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Mary Halvorson: Cloudward
by Doug Collette
The title of guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's Cloudward alludes to the sense of optimism she has stated she felt when writing the bulk of the material in fall of 2022. And while this palpable sense of faith in the future is in marked contrast to the tangible air of eerie foreboding that surfaced so often on this LP's predecessors, the presence of largely the same personnel lineup--the Amaryllis Sextet-- provides a stable link of continuity. The reappearance of prior collaborators recording ...
read moreTomas Fujiwara 7 Poets Trio: Pith
by John Sharpe
In many ways, Pith, the second offering from drummer Tomas Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio, pursues the course set by the eponymous debut (Rogue Art, 2020) with its lightly swinging lyricism, moments of reflective calm, and a restrained aesthetic which nonetheless permits adventurous forays. The unusual instrumentation, in which the leader supplements his trapset with Tomeka Reid's cello and Patricia Brennan's vibraphone, promotes a cool, airy feel, which at times recalls the chamber elegance and collective give and take of the ...
read moreMary Halvorson: Cloudward
by Mike Jurkovic
Guitarist, composer & raconteur Mary Halvorson could very comfortably (and rightfully) wear the sobriquet of “The Charles Mingus of Guitar" if she wanted to. But even that open-ended comparison would limit her as she outdoes herself again on Cloudward. Though it must surely be getting harder to top herself given the string of releases--the deliberately articulate schizophrenia Amaryllis and Belladonna (Nonesuch, 2022), the unbridled trio synergy Multicolored Midnight (Cunneiform, 2018), the crackling mad invention propelling 2018's Code Girl (Firehouse 12 ...
read moreTomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio: Pith
by Mark Corroto
The instructions that came with Tomas Fujiwara's 2019 release, 7 Poets Trio (RogueArt), read, “I'd like to tell you as little as possible about this music before you listen to it... and create your own scenes for which these songs can be soundtracks." The same advice is warranted for Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio follow up recording Pith. Historically, the talented composer and drummer writes music with his band mate's individual voices in mind. He does so in ensembles ...
read moreIllegal Crowns: Unclosing
by John Sharpe
When a band of four leaders in their own right still exists over ten years after its inception, then something worthwhile is afoot. Illegal Crowns comprises the familiar American triumvirate of guitarist Mary Halvorson, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, who first crossed paths with French pianist Benoît Delbecq in 2012. Their third album Unclosing follows on from an eponymous debut (Rogue Art 2016) and the sophomore No-Nosed Puppet (Rogue Art , 2020). An accomplished blend of accessibility ...
read moreAn Eclectic Mix Of New Releases
by Bob Osborne
On this show we present an eclectic mix of new releases from Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double, Gerald Cleaver Brandon Lopez & Hprizm, Eldad Tarmu, Michael Rabinowitz, Avi Granite 6, Ralph Alessi, Bobo Stenson Trio, and Gianluigi Trovesi & Stefano Montanari.Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double “March On" from March On (Bandcamp) 00:46 Gerald Cleaver, Brandon Lopez, Hprizm “Mainsource C" from In The Wilderness (Positive Elevation) 32:37 Eldad Tarmu “Cafe Sole" from Tarmu Jazz Quartet (Queen of ...
read moreTomas Fujiwara's Triple Double: March
by Jerome Wilson
This is the second release by drummer and vibraphonist Tomas Fujiwara's unique double trio with himself and Gerald Cleaver on drums, Mary Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook on guitar and Taylor Ho Bynum and Ralph Alessi on brass, a group that can be configured as two trios, three pairs of instruments or something in between. The sound of the resulting combinations can come out ambient or raucous, but tends towards an angular prog-jazz fusion sound, that can pack the punch of ...
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