***(*) Sudani
Deep Dish 104 Brennan; Nirankar Khalsa (d); M’allim Najib
Sudani (guinbri); Tola Cohia Brennan (oud); Bujmaa, M’barak
Sudani, Larbi Faud, Yassine l,ekuni (v, other instruments). 5/99.
Patrick fulfils that thought (that Brennan might yet do interesting
things in the direction of unaccompanied saxophone - as on "saunters,
walks, ambles.") with another interesting unaccompanied
number here, 'The Wind and Najib’, but this is an exception
on a record which finds him again emulating Ornette by collaborating
with Gnaouan musicians from Morocco. Again the basic format is
a trio, Khalsa and Sudani occupying relatively familiar roles,
albeit in unfamiliar metres. A surprising number of the tracks
sound like orthodox bebop with a few unexpected textures and tonalities,
but there is a genuine attempt at multicultural synthesis. ‘Tirarmalia
Blues’, sung in English, is one example, and the intense
‘Around Sidi Hammu’ is another, albeit less obviously
eclectic.
Brennan's problem is that he is now so securely identified with
the Ornette style that one scarcely hears what is original about
his work. His mentor once dabbled with the tenor and yet more
notoriously switched to trumpet and violin; this might yet be
a valid tactic for Patrick; except that we'd just call him a copycat
again.
- Richard Cook & Brian Morton
