PAPATAMUS REDUX

DEATH DEFYING RECORDS 28694  (NO RECORDING DATE)

Brothers Craig and Jim Brenan wax “musically” on the first jazz concert they attended in 1979 — a performance by the Woody Shaw quintet. Forty-five years later they capture the musical energy of that session on Valley of Silence. More than simply a blowing session on tunes from that era, this is collection of wonderfully arranged tunes that make the most of all players on the session, not just the musical brothers. David Lavoie’s trumpet weaves through the changes of Woody Shaw’s “Rosewood.” Pianist Earl MacDonald sets the perfect tone for Craig’s contemplative “Tri Seamair.” Drummer Dave Laing captures the mood of CTI recordings on Jim’s composition “Valley of Silence.” The lines written for Sean Craig ‘s baritone sax and the solid playing of bassist Rubim De Toledo give the small group its full sound. Craig Brenan’s soulful and fluid trombone is evident on Lennon and McCartney’s “Blackbird” and Jim’s soulful tenor playing breathes life into the band’s take on Joe Henderson’s “Serenity.”  Valley of Silence provides the Brenan brothers with an opportunity to tip their hat to the music that inspired them with a release that is packed with solid solos, tight arrangements and lots of musical memories for the era that gave them the jazz bug.

BOTTOM LINE:  Detroit has the Jones Brothers. Philadelphia has the Heath Brothers. Rochester has the Mangione Brothers.  Indianapolis has the Montgomery Brothers. Now we can add Edmonton to that list with saxophonist Jim Brenan and his brother trombonist Craig Brenan. Their new release, Valley of Silence, captures the sound and excitement of the late 1970s Woody Shaw Quintet — the music they heard live as impressionable jazz teenagers .