Classical CDs Weekly: Brahms, Bruckner, Stravinsky
"Hofbauer understands the score's sophistication, allowing his players to improvise within Stravinskian harmonic constraints. His collaborators are superb – singling anyone out seems unfair, but Todd Brunel's nimble, punchy bass clarinet deserves special praise along with percussionist Curt Newton." The arts desk.com classical music reviews, news & interviews graham rickson

"Full body warm-up music, firing on all cylinders, fake or shake it, it doesn't matter, the energy is intelligent progressive, the avant is on guard and the vibe is smiling. None too heavy this 'Free Jazz' variant, courtesy of Todd Brunel's funk loving band of acers." Fiona Ord-Shrimpton, All About Jazz


CIRCADIAN RHYTHM KINGS
The Rotary Records
Three Thirty Four
7 tracks

"Thirty seconds into track one and it’s already painfully clear that Circadian Rhythm Kings are shaping some of the most exciting, exhilarating, and daunting jazz I’ve ever heard. What stands out most is the dazzling cacophony of wind instruments that weave their way through the record: The dulcet croon of clarinet, the spit-fire fury of trumpet and sax, the airy trills of the flute, and the booming braggadocio of the bari, all resounding en masse. Of course, I don’t want to sell the rhythm section short. It’s the warm fluid smears of upright bass and stream-of-conscious percussion work that allow the compositions to free-flow their way from nebulous piano-filled fogs to Latin-tinged poly-rhythmic grooves and back again with such subliminal ease. Sure, those clarinet lines may sound as smooth as nocturnal emissions and the surreal contour of the compositions may flow like you thought only dreams could, but don’t let their name fool ya—this isn’t the type of jazz that will put you to sleep."      (Will Barry)

"Noralee Walker, viola, and Todd Brunel, clarinet, performed Prelude, Allegro and Pastorale...I found Walker and Brunel's interaction as chamber musicians to be one of the high points of the afternoon. They created a finely calibrated sound world in the Prelude, blending their instruments' muted qualities with masterful sensitivity. They navigated the intricately fitted, angular lines of the Allegro with energy and flair, and brought out the unexpected dark qualities of the Pastorale, which, belying its name is murky and full of disturbing shifts in harmony."
Read the full article here: 
http://classical-scene.com/2013/05/01/rebecca/
-Zoe Kemmerling, the Boston Music Intelligencer

Read the Jon Garelick review from Garrison Fewell's Variable Denisity show at Johnny d' that featured saxophonist John Tchicai:
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/110109-variable-density/

"If you frequent the tiny avant-improv bunker Outpost 186, then you're familiar with clarinettist Todd Brunel's Vortex Series, which features some of the city's finest jazz musicians and free-improvisers of all stripes."
-The Boston Phoenix, "Bos Picks"

"The performances were all high quality..... Mr. Brunel, mostly on bass clarinet treated, to quote Judith Weir, as “a hysterical treble instrument with a surprise bass extension,” exhibited sure command of all his extended and unextended techniques...."
Read the full review
here    
-Vance R. Koven, the Boston Music Intelligencer           

The Circadian Rhythm Kings
"With a name that mashes up the biological day/night clock with a prototypical jazz ensemble moniker,
and a roster that includes some of the most adventurous musicians around, the Kings
marry free jazz with swinging and funky beats."

-Kevin Lowenthal, The Boston Globe
 
Kalvos and Damian IN THE HOUSE! Show #555:
  August 15, 2009: 
Click Here


"Clarinetist Todd Brunel and pianist Synthia Sture played with tremendous virtuosity and heart".
-
Eileen Pfeiffer, the Boston Globe

" The perfect control over the instruments allowed the soloists the subtle, at times almost jocular transition through the different styles and genres – waltz, jazz, Bulgarian folk rhythms!… The emotional and capturing performance aroused the spontaneous applause of the audience and the consequent encore – a brief improvisation by Todd Brunel based on the Bulgarian folk song Recumbent Todora
Polina Kuyumdzhieva, Music Critic, Musical Horizons Magazine


  "Sweeping solos blown in a diverse stream of study nothingness.........played by true cats, heavy pros."
— The Gods of Music .com


"Todd Brunel's Vortex series presented Katt Hernandez and himself with highly regarded blues oriented pianist David Maxwell sitting in with the duo. The music was all over the place, succeeding and failing intermittently with all of its diversity. The highlight of the set.....was the Brunel Hernandez encore in which everything came together beautifully."
Stu Vandermark, Cadence Magazine


 " In "Freedom by Design", Butch Morris's Conduction leaves little to chance. The success of the conductions depends on Morris's ability to find compatible musicians.... In Boston, he'll have local clarinettist Todd Brunel, with whom he's worked before, as well as a couple of musicians from New York, including accordionist Andrea Parkins...."
Jon Garelick, Boston Phoenix


" The Hurtado was nimbly traversed by.........clarinetist Todd Brunel"
David Cleary, the New Music Connoisseur


Dave Latchaw's Music Ezine for Independant Musicians and fans of music:
http://www.latchmusic.com/the_zine_40_november_2003.htm


" Circadian Rhythm Kings and Americanmusicrevolution.com, two bands featuring reedman Todd Brunel, are playing a benefit for Zeitgeist Gallery tonight at the Cellar Bar."
From the Boston Globe, Jazz Pick of the Week


" ...powerful polyrhymic improvisations."
— Somerville Arts Council