jazz.pt
sonic openings under pressure – muhheankuntuk
João Pedro Viegas
jazz.pt #14, September-October 2007, p. 104
The name given to this work opens up paths in varying directions. In fact, “muhheankuntuk” is the term used by indigenious people of the New York area to designate the Hudson and means “river that runs in two directions”. And this work led by patrick brennan is, overall, a balance between concepts that at first impression might be considered antagonistic, but are rendered complementary. All of the work oscillates between compositional structure and freedom of the execution, between the conceptual vanguard and the purest tradition of jazz. (the respect that the saxophonist has for Ornette Coleman and, at the same time, for Charlie Parker is a elucidative example), between the rational and the spiritual, and still between the fire of “groove” and the subtlety of its details.
Not to leave aside the curiosity, as Rui Horta Santos points out in the CD’s liner notes, that brennan has made this recording for a Portuguese label after having lived in Portugal in the 90s and felt the indifference of Portuguese musicians and critics to his initiatives.
Hill Greene is a very versatile bassist, and this versatility is clearly present throughout (and in the service of) this recording. He’s already played not only with many of the historical figures of free jazz but also with such luminaries of traditional jazz as Johnny Hartman. He demonstrates his on-call mastery of both pizzicato and arco playing, and his walking is just demolishing. David Pleasant reveals himself here as a capable multi-instrumentalist: when seated at the drums, as a musician with a special appetite for polyrhythm, reminiscent here and there of the veteran Sunny Murray, but also as an inspired harmonica player, demonstrated on the blues flash of the spirit, and again as a fiery rapper (listen to Hardships).
This diversity makes muhheankuntuk even more important not only for patrick brennan’s discography but also for the new American jazz.