Patricia Brennan Septet

The Patricia Brennan Septet is an electrifying ensemble that brings together some of today’s most creative and dynamic improvisers to boldly explore new sonic worlds. Led by vibraphonist, marimbist, and composer Patricia Brennan, the group consists of Kim Cass on bass, Dan Weiss on drums, and Yusnier Sanchez on percussion, complemented by three horn players: Adam O’Farrill on trumpet and electronics, Jon Irabagon on alto and sopranino saxophone, and Mark Shim on tenor saxophone.
This powerful lineup fuses Afro-Caribbean grooves, contemporary classical textures, and avant-garde improvisation, filtered through Brennan’s distinctive rhythmic and harmonic perspective. On their 2024 album *Breaking Stretch* (Pyroclastic Records), the septet creates a world where lively horn lines, shifting time signatures, and electronic atmospheres collide—giving rise to music that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally direct. With performances that shift between deep grooves, open improvisation, and complex compositions, the Patricia Brennan Septet represents a bold step forward in the evolution of cross-genre ensemble music. “Breaking Stretch” has received widespread acclaim and made it onto numerous lists of the best jazz albums of 2024, including the New York Times’ “10 Best Albums of 2024” and NPR’s “50 Best Albums of 2024” (across all music genres).

“On the album Breaking Stretch, some of my favorite bands from my youth had a strong rhythmic influence—from salsa ensembles like the Fania All-Stars and danzoneras (Acerina y su Danzonera) to 1970s horn-led rock groups (Earth, Wind & Fire, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Chicago). In these bands, every musician was an integral part of the band’s rhythmic identity—and everyone had both the opportunity and the responsibility to be a rhythmic force within the music. ‘Breaking Stretch’ builds on the percussive and rhythmic style of my More Touch Quartet. This quartet (featuring Kim Cass, Marcus Gilmore, and Mauricio Herrera) is now joined by three horn players with unique rhythmic abilities: Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on alto and sopranino saxophone, and Mark Shim on tenor saxophone. On this album, I strive to create depth by exploring density and shifting rhythmic layers and by employing orchestral techniques that generate a sense of expansiveness: essentially, depth through expansiveness, expansiveness through depth. For example, I use extreme ranges and challenge the horn players to explore the outer limits of their sonic spectrum in my compositions and their improvisations. In doing so, a certain harmonic resonance creates the illusion of a sound that is larger than that of seven musicians. I try to push sonic boundaries to the tipping point—without crossing it—while remaining true to the inherent nature of music. I’m interested in the essence, not the effect. This album continues my journey of inner search and exploration. The title “Breaking Stretch” captures this inspiration. The word “breaking” refers to pushing the sonic and technical limits of each instrument to a breaking point, beyond the usual expectations of the instruments’ roles within the ensemble. Among other things, “stretch” is a mathematical function that makes a curve narrower or wider. Through various methods of expansion and contraction, I strive to make the music miles wide and, at the same time, deep as a mine. The generative, catalytic tension in the music unites opposites: breadth and depth, rupture and flexibility, tearing and stretching.” – Patricia Brennan