Download Gregg Brennan`s ideas on jazz music are as varied as the colours in

Gregg Brennan’s ideas on jazz music are as varied as the colours in his paintings. He prides
himself on upholding jazz tradition and concept but believes in modernism above all else. ‘You
have to be relevant’ says Gregg ‘you may have tradition, but if you do nothing with it, you aren’t
really contributing to the art’. Anyone familiar with Gregg’s drumming can attest to this. A solo
from Gregg may sound like a busy highway or the aural equivalent of an impressionist painting.
He is as comfortable playing a jazz standard as he is playing completely improvised music or a
rock tune. In his drumming, the listener can hear Gregg’s knowledge of the jazz tradition but also
his concept of jazz modernism, his love of rock music and his unique way of melding all of it into his
own personal sound. ‘But really it’s all about melodicism for me’ says Gregg when talking about
the unifying concept in his compositions and his drumming. He strongly believes in the simplicity
and often minimalist ideals of a melody above all else, no matter what kind of music he is playing.
As a drummer, composer, painter and improviser, Gregg’s approach and concepts are indeed a
single vision. He is an active educator and has experience teaching both private lessons on
drumset and larger workshops and clinics including lecturing and appearing as a guest clinician at
Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Gregg was also an active member of the now
defunct International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE).
Born in Toronto, and a graduate of Berklee College of music, Gregg quickly became
known around Berklee as a modernist and gained respect as an Avant Garde musician as well.
He played in numerous bands and formed lasting partnerships with bassist Fernando Mainer,
clarinettist Zulfugar Baghirov, and pianist Marios Takousis as well as many others. Gregg’s
personal style was called on repeatedly for studio work as well as collaborative projects with
other students in the jazz idiom. His dynamic drumming was heard in everything from Bebop
Septets, to Free Jazz Duos and trios and from abstract song forms in modern jazz to recording
sessions for world fusion. In any situation, Gregg’s musicality shines over everything else, because
he prefers to play what’s right for the song, “whatever ‘right’ may be in a given situation!” states
Gregg. In music as in painting, Gregg’s style of apparent chaos is in fact, the result of a
controlled knowledge. “I’m an improviser, I prefer surprises. I prefer to be amused and surprised
rather than seeing or hearing something that I already know”, says Gregg. It was this idea that
eventually led Gregg to composition and the formation of his own group to play his works.
Gregg formed the ‘Shrill Life Sextet’ in 2002 basing its name on the famous artistic subject of the
‘Still Life’ motif. His music has a distinct European flavour and balances the composed sections with
pure freedom. With a multicultural group of musicians, Gregg recorded and released his debut
album Fish in 2002. He sees the album as a compete work from beginning to end, like a classical
‘song cycle’ and has used one of his paintings for the cover. The cd has been well received both in
the US and Canada.
In Toronto, Canada Gregg played with a number of groups including Viewfinder
(viewfindermusic.com), The Swyves (myspace.com/theswyves), Sunroom, BLA Trio and has lead his
own groups Aiseiri and Zentropa. In 2005 Aiseiri released ‘Bird on Triangle’ and Zentropa has
recorded ‘Safe House’ (2008) and ‘Old Lucky’ (2009). Both groups have played the Toronto club
circuit many times and have had numerous well received shows at the inimitable Rex Hotel in
Toronto. Gregg’s compositions were the focus of the Aiseiri songbook and he shared the
composition duties with the other members of Zentropa.
As an avid reader and confessed film nerd, Gregg cites his love of film and literature
as equal influences in his playing and composing, giving his style a truly unique, fresh sound. He
has studied with Bob Moses, Ian Froman, Skip Hadden, Joe Hunt, John Ramsay and John Loughery
and has attended clinics and workshops with, among others: Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe
Lovano, Rufus Reid, Billy Hart, Bill Stewart, Pat Metheny, Brantford Marsalis, Horatio Hernandez,
Ed Thigpen and Bernard Purdie. Before relocating, Gregg taught in Toronto from his home studio,
at the Allegro School of music and at The Sterling Hall School. He lives in London, England where
he teaches privately and plays around the city with various musicians in various contexts and
ensembles.
