RECENT REVIEWS
THE INTELLIGENCER
June 4th, 2024
Twin brothers Craig Brenan (trombone) and Jim Brenan (tenor & soprano saxophones) have been making music together since they were children, having performed with icons like Maynard Ferguson, Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer and Kenny Wheeler.
Valley of Silence is a collection of original compositions and arrangements, reflecting upon the music that made an impression on them in their youth. The album opens with an intriguing arrangement of the Beatles’ Blackbird, and includes arrangements of McCoy Tyner’s Fly With the Wind, Woody Shaw’s Theme for Maxine and Joe Henderson’s Serenity. The title track is an original composition by Jim Brenan, inspired by late 70s groove jazz.
David Reed
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
May 2024
Valley of Silence is a contemporary jazz album of arrangements and original compositions by The Brenan Brothers (Craig Brenan on trombone and Jim Brenan on tenor and soprano saxophones), with contributions from David Lavoie on trumpet, Sean Craig on alto and baritone saxophones, Earl MacDonald on piano, Rubim De Toledo on bass, and Dave Laing on drums. In keeping with the album's title, the pieces promote reflection and meditative thought. Valley of Silence is a choice pick for connoisseurs of soulful jazz and public library music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are Blackbird, Rosewood, Tri Seamair, Serenity, Theme for Maxine, Valley of Silence, Fly With the Wind, and 49th Parallel.
JAZZ BUZZ
April 27th, 2024
Η πιο έντονη μουσική ανάμνηση που έχουν τα δίδυμα αδέλφια Craig και Jim Brenan είναι η πρώτη συναυλία που παρακολούθησαν όταν ήταν δέκα ετών στο Edmonton του Καναδά το 1979. Όταν ένα καλοκαιρινό βράδυ τους είχε πάει ο πατέρας τους για να ακούσουν από το κουιντέτο του Woody Shaw τα όργανα που ήθελαν να μάθουν. Αν και κανένας από τους δύο δεν έμαθε τρομπέτα (ο πρώτος είναι τρομπονίστας και ο δεύτερος σαξοφωνίστας) εκείνο που τους έμεινε αξέχαστο ήταν η φοβερή δύναμη με την οποία έπαιζε ο Shaw και η απίστευτη ενέργεια του γκρουπ του. Αυτή την ενέργεια και τον ήχο, μιας εποχής της τζαζ που συχνά την παραβλέπουμε, προσπαθούν να αποδώσουν τα δυο αδέλφια στο καινούριο τους κοινό άλμπουμ “Valley of silence” (Death defying records).
Έτσι, τα μισά από τα οκτώ κομμάτια που επέλεξαν προέρχονται από εκείνη την περίοδο: το “Rosewood” και το “Theme for Maxine” του Woody Shaw, το “49th Parallel” μια σύνθεση του Neil Swainson που έπαιζε με τον τρομπετίστα και το “Fly with the wind” του McCoy Tyner. Το σετ συμπληρώνεται με δυο παλιότερα κομμάτια, το “Blackbird” των Beatles και το “Serenity” του Joe Henderson και με δυο original συνθέσεις, καθεμιά από τις οποίες ανήκει σε ένα από τα αδέλφια. Όλα παιγμένα με πρωτότυπες ενορχηστρώσεις, προσαρμοσμένες σε μια αρκετά πλούσια γραμμή πνευστών, μιας και εκτός από το τρομπόνι και το τενόρο-σοπράνο σαξόφωνο των Brenan περιλαμβάνει τρομπέτα (David Lavoie) και άλτο/βαρύτονο σαξόφωνο (Sean Craig). Αυτές οι ενορχηστρώσεις και τα πολύ καλά παιξίματα από όλους τους συμμετέχοντες είναι που πολύ κάνουν ενδιαφέρον το άλμπουμ. Το παιγμένο σχεδόν από τους πάντες “Blackbird” για παράδειγμα μεταμορφώνεται με πολύ λεπτούς και λεπτομερείς χρωματισμούς και όμορφα σόλο από τον Jim στο σοπράνο σαξόφωνο και τον Craig στο τρομπόνι. Όμορφοι οι τονισμοί σε όλη τη διάρκεια του “Serenity” με διαδοχικούς αυτοσχεδιασμούς από το μπάσο, το τρομπόνι, το τενόρο, την τρομπέτα και το άλτο και πολύ καλή η εκτέλεση του αέρινου “Fly with the wind”, ενός από τα κομμάτια του McCoy Tyner που δεν παίζονται συχνά.
