Brian Patneaude contacted me a few weeks ago because fellow musician Michael Adkins has told him about jazz-not-jazz (thanks Michael!).
Brian’s not only the mastermind behind his Quartet but also part of Nouveau Chill ( where he’s fusing jazz, trip hop, bossa nova and other styles together with DJ Michael Campion), the Empire Jazz Orchestra, Alex Torres Y Los Reyes Latinos, a salsa band, and he’s also responsible for the website albanyjazz.com, which helps to raise attention to jazz musicians from Albany, NY, USA.
So Brian is obviously a busy and very versatile artist releasing the straight ahead jazz songs as tenor saxophonist with George Muscatello (guitar), Ryan Lukas (bass), and Danny Whelchel (drums) under the moniker Brian Patneaude Quartet. On three songs on Distance they are joined by Dave Payette on Fender Rhodes.
Although the album is named Distance the music is the opposite. The songs offer a very welcome warmth and intimacy. The seven songs on Distance, all original compositions by Brian Patneaude by the way, take you on a journey into Brian’s world and show his growth as musician.
It’s hard to pick a favourite from the seven great songs on Distance because all of them will unveil their beauty if you listen to them closely, but there are two songs I like to draw your attention to. One of them is Alone. Brian and his musicians manage to create an atmosphere that’s adequate for the song’s title. But yet it’s not the kind of being alone where you sink into self-pity and sadness but a kind of loneliness that sounds like you’re quite comfortable with it and may have chosen this state purposely.
Red is another interesting song with Danny Whelchel’s slightly drum’n'bass inspired drum playing at the beginning and Brian’s muted saxophone solo. Fans of Courtney Pine certainly will love this track too.
All in all Distance is a highly recommendable instrumental jazz album. On Brian’s website you will also find full-length mp3 files of live versions of the songs from Distance.

Tracklisting of Distance: 1. Change/ 2. Release/ 3. Inspiration/ 4. Alone/ 5. Red/ 6. Distance/ 7. Unending | released 2005 by WEPA Records

For more infos visit cdbaby.com and brianpatneaude.com.

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