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Jazz Articles about Mary Halvorson
Ches Smith: Clone Row
by Glenn Astarita
Ches Smith, the San Diego-born Sacramento-raised drummer who studied philosophy at the University of Oregon before diving headfirst into the Bay Area's experimental music scene, has long been one of modern jazz's most restless spirits. His deep resume includes work with Marc Ribot, Tim Berne, John Zorn, Mary Halvorson and Nels Cline, cementing his reputation as a first-call rhythmic architect for the avant-garde and progressive jazz. Following his acclaimed ten-piece ensemble album Laugh Ash (Pyroclastic, 2024), Smith took a bold ...
Continue ReadingNew Music From Halvorson, Grasso, Harvey & More
by Bob Osborne
A selection of the best of new jazz releases in 2025 with a few classic tracks from previous years. In particular Mary Halvorson's new album is a strong contender for album of the year.Playlist Mary Halvorson “Full of Neon" from About Ghosts (Nonesuch Records) 00:00 Pasquale Grasso “Pannonica" from Solo Be-Bop! (Sony Masterworks) 06:55 Stephen Philip Harvey “Tectonic Shift (Live) [feat. Dan Bruce & Bobby Selvaggio]" from Multiversal : Live At Bop Stop (Hidden Cinema Records) 12:09 Stanley ...
Continue ReadingA Few of My Favorite 2025 Jazz Things (So Far), Part 1
by Ludovico Granvassu
It seems like we were just ringing in the New Year a few days ago, and now it's already July. So let's start looking back at the songs that we have loved the most in the first six months of the year. Here's the first batch.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Etienne Charles “Gullypso" Gullah Roots (Culture Shock) 0:16 Host talks 4:01 John Sturino “Year of the Globe" ...
Continue ReadingSylvie Courvoisier, Mary Halvorson: Bone Bells
by Vincenzo Roggero
Tra i massimi interpreti dei rispettivi strumenti, Sylvie Courvoisier e Mary Halvorson sono le punte di diamante di due generazioni che si incontrano sul terreno comune dell'improvvisazione, del minimalismo sonoro, del prevalere delle idee sulle esibizionismo celebrativo. A partire dalla confezione dell'album, privo di note di copertina, ma arricchito da una grafica (opera di Miles Okazaki) a metà strada tra graffiti art e neoespressionismo alla Jean-Michel Basquiat, con la pudica concessione di una foto a colori delle ...
Continue ReadingBest Jazz Albums of 2025: All-Star Break Edition
by AAJ Staff
As we hit the halfway mark of 2025, All About Jazz has adopted Major League Baseball's All-Star break approach but swapping homers for albums. Our team of 55 writers convened to name their top three albums of the year so far, with Mary Halvorson's About Ghosts (Nonesuch) emerging as the clear favorite and an early contender for album of the year. Her collaboration with Sylvie Courvoisier (Bone Bells, Pyroclastic Records), also earned spots on a few lists. Other notables include ...
Continue ReadingChes Smith: Clone Row
by Vic Albani
Giù il cappello ancora una volta. Ches Smith è davvero un meraviglioso esempio di intelligenza e--dopo il bellissimo capolavoro dedicato al Voodoo (Path of Seven Colors) pubblicato con Pyroclastic nel 2021, ma anche Laugh Ash del 2024--tira fuori dal cappello un'altra meraviglia affrontando un'autentica destrutturazione di un super quartetto con tanto di due chitarre (Mary Halvorson, regina del canale destro, e Liberty Ellman, protagonista di quello sinistro) e Nick Dunston (basso ed elettronica). Nelle spettacolari note a ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson: About Ghosts
by Doug Collette
Since Mary Halvorson began her prolific affiliation with Nonesuch Records, she has refused to repeat herself except with a purpose. The simultaneous release of Amaryllis & Belladonna (Nonesuch Records, 2022) was the precursor to the expansive Cloudward (Nonesuch Records, 2024), while About Ghosts represents a retrenchment, albeit a productive one. On five of these eight cuts, the identical Amaryllis Sextet that appeared on the latter LP interacts smoothly with guest saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Brian Settles. Such synchrony ...
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