventually dominate the sound field on top of  unrelentless idiophone smacks. Or on “Five Suns”, O’Farrill’s mariachi-like blasts evoke similar cries from Irabagon’s alto sax, both balancing on wave form squeezes and unvarying hand percussion.

“Earendel” , the final track, wraps up the session with slackening horn bites and slurs which put finer points on the initial sympathetic electro-acoustic double bass and vibes harmonies. This too pinpoints the program’s dexterity, since, especially when she resonates woody marimba echoes, Brennan, and to a lesser extended Cass’ string solos, evoke relaxed sequences which frame in bolder relief more frenetic motifs.

Without making her nine compositions too dainty or too dissident, the expanded band helps stretch Brennan’s musical approach in a sophisticated fashion.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Los Otros Yo (The Other Selves)*  2. Breaking Stretch  3. 555*  4. Palo de Oros (Suit of Coins)  5. Sueños de Coral Azul (Blue Coral Dreams) 6. Five Suns  7. Mudanza (States of Change) 8. Manufacturers Trust Company Building  9. Earendel*

Personnel: Adam O’Farrill (trumpet and electronics); Jon Irabagon (alto and sopranino saxophones); Mark Shim (tenor saxophone); Patricia Brennan (vibraphone with electronics and marimba); Kim Cass (bass); Marcus Gilmore (drums) and Mauricio Herrera (percussion)

–for The Whole Note December 2024/January 2025