Thumbscrew: Wingbeats

 

City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, PA, described as the world's largest sanctuary for writers in exile, hosts musicians as well. The cooperative trio Thumbscrew (Mary Halvorson on guitar, Michael Formanek on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums and vibraphone) has enjoyed a series of weeks-long residencies there over the years, with an eye to developing new material. Their latest endeavor is Wingbeats, their eighth album, with just over an hour of stirring originals by each member of the group, plus their take on Charles Mingus’ Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk. The combination of intense workshopping at their residencies and the musicians’ dedication to composing specifically for this grouping results in music of impressive resilience and power. Their nuanced interactions and the freshness of their improvisations make for a genuinely stimulating musical experience. Fujiwara’s xylophone-like sound on the vibes provides a fresh angle to the ensemble. His work on Formanek’s mildly chaotic Somewhat Agree is especially impressive. I’m also drawn to the groove of Formanek’s How May I Inconvenience You Today?, the peaceful aura of Fujiwara’s Irreverent Grace with a soulful Formanek solo, and Halvorson’s sinuous solo on Fujiwara’s Knots. Their arrangement of the Mingus tune, with its myriad parts that somehow all fit together, is perfectly suited to the band’s talents and sensibilities. Wingbeats is a winner from start to finish. Highly recommended! 

Cuneiform Rune 520; Mary Halvorson (g) Michael Formanek (b) Tomas Fujiwara (d, vib); Brooklyn, NY, September 21-22, 2023; Wingbeats/ Greenish Tents/ How May I Inconvenience You Today?/ Irreverent Grace/ Pyrrhic/ Wayward/ Knots/ Singlet/ Somewhat Agree/ Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk; 61:15. www.cuneiformrecords.com

Rich Halley 4: Dusk And Dawn

  Portland, Oregon saxophonist Rich Halley has the best of two worlds in the Rich Halley 4. On Dusk And Dawn, he gets to collaborate with his son Carson Halley on drums, and with a pair of very long-term (26 years and counting) musical companions in the persons of trombonist Michael Vlatkovich and bassist Clyde Reed. That’s a lot of experience to pack into this energetic collection of four Halley originals alternating with a trio of group improvisations. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear all of these musicians live many times over the years, and it’s always a joyous occasion to spend time with them. The combination of Halley’s tenor roar, Vlatkovich’s sly trombone, Reed’s grounded bass, and Carson Halley’s uncluttered but forceful drumming gives the music an undeniably positive and searching spirit. The original compositions leave plenty of room for improvising within the form. The group improvisations, on the other hand, allow for spontaneously generated melodies. At times, it is easy to be unsure of whether or not the underlying structure was written or improvised. But it doesn’t really matter, since the music maintains its grasp on the listener at all times. Especially remarkable passages include the unaccompanied trombone and bass dialogue in Retrograde, the soothing opening section of After Dawn, the swaggering Spatter with a typically rapturous tenor solo and a talkative trombone solo, and Carson Halley’s superbly constructed drum solo on Stretching the Sinews. Dusk And Dawn is. for this listener, a gas from start to finish. Check it out and you’ll probably agree. 

Pine Eagle 016; Michael Vlatkovich (tbn) Rich Halley (ts) Clyde Reed (b) Carson Halley (d); Portland, OR, November 18-19, 2023; Spherical Aberaton [sic]/ The Return/ Retrograde/ After Dawn/ Spatter/ Stretching the Sinews/ The Hard Truth; 52:46. richhalley.bandcamp.com