Ευχάριστο και με ζεστό ήχο απ’ την αρχή ως το τέλος, το “Valley of silence” μας γυρίζει στην ατμόσφαιρα μιας άλλης εποχής χωρίς να γίνεται ρετρό.
Vangelis Aragiannis
Via Google Translate:
Twin brothers Craig and Jim Brenan's most vivid musical memory is the first concert they attended when they were ten years old in Edmonton, Canada in 1979. When their father had taken them one summer evening to hear the Woody Shaw Quintet the instruments they wanted to learn. Although neither of them learned the trumpet (the former is a trombonist and the latter a saxophonist) what was memorable to them was the awesome power with which Shaw played and the incredible energy of his group. This energy and sound, of an era of jazz that we often overlook, the two brothers try to convey in their new joint album "Valley of silence" (Death defying records).
So half of the eight tracks they chose come from that period: Woody Shaw's “Rosewood” and “Theme for Maxine,” “49th Parallel” a composition by Neil Swainson playing with the trumpeter, and “Fly with the wind” by McCoy Tyner. The set is completed with two older tracks, "Blackbird" by the Beatles and "Serenity" by Joe Henderson and with two original compositions, each of which belongs to one of the brothers. All played with original orchestrations, adapted to a fairly rich brass line, since in addition to Brenan's trombone and tenor-soprano sax, it includes trumpet (David Lavoie) and alto/baritone sax (Sean Craig). These arrangements and the very good playing by all participants are what make the album so interesting. The almost universally played “Blackbird” for example is transformed with very subtle and detailed coloring and beautiful solos from Jim on soprano sax and Craig on trombone. Beautiful accents throughout "Serenity" with successive improvisations by bass, trombone, tenor, trumpet and alto and a very good performance of the airy "Fly with the wind", one of McCoy Tyner's pieces which are not played often.
Pleasant and with a warm sound from beginning to end, "Valley of silence" takes us back to the atmosphere of another era without becoming retro.
JAZZ TIMES
Variety and nostalgia are the essence of Tunes & Explorations, the twenty-second album by German-born composer/arranger Florian Ross who observes his fiftieth anniversary by dipping into the Great American Songbook to revive and reshape for his splendid octet a number of luminous evergreens from the Golden Age of American music.
Ross underlines the contrast via jazz compositions from Bill Evans ("Fun Ride") and Horace Silver (the closing "Sister Sadie") and his own groovy curtain-raiser, "Baking Magels." The rest is all GAS, starting with a tasteful arrangement of Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen's enchanting "It Could Happen to You," featuring Canadian trombonist Craig Brenan with pianist Leon Hattori and Austrian trumpeter Bastian Stein. Hattori, bassist Dietmar Fuhr, drummer Tobias Backhaus and baritone saxophonist Niels Klein are the only members of the ensemble from Gemany.
Klein's bass clarinet leads the way on Ross's sweet and lovely arrangement of "Sweet and Lovely," with other solos by Hattori, Irish tenor saxophonist Matthew Halpin and Belgian guitarist Eliott Knuets who is showcased with Hattori on "Baking Magels." Stein's muted trumpet is front and center on Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose," preceding a muscular tenor solo by Halpin and persuasive drumming by Backhaus. Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" is lush and mellow, Jerome Kern's "Long Ago and Far Away" a fast-paced excursion for the ensemble with solos by Stein, Hattori and Knuets.
