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Brian Patneaude

Repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz” by Metroland magazine, Brian Patneaude is one of the busiest musicians in New York's Capital District. In addition to leading his own quartet, the saxophonist maintains an active performance schedule with the award winning Empire Jazz Orchestra, the seventeen piece juggernaut Big Soul Ensemble and drummer Michael Benedict's hard-bop quintet Bopitude. He has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kingston International Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival Saratoga, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival and countless clubs and concert halls throughout the Northeast including an eight and a half year weekly residency at Albany's premiere jazz club - Justin's. Over the years he has performed with saxophonists Jimmy Heath, Lee Konitz & David "Fathead Newman", trombonists Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton & Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff & Byron Stripling, guitarist Mike Moreno, pianists Bruce Barth & Armen Donelian, bassist Rufus Reid, and vocal sensations The Four Freshmen. Patneaude's latest release "Riverview" (WEPA Records) features guitarist Mike Moreno, organist Jesse Chandler and drummer Danny Whelchel performing a collection of six original compositions and songs by Don Grolnick and Billy Strayhorn.

Brian Patneaude was born on August 8, 1974 in Schenectady, New York. Although his parents encouraged his musical interests at a young age, it wasn't until he heard the music of saxophonists Michael Brecker and David Sanborn that he decided to pursue a career in music. In the fall of 1992 Brian entered The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York to study saxophone with Paul Evoskevich and went on to earn a degree in music education. While at the college he participated in numerous performing ensembles and took part in a two-week tour of Russia. During this time Brian was profiled in the "Auditions" section of Downbeat Magazine (August 1994).

Upon graduation Brian received a full-tuition scholarship to the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati to pursue a master's degree in saxophone performance. While at the Conservatory he studied saxophone with Rick Van Matre and Tom Walsh and jazz improvisation with Pat Harbison. After an intense period of study he returned to the Capital District of New York and performed with some of the region's most popular groups including Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra, the Empire Jazz Orchestra, the Refrigerators, the Adrian Cohen Quartet, Doc Scanlon, the Tom Healy Band, and many more.

The Brian Patneaude Quartet was formed in 2002 and currently features pianist David Caldwell-Mason, bassist Mike DelPrete, and drummer Danny Whelchel. Their music is an organic blend of modern jazz styles, featuring accessible melodies and harmonic textures that appeal to the casual listener and jazz aficionado alike. The group’s close-knit musical relationship and seamless interplay is a result of performances at numerous venues throughout the Northeast. The quartet has been repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz Group” by the writers and readers of Metroland magazine and has gained increasing attention, both nationally and abroad. Tracks from the group’s CDs on WEPA Records - "Riverview" (2009), "As We Know It" (2007), "Distance" (2005) and "Variations" (2002) - have been played on over 50 radio stations worldwide, including the nationally syndicated “Jazz After Hours” with Jim Wilke and “Listen Here!” hosted by Neil Tesser & Mark Ruffin.

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4
Album Review

Dylan Canterbury: Going Places

Read "Going Places" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Let's just set the record straight from the get-go. Going Places is, hands down and thumbs up, a rousing, full throated, old-school set of rowdy, tightly spun compositions played by some of the best players the Hudson Valley region of New York has to offer. And that promises (and delivers) a sweet, sweet listen because the Hudson Valley is home to lot of great players, both the latest and of legend. Citing Jon Faddis as a guiding light ...

3
Album Review

Brian Patneaude: All Around Us

Read "All Around Us" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


A lot of the good things about All Around Us start from the bottom and work their way up. Saxophonist Brian Patneaude's compositions are a sturdy, coherent lot; they're also rife with odd time signatures, changing tempos, and an amalgam of Latin, funk, and jazz elements. The tunes are a virtual playground for bassist Mike Delprete and drummer/percussionist Danny Whelchel, who, along with pianist David Caldwell-Mason, comprise the ideal rhythm section for Patneaude's designs. With one foot firmly lodged in ...

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Album Review

Brian Patneaude: All Around Us

Read "All Around Us" reviewed by Jeff Dayton-Johnson


On All Around Us, Albany, New York saxophonist Brian Patneaude's solid quartet delivers a high energy, straight-ahead jazz date.As a saxophonist, Patneaude solos transparently and has a bright sound, set off by a hard-edged technical competence that will remind some of Michael Brecker, as on the complicated line of “Blucocele." On Bronisław Kaper's “Invitation," Patneaude is admirably unfazed by the celebrated 1958 John Coltrane reading of the tune on Standard Coltrane (Prestige, 1962). Patneaude the composer provides compelling ...

