Patricia Brennan Septet

Phenomenon on vibraphone leads her ensemble through richly varied compositions. 'Unusually magical' (Downbeat, *****).

Patricia Brennan was once voted best vibraphonist in jazz by experts and is also widely admired as a composer. Her septet sounds like a full orchestra, not only because of her layered music but also due to the qualities of the band members, well-known names in improvisational music. Their album Breaking Stretch was awarded album of the year in the authoritative magazine Downbeat. With this group, Brennan wants to exceed all expectations and challenges the musicians to push their boundaries.

Patricia Brennan, born in Mexico and based in Brooklyn, was previously seen on our stage in the bands of Mary Halvorson and Ben Wendel. She played piano and percussion at a young age and studied composition at an advanced level at the age of fifteen. On the album Breaking Stretch, she pays tribute to her favorite groups from her youth, from salsa groups like Fania All-Stars to rock groups with horns such as Earth Wind & Fire and Blood, Sweat & Tears.

'Even though there’s a lot going on, the music never seems busy or cluttered. Instead, the interaction somehow spotlights the individual genius of each player, a feat that makes this album feel unusually magical. *****' (Downbeat on Breaking Stretch).

Adam O’Farrill trumpet, Jon Irabagon alto sax/sopranino sax, Mark Shim tenor sax, Patricia Brennan vibraphone, Kim Cass bass, Dan Weiss drums, Mauricio Herrera percussion