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Mary Halvorson: Artlessly Falling
by John Sharpe
Not content with having scaled the heights of the guitar pantheon, with the second release from Code Girl, Mary Halvorson also cements her place in a unique genre of her own design. As befits someone who has taken to heart Anthony Braxton's dictum to find her own musical voice, she presents something which is part art song, part indie rock, part mainstream jazz and part free form, but all Halvorson. Mirroring the progression of her trio, first to ...
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by Franz A. Matzner
Released by Mary Halvorson's Code Girl, Artlessly Falling presents eight new compositions, each of which is structured around a specific poetic form with accompanying lyrics/poems by Halvorson herself. The forms represent a significant diversity of cultural origins and eras, including Japanese Tanka, 12th century Sestina, French Villanelle, and Malay Pantoum. With each of the above sources arguably requiring deep study to become well-versed in, this central conceit might feel like a daring experiment, hubris, or a bit of ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson's Code Girl: Artlessly Falling
by Vic Albani
Esistono due donne nel mondo del jazz moderno che hanno mostrato di conoscere e capire in toto il genio musicale di Robert Wyatt. La prima, molto tempo fa e quindi in tempi non sospetti, è stata Carla Bley e non c'è altro da aggiungere. La seconda, che è invece colei di cui vogliamo scrivere, è Mary Halvorson, chitarrista newyorkese di Brooklyn, da almeno una dozzina di anni indicata dalla critica più attenta e intelligente quale una delle più intriganti personalità ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson's Code Girl: Artlessly Falling
by Troy Dostert
Aside from her most obvious musical talents, including her phenomenal guitar chops and her budding talent as a lyricist, Mary Halvorson has a special gift for understanding the abilities of her bandmates and drawing out their strengths to the fullest. Part of it is the way she tends to keep the same company in her assorted projects: bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara are the leading examples, having recorded extensively with her in their trio Thumbscrew, as heard on ...
Continue ReadingMaria Grand: Magdalena
by Hrayr Attarian
The intimate and personal Magdalena is tenor saxophonist Maria Grand's second release as a leader. On it she fleshes out the ideas explored on her dynamic debut EP, Tetrawind (Biophilia, 2017). Sandwiched between two spoken-word tracks, the recording showcases Grand's skills as a vocalist, instrumentalist and composer. Singer Jasmine Wilson recites Grand's verse with emotive eloquence on the opening “La Immortal." Grand plays her sax with contemplation while drummer Jeremy Dutton's rustling percussion enhances the dramatic mood.
Continue ReadingMaria Grand: Magdalena
by Vincenzo Roggero
La si aspettava al varco (bonariamente parlando) dopo l'ottimo esordio con l'EP Tetrawind e Maria Grand, giovanissimo talento sbocciato alla corte di Steve Coleman e transitata dalle parti di Steve Lehman, Doug Hammond, Vijay Iyer e Craig Taborn non tradisce le attese, dando alle stampe con Magdalena un album di grande spessore, maturo e per certi versi sorprendente. Rivoluziona la band dell'esordio (Rashaan Carter per la maggior parte dei brani è impegnato al basso acustico, il pianista David Bryant è ...
Continue ReadingMaria Grand: Tetrawind
by Vincenzo Roggero
Maria Grand, madre svizzera, padre argentino, dal 2011 residente a New York, a soli venticinque anni può vantare una serie di collaborazioni da far tremare i polsi -Tyshawn Sorey, Doug Hammond, Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer -oltre ad essere membro stabile dei Five Elements di Steve Coleman e new entry del trio di Steve Lehman. Insomma, roba da far perdere la testa ma Grand la testa dimostra di averla saldamente sulle spalle come ben testimonia Tetrawind, il suo disco di debutto. ...
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