Mary Halvorson - Cloudward

[mjzee]

Release date January 19:

The album features eight new compositions by Halvorson, performed with her sextet Amaryllis; the improvisatory band that performed on her critically praised 2022 albums Amaryllis and Belladonna comprises Halvorson, Patricia Brennan (vibraphone), Nick Dunston (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums), Jacob Garchik (trombone), and Adam O’Farrill (trumpet). Labelmate Laurie Anderson also is featured on the album track “Incarnadine.”“All the music on Cloudward was written in 2022, mostly in the fall and winter, when things started moving forward. Life felt like a creaky machine starting up again,” she continues. “Air travel, however chaotic, had resumed, and we were once again cloudward. Performances and tours and recordings were happening after a long hiatus and with a renewed sense of gratitude. This band, for me, was quite simply working, both musically and personally, and the main thing I felt while writing the music was optimism.”

 

[BFrank]

Amaryllis at the Big Ears Festival in March

[jlhoots]

10 hours ago, mjzee said:

Release date January 19:

The album features eight new compositions by Halvorson, performed with her sextet Amaryllis; the improvisatory band that performed on her critically praised 2022 albums Amaryllis and Belladonna comprises Halvorson, Patricia Brennan (vibraphone), Nick Dunston (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums), Jacob Garchik (trombone), and Adam O’Farrill (trumpet). Labelmate Laurie Anderson also is featured on the album track “Incarnadine.”“All the music on Cloudward was written in 2022, mostly in the fall and winter, when things started moving forward. Life felt like a creaky machine starting up again,” she continues. “Air travel, however chaotic, had resumed, and we were once again cloudward. Performances and tours and recordings were happening after a long hiatus and with a renewed sense of gratitude. This band, for me, was quite simply working, both musically and personally, and the main thing I felt while writing the music was optimism.”

 

That actually looks good.

[tranemonk]

I listened to one track on Bandcamp. I generally have not been able to get into her work. This one sounded a little different so I preordered. We'll see. I'm not a convert yet.

[BFrank]

Looking forward to hearing the whole album. She has a very unusual style, for sure ... but that's a GOOD thing!

[Steve Reynolds]

I prefer Mary is smaller groups with more improvisation & less structured mannered music. She’s great live when she gets more out. 

[jlhoots]

1 hour ago, Steve Reynolds said:

I prefer Mary is smaller groups with more improvisation & less structured mannered music. She’s great live when she gets more out. 

Is a sextet too large??

[Steve Reynolds]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

Is a sextet too large??

For her most exciting playing it’s always been a duo, trio or quartet. Like Thumbscrew(trio), Tom Rainey trio or Tomeka’s quartet. The larger groups seem overcomposed and a bit academic or even sterile to my ears. Plus I’m spoiled as I get to see her live often in smaller groups. 

[Rabshakeh]

I think she writes well for horns.

I'm always either on or off for Halvorson. Not all of her projects are equal, but I don't think it's as easily divided as smaller group v. larger group.

[jlhoots]

3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I think she writes well for horns.

I'm always either on or off for Halvorson. Not all of her projects are equal, but I don't think it's as easily divided as smaller group v. larger group.

I like the personnel on Cloudward. Preordered. 😀

Edited December 23, 2023 by jlhoots

[JSngry]

Where is the line between "composed" and "overcomposed"?

[Steve Reynolds]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

Where is the line between "composed" and "overcomposed"?

Too much structure in my view is “overcomposed” and “academic”. Holds the improvisers back. See Threadgill’s Zooid for a good example of great balance. The musicians in that band thrive within his brilliant writing. 

[T.D.]

5 hours ago, JSngry said:

Where is the line between "composed" and "overcomposed"?

In classical music, some seem to think that "total serialism" (e.g. Milton Babbitt) and "New Complexity" (e.g. Brian Ferneyhough) fall into the "overcomposed" category. But there are musicians who enjoy playing that stuff, and the composers named have their fans.

[Disclosure: I kind of enjoy Babbitt's music but have little time for New Complexity]

[JSngry]

Ok then what would "under opposed" be? 

[Steve Reynolds]

Are you interested in my thinking? I’m getting an odd vibe here, Jim
 

Mat Maneri writes some great sparse sketches which allow for great improvisation. Maybe that could be called “undercomposed”. With his dad in the great quartet it was all free music with no pre-written music 
 

I’m still quite a bit more interested in freely improvised music so that might be where my somewhat negative reaction to compositional approaches that hinder creative group/collective improvisation. 

[BFrank]

I wonder if Mary and Threadgill might join up on something at Big Ears in March. They'll both be there.

[LWayne]

Very much looking forward to this release. Mary seems to be endlessly creative and both her small and larger groups produce compelling and thought provoking music.

LWayne