"If I Should Lose You," punctuated by Hattori's dancing piano, leads to the dreamy "Pure Imagination" (from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), featuring Stein's expressive trumpet, and Evans' cheerful "Fun Ride" (splendid solo by Knuets). Halpin and Brenan share the spotlight on a blues-rhumba version of "Sweet and Lovely," while Klein's resonant baritone is most conspicuous on Silver's high-spirited "Sister Sadie."
An admirable session, underscored by Ross's clever charts, emphatic blowing by the ensemble, and an exemplary choice of material. Deposit it in the "well done" file.
JAZZ TIMES
Florian Ross is a German-born composer, arranger and jazz pianist who has a fondness for releasing albums with double names which began with his debut release Seasons & Places (Naxos Records, 1998). He has continued with that "idée fixe" in almost every year in which he has delivered a release. This year is no exception; the latest incarnation is Tunes & Explorations, an octet session given over (with one exception) to the exploration of some well-known compositions from the Great American Songbook. The construct of the session was to keep the original intent of these compositions but to build vibrant, modern arrangements around the original melodies.
Although Ross does not play in this band, he has penned the arrangements and conducted this tight-sounding octet, which is made up of first-rate German-based musicians, several of whom have been involved with Ross in previous recordings. The opening track, and the only Ross original of this session, is "Baking Magels." It is a funky, hard-swinging chart which cooks right along, giving Belgian guitarist Eliott Knuets a chance to dance up and down the fretboard. The segue is the wonderful Jimmy Van Heusen number "It Could Happen to You." In this softly-swinging rendition, Ross has constructed an intricately creative piece which takes full advantage of the skillful work of Canadian trombonist Craig Brenan.
Fats Waller's classic "Honeysuckle Rose" is reworked by Ross, and offered as a "homage" to his father. Trumpeter Bastian Stein and tenor saxophonist Matthew Halpin both have a surefooted relationship to the material, and so deliver crisply fluid solos. The wonderfully evocative " If I Should Lose You" by Ralph Rainger is presented principally as a tour de force for German pianist Leon Hattori, acknowledging that he is a player of both logic and discovery. The supporting arrangement reflects Ross' expansive vision of the composition.
The rarely-played Bill Evans number "Fun Ride" was first released by Evans on a 1962 Riverside album entitled Loose Blues along with sidemen Zoot Sims, Jim Hall, Ron Carter and Philly Joe Jones. Taken at the same tempo as the Evans original, the number dashes along with guitarist Knuets as the lead voice, with a couple of stellar solo interjections from trumpeter Stein and tenor saxophonist Halpin. The album closes with the Horace Silver flag waver "Sister Sadie." On the album Woody Herman-1963, tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico came to prominence with his extended solo on the tune. In Ross' chart, German baritone saxophonist Niels Klein checks all the boxes. It has been generally acknowledged that the origin of jazz music was in the United States. It is also clear with this release that American classics can be interpreted by European jazz musicians which will have international appeal.
In the tradition of Dave's octet—and octets led by Bill Holman, Lennie Niehaus, Don Fagerquist and so many others—Florian Ross has now taken a crack at the eight-musician format. His new album, Tunes and Explorations (Toy Piano), his 22nd release, was recorded in March in Cologne, Germany, and features one original and 10 standards. The tracks are his own Baking Magels followed by It Could Happen to You, I Should Care, Honeysuckle Rose, Send in the Clowns, Long Ago and Far Away, If I Should Lose You, Pure Imagination, Bill Evans's Fun Ride, Sweet and Lovely and Horace Silver's Sister Sadie.
