This is a conceptual Great American Songbook. It is a collection of music that frames us as a country and defines our character in the same passing moments that it shapes us in return. It’s with that thought in mind that the trio of cornetist Ron Miles, guitarist Mary Halvorson, and drummer Greg Saunier reinterpret works by Elliott Smith, the Beach Boys, the Partridge Family, Fiona Apple, and John L. Williams, and give a present day voice to music that situates itself as the modern collection of Tin Pan Alley tunes. There isn’t a moment on this recording that doesn’t deal in fascination and reverence.
It's not like Caroline Davis sits still very long. The saxophonist has an eclectic array of projects, and spread out across the vast modern landscape of jazz expressionism. There's the post-bop brilliance (and Chicago-hip name) of her Pedway ensemble, her contributions to the post-rock jazz of Whirlpool, her sonic…
The Thumbscrew trio of guitarist Mary Halvorson, drummer Tomas Fujiwara, and double bassist Michael Formanek had two simultaneous releases in 2018, but for all intents and purposes, they should be viewed as a single recording. Ours consists solely of compositions from the trio members, while Theirs features compositions by…
Guitarist Mary Halvorson has been doing her own thing for some time now. Most of her albums, arguably, don’t even fall into the Jazz category. It's the kind of music for why avant-garde is its own designation… music that is fearless and inventive and unabashedly creative. There's something exceptionally…
Jan 5 2019
Best of 2018 #41: Saunier, Halvorson, Miles – “New American Songbooks, Volume 1”
Released on Sound American.
I wrote about the album for The Bandcamp Daily.
Music from New York City and Denver, CO.
Available at: Bandcamp | Amazon
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By davesumner • Recap: Best of 2018 • 0 • Tags: Denver, Greg Saunier, Jazz - Best of 2018, Mary Halvorson, New York City, Ron Miles, Sound American