It's all about ease.
John Wolf Brennan and
Daniele Patumi can shift among classical, jazz, and free improv idioms without you noticing it at first. One moment they are here, the next they leap somewhere else, into another plane: time jumps, space cracks. For years now these two have been exploring a space-time continuum forgotten by other modern musicians, one that doesn't rely solely on technique, one that doesn't put avant-garde concepts before the music.
Time Jumps -- Space Cracks was recorded live in December 2000, minus two solo tracks dating from 1996 and 1998. From their years of playing together (as a duo, on Aurealis, and in
Pago Libre), they have developed an intuitive level of communication and, most importantly, a similar approach to music, tonal in sound, classical in form at times too, but still very vibrant and immediate.
Brennan alternates between straightforward piano playing and string bowing. The latter technique produces some beautiful results in "Subsculpture," also featuring great arco work from bassist
Patumi. This experimental vein is counterbalanced by the shameless lightness of "Ron d'Eau," a delicate jazz tune from
Brennan. The inclusion of a duet rendition of "Chi" (recorded on Aurealis) is a gift to the faithful. What it amounts to is over an hour of highly personalized music, full of enticing melodies and engaging sidesteps. ~ François Couture