Florian's octet features Bastian Stein (tp), Craig Brenan (tb), Matthew Halpin (ts, fl), Niels Klein (bs, bass-cl), Eliott Knuets (g), Leon Hattori (p), Dietmar Fuhr (b) and Tobias Backhaus (d), with Florian arranging and conducting. As he told me earlier this year, "I always wrote my own stuff, avoiding the American songbook. Then suddenly I felt like it was time to make my peace with the songbook and find some way I could honor its influence on me. I would certainly not have been able to do what I did without being exposed to this material, so in terms of my recording history, I kind of backed into the songbook." [Photo above of Florian Ross]
Florian is a German pianist, composer and arranger who, on this album, fishtails effortlessly between the traditional octet sound and a fusion feel. Album highlights include Long Ago and Far Away, If I Should Lose You, Pure Imagination, Fun Ride and Sister Sadie—all of which adhere to Dave Pell's rules of the octet road. The arrangements are terrific, and the playing moves with contrapuntal intelligence and energy. Lovely music that's beautifully choreographed.
PARIS MOVE
April 12th, 2024
It would certainly be interesting for you to know the story of these two brothers, a story that is certainly shared by many musicians. Jim and Craig, aged ten, nervously stand in the entrance of the Palms Cafe in Edmonton, on a hot summer night in 1979. Their father has taken them to their first concert featuring the instruments they hope to play when they enter college in the fall. Neither of them has any idea what they are about to experience, but the excitement in the room speaks volumes: they are about to experience something special. “All I remember is the raw power of the trumpet and the incredible speed and energy with which the band played,” recalls Jim. The band was the quintet of legendary trumpeter Woody Shaw: a group that has forever etched itself in the memories of the Brenan brothers. They sought to recreate that musical energy throughout their musical careers.
From the first track of this album, the notes soar thanks to a sonic staging that the two brothers completely master, especially as they are accompanied by excellent musicians to bring their compositions to life. Craig Brenan – Trombone, Jim Brenan – Tenor & Soprano Saxophones, David Lavoie – Trumpet, Sean Craig – Alto & Baritone Saxophones, Earl MacDonald – Piano, Rubim De Toledo- Bass, Dave Laing – Drums. One quickly realizes that each track on this album has been thought out for the stage and probably to allow for a number of sparkling improvisations. Having both played with artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Randy Brecker, Ralph Bowen, Geoff Keezer, Bryan Lynch, Terrell Stafford, Luis Bonilla, Sam Rivers, Bob Brookmeyer, Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton, and Kenny Wheeler, Craig and Jim Brenan have built a solid reputation as dynamic and accomplished musicians.
What impresses most about this album is the joy that emanates from the complex forms of musical writing. This kind of music, of course, requires many musicians to sound as it should. In the sounds used, it would be impossible to date this music—a form of jazz that could very well draw from the past, if not for the urban and very current vision in the arrangements.
Listening with delight to each track of this CD, I could note the touches of humor, the more romantic or poetic moments, sometimes an atmosphere of 1950s film noir brushes past us, then suddenly, with a magical wave, we find ourselves thrown into another sonic universe. This album particularly enchanted and amused me, due to the very expressive and sensitive writing that emanates from it. “Valley of Silence” is a collection of original arrangements and compositions that have sprouted in the collective consciousness of the brothers over the past decade. The original compositions of Valley of Silence were written in a spirit of abandon: these pieces are both deep and meditative; complex, yet accessible. This album encourages the listener to embark on a journey to a time when jazz was primarily about connecting to the music and telling one’s own story.
I particularly admire artists who put so much passion into their music, who know how to invite the listener to a deep listening while remaining light, once again offering an album that is “essential to the public” with a special mention to the extraordinary trombonist that is Craig Brenan…
Thierry De Clemensat
RHYTHM CHANGES
May 15th, 2024
The Brenan Brothers: Valley of Silence
Trombonist Craig & saxophonist Jim Brenan's work sounds to me more Adderleys than Breckers
The Brenan Brothers are Alberta-based Craig and Jim Brenan, who play trombone and the B flat saxophones, respectively. I find the title of their album Valley of Silenceto be lateral from what the project sounds like. Take the title track, for instance. Which 'silence' vibes do you get out of a funky tune like that? It's a harmonized melody with a bass riff.
