Thumbscrew, Never is Enough ***** 5 star rating

The notion such and such has a signature sound is regularly trotted out. I tear my hair out. Just as often as not the declaiming is untrue. However, Mary Halvorson palpably has a signature sound. There – the tendency is infectious and the marlbank …

Published: 27 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

The notion such and such has a signature sound is regularly trotted out. I tear my hair out. Just as often as not the declaiming is untrue. However, Mary Halvorson palpably has a signature sound. There – the tendency is infectious and the marlbank bonce is suddenly all minimalist. Hat's that. Narrowing in: the way that the guitarist wrestles with a kind of playful detunery delivered in spiky mischief folding in a bluesy ache for good measure is part of her appeal. Thumbscrew drummer Tomas Fujiwara is terrifically engaged but never showy on 'Sequel to Sadness' especially. Yet if you really want to experience how Halvorson develops an idea navigate to the beginning of the title track. On 'Through an Open Window' the microtones she rustles up cause a riot. A gem of a release, bassist Michael Formanek deftly setting the scene on 'Camp Easy'. Thumbscrew know how to filter out the stuff you don't want ever to hear and cut to the chase.

On Cuneiform

Tags:

Paul Dunmall/Percy Pursglove/Olie Brice/Jeff Williams, Palindromes

Refer. Radar: Inspired by listening to Olie Brice earlier (see post on The Secret Handshake with Danger, Vol. One) these two 'Tattarrattat' pieces are contrasting to that fine excerpt and not only because all roads lead to the fun pursuit of …

Published: 27 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

Next post

Refer. Radar: Inspired by listening to Olie Brice earlier (see post on The Secret Handshake with Danger, Vol. One) these two 'Tattarrattat' pieces are contrasting to that fine excerpt and not only because all roads lead to the fun pursuit of thinking up a few appropriate palindromes. Both Palindromes and …Handshake… are in the same free improv tenet that all the players subscribe to, there we go again, albeit this is not nearly as wild. Paul Dunmall dominates to a certain extent, as one of the UK's most rounded Coltranian players. On the heavyweight sax spectrum among the leading Brit players Alan Skidmore is more early-period Trane in spirit; Denys Baptiste, Nubya Garcia, Andy Sheppard, Tommy Smith, Binker Golding and Courtney Pine more centrist interpreters yet all who can shuttle along into the more weightless spaceways at will depending on particular projects. Dunmall is more Coltrane-into-Ayler, Shabaka Hutchings Trane-into-Yusef Lateef. And that leaves Evan Parker as the foremost ''fully altered'' late-period Traner in spirit and the most revolutionary of all. Dunmall exudes a grandeur throughout and plays quite brilliantly. Hearing Jeff Williams in this context is different than say the recently released Live at London Jazz Festival: Road Tales as usually he plays less-freely so this is also a continuing education in Williamsiana. Pure gestalt and highly recommendable. Out now on West Hill.

Olie Brice, top. Photo via YouTube