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Album Review

Brian Patneaude: All Around Us

Read "All Around Us" reviewed by Andrew J. Sammut


An active part of the jazz scene in New York's Capital District, Brian Patneaude's fifth album shows off his originality and depth as a tenor saxophonist and composer. The six original compositions and two covers on All Around Us were “inspired by people, places and events" in Patneaude's life, adding a personal gravity to the assured musicianship on display.Listing Michael Brecker, David Sanborn and Hank Mobley among his influences, Patneaude plays with an attractively big, warm tone, more ...

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Album Review

Brian Patneaude: All Around Us

Read "All Around Us" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


With All Around Us saxophonist Brian Patneaude delivers a bravura performance as both artist and composer. This superior effort shouts breakthrough for this talented, but not widely known, New York Capital District saxophonist and his crew. The session offers eight brilliantly performed straight-ahead jazz compositions, of which six emanate from Patneaude's pen. Patneaude writes in a similar style to his playing; the heads feature melodic ebbs and flows in a palette of tempos, rhythmic strands and colors. ...

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Album Review

Brian Patneaude: Riverview

Read "Riverview" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Tenor saxophone players have a dilemma that may be seemingly unique to that instrument: a dilemma of sound. While every artist will strive for their unique, personal voice, the tenor saxophonist has to be haunted by the “you-know-it's-them" sounds of greats such as Lester Young, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, and Michael Brecker. What's striking about Brian Patneaude is the utter honesty of his sound. It is thought-generating, full-bodied and inviting; engaging and penetrating on an emotional ...

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Album Review

Brian Patneaude: Riverview

Read "Riverview" reviewed by John Dworkin


Saxophonist Brian Patneaude, guitarist Mike Moreno, organist Jesse Chandler, and drummer Danny Whelchel are all relatively young, open-minded musicians. While having distinct approaches, they share a modern sense of rhythm and phrasing, often blurring barlines, playing motivically, and possessing the ability to follow their ideas where they seem to go naturally. There's a fluidity of execution which gives the illusion of ease that only the best improvisers can create. These loosely related approaches give Patneaude's fine and understated Riverview a ...

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Interview

Brian Patneaude Adds to Quality Discog with "All Around Us"

Brian Patneaude Adds to Quality Discog with "All Around Us"

Source: RJ on Jazz by R.J. DeLuke

Compositions, as well as the performance, shine again for saxophonist The Capital District region of New York state is pretty rich in musical talent and has a strong jazz scene, even if it's one that suffers the same trials and tribulations as the national scene. One of it's attributes is saxophonist/composer Brian Patneaude, a fine player and arguably the face of the local jazz scene whether he humbly eschews that (and he does) or not. Annuals polls by Metroland and ...

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Event

Brian Patneaude CD Release Featuring Mike Moreno @ Massry Center for the Arts - Saturday, February 7, 2009

Brian Patneaude CD Release Featuring Mike Moreno @ Massry Center for the Arts - Saturday, February 7, 2009

Source: All About Jazz

Saxophonist Brian Patneaude will celebrate the release of Riverview, with a concert at The College of Saint Rose's Massry Center for the Arts in Albany, NY.

The performance and CD release will take place Saturday, February 7, at 8 p.m. in the new Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall, Massry Center for the Arts, 1002 Madison Ave., Albany. Admission is $10 or free with a Saint Rose I.D. Tickets are available online at brianpatneaude.com or by phone at 518-434-6756.

For this ...

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Radio

The Jazz Session #28: Brian Patneaude

The Jazz Session #28: Brian Patneaude

Source: All About Jazz

On the new episode of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane interviews saxophonist and composer Brian Patneaude. His new quartet album is called As We Know It (WEPA Records, 2007). Patneaude was born and raised near Albany, NY. He's chosen to make his musical stand in Albany, and the choice is paying off. Patneaude is a busy musician, whether it's his weekly residency at famed Albany jazz club Justin's or his continuing gig with Grammy-nominated Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra. ...