Then there's another track, "Serenity": precisely-positioned close harmonies on a hard bop groove, launching into a six-note repeating piano riff and an old-school bass solo. It doesn't sound serene or like a valley of silence to me. Instead, I think of the Blue Train band with John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller, or Clifford Brown's records.
The Brenans' work to me is more like the Adderleys than the Breckers. Craig is in full command of his trombone articulation, and Jim is a fiery soloist but also a sensitive ballad player, as you can hear on "Theme for Maxine" where he plays a breathy rendition of the melody – and Craig has a beautiful soft trombone entrance.
Ensemble writing is at the forefront of this album all the way through. Track one is an intricate, painterly version of "Blackbird" with drums played loudly. On track two, onetime Vancouver musician David Lavoie's trumpet takes over as the energy rides high. Lavoie, younger than the Brenans and with other interests ranging from co-producing beat jazz to fronting creative indie-rock bands, more than holds his own on the front line with the experienced Brenans.
The band soli on the title track is one of the key points of the album for me, emphasizing the focus on tight ensemble writing. They fade out on that soli, which is an interesting choice. You don't hear it very often. The most interesting thing to me about "Fly with the Wind" is that it basically feels like a big band arrangement. It breaks twice ever briefly into great piano trio improvs, but then it returns to this structure that reminds me of big-band charts, moving logically from one section to another, shaping the dynamic while having all the horns play together. The Brenan Brothers keep it all in the tradition while getting a lot out of their ensemble with intelligent parts.
Will Chernoff
JAZZ VIEWS
June 20th, 2024
This music is the kind that stays with you long after you’ve listened to it.
The Brenan Brothers, born in 1969, are twins based in Alberta, Canada. When they were 10 or 11, their father introduced them to jazz through the legendary Woody Shaw Quintet. When they reached seventh grade (~12-13 years old), they were offered the choice of an instrument. Craig chose the trombone, while Jim chose the B flat saxophone. On this album, Jim also plays the soprano saxophone.
They remained great fans of Woody Shaw. The brothers wanted to capture and embody the musical energy that captivated them throughout their careers. With this album, they did just that. It includes two songs by Woody Shaw from his classic 1977 release, “Rosewood.”
The Valley of Silence is a group of inspired ensemble arrangements featuring tunes by McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, and Woody Shaw, complemented by original compositions from Craig and Jim.
This album takes you back to when meticulously arranged horns still provided space for solos, complementing and enhancing the tunes. It’s one of the most enjoyable listens of the year. I hear music similar to some early Coltrane, Curtis Fuller, and maybe even Clifford Brown.
The first song is a reimagined version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” This song introduces the musicians on the album, highlighting the ensemble playing of the group and the interplay of the two brothers. The brothers seem to have a second sense about playing together. I guess that they have played this way since they were young. Jim Brenan plays soprano on this song.
“Rosewood” by Woody Shaw was arranged by Jim Brenan. The band performed the song in a fresh, updated style while retaining the original essence. The memorable refrain is restated throughout the song. It’s a great example of how exceptional jazz songs endure despite the changing times.
“Tri Seamair,” roughly translated to “three weeks,” opens with an elegant piano followed by the three horns harmonizing. The opening solo by the trombone highlights the skill, taste, and sound of trombonist Craig Brenan. Pianist MacDonald is given space to solo in the song as the horns play short variations of each other’s riff.
The song “Theme for Maxine” was written by Woody Shaw and arranged this time by Craig Brenan. Shaw wrote this for his manager, Maxine Gordon. The piece starts with a probing tenor saxophone interlude that reminds me of Coltrane. The trombonist then picks up the solo, playing as soulfully as his brother on tenor. This song showcases some of the best saxophone playing I’ve heard in the last six months. However, that’s not to downplay the band—they play with soul and feeling throughout the album.
This music is the kind that stays with you long after you’ve listened to it. The band supports the soloists, allowing them to truly shine. The brothers’ harmonies show the extensive time they’ve spent playing together. Overall, it’s a truly delightful experience.
Ed Sapiega