Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Formanek - Tomas Fujiwara - Mary Halvorson: Convallaria

23

Michael Formanek - Tomas Fujiwara - Mary Halvorson: Convallaria

By

Sign in to view read count
Michael Formanek - Tomas Fujiwara - Mary Halvorson: Convallaria
Three hyper-progressive improvisational jazz and cross-genre artists push the envelope again on their 2nd album for Cuneiform Records. The musicians' busy schedules via numerous and largely prolific solo and group-based projects have rocketed their respective artistries into the limelight, especially ECM recording artist Michael Formanek (bass) who for the past several decades has become a household name within these circles. Nonetheless, it's an adventurous exploration, led by guitarist Mary Halvorson's signature phraseology, comprised of extended lines that vaporize into the cosmos amid her diminutive note-bending jaunts and so on. Here, drummer Tomas Fujiwara generates a buoyant underpinning with colorful accents in parallel with Formanek's fluid and powerful support.

The album moniker refers to a sweet scented but poisonous plant. Regardless, this is a guitar trio exposition of a different color as they toggle between jovial encounters and ravenous dialogues. Subtle surprises abound. For example, on "Trigger," Halvorson's pensive opening statements are contrasted by drummer Tomas Fujiwara's tranquil toms pattern, leading to the guitarist's reverberating chord voicings and eerie electronics treatments. Essentially, it's a floating and somewhat bizarre dirge-like ballad.

At times the trio delves into punk jazz frameworks, eliciting notions of a Sonic Youth type attack. But "Tail of the Sad Dog features Halvorson's EFX, hazy distortion soundscapes and oddball phrasings atop an asymmetrical workout, tempered by Formanek's capacious passages. They build upon a simple oscillating motif, subsequently elevated into a pulsating exposition. And while there aren't a host of hummable pieces, the trio's dynamic inner-workings, crafty risk-taking maneuvers and discernable fellowship sustain a high level of interest.

Track Listing

Cleome; Sampsonian Rhythms; Trigger; Screaming Piha; Convallaria; Tail of the Sad Dog; The Cardinal and the Weathervane; Danse Insense; Spring Ahead; Inevitable.

Personnel

Michael Formanek
bass, acoustic

Mary Halvorson: guitar; Michael Formanek: double bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

Album information

Title: Convallaria | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Cuneiform Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.