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Performance / Tour

Brian Patneaude Quartet CD Release Party at WAMC Performing Arts Studio Friday 4/20

Brian Patneaude Quartet CD Release Party at WAMC Performing Arts Studio Friday 4/20

Source: All About Jazz

BRIAN PATNEAUDE QUARTET TO CELEBRATE CD RELEASE @ WAMC PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO'S LINDA NORRIS AUDITORIUM ON FRIDAY APRIL 20th

On Friday, April 20th, the Brian Patneaude Quartet + 1 will celebrate the release of As We Know It (WEPA Records) with a performance at 8:00pm at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio's Linda Norris Auditorium, 339 Central Ave.,Albany, NY. Tickets for the event are $12 and are available online at www.wamcarts.org or by calling: (518) 465-5233 Ext. 4.

The saxophonist will ...

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Performance / Tour

Brian Patneaude Quartet CD Release Party @ WAMC Performing Arts Studio 3/19/05

Brian Patneaude Quartet CD Release Party @ WAMC Performing Arts Studio 3/19/05

Source: All About Jazz

On Saturday March 19th, the Brian Patneaude Quartet will celebrate the release of “Distance" (WEPA Records) with a performance at 8 pm at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio's Linda Norris Auditorium, 339 Central Ave., Albany, NY. Ticket reservations are $8 and are available by phone at (518) 465-5233 ext. 4, and at the door on the evening of the show.

“ … lyrical, melodic, musical, & tasteful. Every note has its meaning. Distance makes a statement - a beautiful one.” ...

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Performance / Tour

Brian Patneaude Quartet with Phil Grenadier @ The Van Dyck, Schenectady, NY - 12/20/03

Brian Patneaude Quartet with Phil Grenadier @ The Van Dyck, Schenectady, NY - 12/20/03

Source: All About Jazz

This Saturday, December 20th, trumpeter and Fresh Sound New Talent recording artist Phil Grenadier will join the Brian Patneaude Quartet for a special performance at The Van Dyck (237 Union St. Schenectady, NY). The group will be performing the original music of Phil Grenadier as well as brand new material written by the members of the BPQ.

Originally from San Francisco, Phil Grenadier has made quite a name for himself since relocating to the East Coast in 1988. The Boston-based ...

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Recording

Brian Patneaude Quartet releases "Variations" (WEPA Records)

Brian Patneaude Quartet releases "Variations" (WEPA Records)

Source: All About Jazz

Brian Patneaude Quartet releases “Variations" (WEPA Records) WEPA Records is pleased to announce the release of “Variations", the debut recording by the Brian Patneaude Quartet. Formed nearly one year ago, the quartet consists of George Muscatello (guitar), Ryan Lukas (bass), Danny Whelchel (drums) and Brian Patneaude (saxophone). “Variations" is a collection of nine original compositions by the members of the group which have been molded during their popular weekly Sunday night residency at Justin's Restaurant in Albany, NY. The album ...

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Performance / Tour

Brian Patneaude Quartet + 1 featuring Phil Grenadier @ Justin's - Albany, NY 7/14/02

Brian Patneaude Quartet + 1 featuring Phil Grenadier @ Justin's - Albany, NY 7/14/02

Source: All About Jazz

ALBANY, NY - On Sunday, July 14th, trumpeter and Fresh Sound New Talent recording artist Phil Grenadier will join the Brian Patneaude Quartet for a performance at Justin's Restaurant (301 Lark St., Albany NY).

Brother of bassist Larry Grenadier, the Boston based musician has worked with a plethora of high profile jazz artists including Freddie Hubbard, Bob Belden, Chris Potter, Richie Beirach, Terumasa Hino, Mulgrew Miller, Billy Hart, The Bob Nieske 3, The Matt Gordy Quartet, The Allan Chase Quartet, ...

"Thoughtful, harmonically intriguing tunes executed by a fine quartet ... Flaunting a burly tone and a depth of feeling in his lines, Patneaude reflects the influence of Michael Brecker in both his playing and composing."
- Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes Magazine

"‘Riverview’ is a truly fine collection of original compositions and tunes by Don Grolnick and Billy Strayhorn that have been given a modern shine."
- CD Baby "Editor's Pick"

"The quartet seemingly plays all the right notes during this irrefutably compelling album that should find itself on a legion of 2009 top-ten lists. (Don't miss out...)"
- Glenn Astarita, JazzReview.com

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Going Places

Self Produced
2020

buy

All Around Us

WEPA Records
2012

buy

Riverview

WEPA Records
2009

buy

As We Know It

WEPA Records
2008

buy

As We Know It

WEPA Records
2007

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Distance

WEPA Records
2005

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Aimless Antithesis

From: All Around Us
By Brian Patneaude

Riverview

From: Riverview (feat. Mike Moreno,...
By Brian Patneaude

Release

From: Distance
By Brian Patneaude

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