MAIN PROJECTS
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
LEN ARULIAH QUINTET
Len Aruliah- reeds
Magnus Dearness- trombone
Ryan Williams- guitar
Darren McCarthy- double bass
GB- drums
2009- ZENTROPA- ‘Old Lucky’ (independent); drums,
percussion, composer
LEN ARULIAH QUARTET
Len Aruliah- reeds
David Frankel- keys
Julie Walkington- double bass
GB- drums
MATT TELFER/GREGG BRENNAN QUARTET
Matt Telfer- tenor sax
Ben McDonnell- guitar
Vicky Tilson- double bass
GB- drums
SUPERSONIC BLACKCAT
Matt Telfer- reeds, programming, samples
GB- drums, percussion
2008- ZENTROPA- ‘Safe House’ (independent); drums,
percussion, compositions
2007- VIEWFINDER- Samual Bennett’s Bare Knuckle Boxing
(independent/download only from viewfindermusic.com);
drums, percussion, composer
2005- GREGG BRENNAN AISEIRI QUINTET- ‘Bird on
Triangle EP’(Standback Records); drums, percussion,
composer
2005- JEFF PERRY/GREGG BRENNAN- ‘Music for Brass
and Percussion’ (Standback Records); drums, percussion
2005- KLEZFACTOR- ‘Bathurst Manor’; drums, percussion
2004- PETER McCUTCHEON- ‘Land O’ My Heart’
(Toreador Records); percussion
2003- GREGG BRENNAN ‘Solodrummusic’ (Standback
Records, special order); drums, percussion, composer
2002- GREGG BRENNAN SHRILL LIFE SEXTET- ‘Fish’
(Hippo Stomp/Standback Records); drums, composer,
leader
ZENTROPA (Canada)
Jason Hay: reeds, compositions
Tom Richards: trombone, compositions
Dave Dunlap: guitar
Michael Herring: double bass
GB: drums, percussion, compositions
SUNROOM (Canada)
Paul Newman- reeds, compositions
Thomas Silvani- guitar, compositions
GB- drums, percussion, compositions
THE SWYVES (Canada)
Jason Hay: reeds, compositions
Aaron Lumley: double bass
GB: drums, percussion
GREGG BRENNAN AISEIRI QUINTET (Canada)
Patrice Barbanchon: trumpet
Jonathan Kay: reeds
Avi Granite: guitar
Neal Davis: double bass
GB: drums, percussion, compositions
VIEWFINDER (Canada)
Tom Richards: trombone, compositions
Avi Granite: guitar, effects, compositions
GB: drums, percussion, compositions
FORMAL ASSOCIATIONS
Present:
Musicians Union, UK
SOCAN (Society of Canadian Composers)
AIMT (Association of Improvising Musicians, Toronto)
Past:
Kingston Jazz Society (Canada)
IAJE (International Association for Jazz Education)
[email protected]
www.greggbrennan.com
PRESS
Review of Jeff Perry and Gregg Brennan’s ‘Music for Brass and Percussion’ by Blair Sanderson, All Music
Guide:
There's not much window-dressing on Music for Brass and Percussion (2005), presumably because trumpeter Jeff
Perry and percussionist Gregg Brennan prefer to let the music speak for itself, without additional help from
descriptive liner notes or suggestive packaging. This may be due also to the ambiguous, abstract qualities of the
music, which can be taken as either free jazz or avant-garde improvisation, depending on one's expectations or
point of view. But such categories are beside the point and possibly distracting from the album's substance, which is
fluid and difficult to pigeonhole. Perry's intensely expressive trumpet and flügelhorn lines and Brennan's virtuosic
drumming are apparently spontaneous and mostly unsynchronized, and what few connections there are emphasize
the disparities: usually a shared rhythmic pattern serves as the only tie between the two, whose phrasing and
timing are elastic and usually free of any sense of a downbeat. However, the long duets of Threshold,
Conversation, and Finale do have continuity and consistency, and the musicians exhibit remarkable stamina and
control to pull them off without extraneous riffs, breaks, or repetitions. The smoothness and the emotional depth of
the performance make it compelling listening, and the tasteful blending of jazz and experimental techniques make
this a crossover album in the best sense of the word. Standback's sound is natural and clear, so everything is
audible at a modest volume, even though the performers recommend that the disc should be played loudly for
optimal effect.(AMG)
ADDITIONAL PRESS EXCERPTS FOR GREGG BRENNAN
“…literate and tasty...”
-Jazz Now
“…a bedrock of percussion”
-Whole Note
“Brennan is a solid, fluid musician, a good listener who is both creative and reactive”
-Jazz Review
“… a serious and talented young musician of the highest level. His conceptual level is extraordinary…”
-Joe Hunt, drums, author and educator
”Gregg…has qualities that make him a very unique player and his musical sensibilities and listening skills are at a very
high level.”
-Ed Saindon, vibes, composer, bandleader
”… a unique musician and a talented performer. He has a polished and distinctive style and sensitivity”
-Skip Hadden, drums, author and educator
EQUIPMENT:
Paiste Cymbals
Gretsch and Sonor Drums
Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets
Steve Hubback bells/cup chimes
Drum rider and/or technical info available on request
_____________________________________________
GREGG BRENNAN
[email protected] www.greggbrennan.com
Other websites: www.myspace.com/greggbrennan
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/greggbrennan
_____________________________________________