PROJECTS |
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| Remonkablity | ||||
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The Remonkablity project
began in the early 80’s in New York when
saxophonist/composer patrick
brennan was a member of a quartet
led by percussionist Juma Santos that included bassist
Rachiim Sahu and, alternately, trumpeters Rasul Siddik
and Wadada Leo Smith. Juma requested that Brennan do some
arrangements of several Monk compositions. The results
were so successful that Brennan went on to create a whole
book of “Brennanized Monk” that he’d use
during sojourns in Europe as an alternative repertoire to
his own original compositions. As Monk’s music has been one of Brennan’s sustaining inspirations, it’s a pleasure for him to play Monk’s music in nearly any situation. The Remonkablity context, however has also been an opportunity to engage in dialogue with Monk’s music as a composer. In this sense, Brennan takes the same creative liberties with Monk compositions that Monk took with the prevailing repertoire of his time. As Monk’s music is already highly suggestive, melodically fertile and masterfully constructed, some of Brennan’s “arrangements” stretch Monk’s implications into “recompositions”. Others retain more of the original features with a twist here or there. |
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