New Reviews In The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings

As we announced here a month ago, the ninth and most recent edition of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings was released in early December. 

After an exhaustive search of all 1545 pages of reviews, we bring you a list of the titles we’ve represented that received new reviews in this edition (below).

Many others were also included in this edition, but the content remained unchanged from the previous edition, released in November 2006.

Anthony Braxton 12+1tet, 9 Compositions (2006) (Firehouse 12 Records)
Charles Gayle, Time Zones (Tompkins Square)
Dave Rempis Quartet, Out of Season (482 Music)
Fewell/Hofbauer Duo, The Lady of Khartoum (Creative Nation Music)
Garrison Fewell, Red Door Number 11 (Splas(h) Records)
George Schuller, Hellbent (Playscape Recordings)
George Schuller Quintet, Round ‘Bout Now (Playscape)
George Schuller’s Circle Wide, Like Before, Somewhat After (Playscape)
Greg Burk, Ivy Trio (482 Music)
Greg Burk, Nothing, Knowing (482 Music)
Greg Burk, The Way In (482 Music)
Greg Burk Quartet, Carpe Momentum (Soul Note)
Greg Burk Trio, Checking In (Soul Note)
Harris Eisenstadt, The Soul and Gone (482 Music)
JD Parran & Mark Deutsch, OMEGATHORP: Living City (Y’All of New York)
Mario Pavone Quartet, Boom (Playscape)
Mario Pavone Sextet, Deez to Blues (Playscape)
Matt Bauder, Weary Already of the Way (482 Music)
Michael Musillami Trio with Mark Feldman, The Treatment (Playscape)
Michel Lambert, Out Twice (482 Music)
Mike Reed, In The Context Of (482 Music)
Mike Reed’s Loose Assembly, Last Year’s Ghost (482 Music)
Peter Evans Quartet, The Peter Evans Quartet (Firehouse 12 Records)
Principle Hope, Principle Hope (Sublingual)
Rob Reddy’s Gift Horse, A Hundred Jumping Devils (Reddy Music)
Rob Reddy’s Small Town, The Book of the Storm (Reddy Music)
Taylor Ho Bynum & Tomas Fujiwara, True Events (482 Music)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet, The Middle Picture (Firehouse 12 Records)
Tchicai/Fewell/Tracanna, Big Chief Dreaming (Soul Note)
The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Rip Tear Crunch (482 Music)
The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Hunter-Gatherers (482 Music)
Thomas Chapin Trio, Ride (Playscape )
Tom Abbs, The Animated Adventures of Knox (482 Music)

Mary Halvorson Trio To Perform At Roulette February 13th

Mary Halvorson Trio by Peter Gannushkin

On Friday, February 13th, Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson and her trio will perform at Roulette in New York.  The group, which also features bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith, will be premiering brand new music in addition to performing selections from its acclaimed 2008 debut, Dragon’s Head (Firehouse 12 Records).  The record, Ms. Halvorson’s first at the helm of her own ensemble, is featured on best-of-the-year lists in AllAboutJazz-New York, Hartford Courant and The Wire.

Critics called Dragon’s Head “an auspicious debut” (Bill Meyer, DownBeat), “a powerful experience” (Brian Morton, Jazz Review) and “among this year’s standout jazz albums and one of the more original recent statements by any jazz guitarist, let alone a female jazz guitarist” (Nate Chinen, New York Times).  “A singular talent,” adds AllAboutJazz.com’s Troy Collins, “Brooklyn-based guitarist Mary Halvorson has come into her own as a composer and improviser with her trio debut, Dragon’s Head…light years ahead of her peers, she is the most impressive guitarist of her generation. The future of jazz guitar starts here.”

A veteran of the ensembles of esteemed saxophonist/composer Anthony Braxton, Ms. Halvorson has been active in New York since 2000, following jazz studies at Wesleyan University and the New School.  In addition to her trio, she co-leads a chamber music duo with violist Jessica Pavone and the avant-rock duo, People, with drummer Kevin Shea.  She has also performed in ensembles led by Tim Berne, Taylor Ho Bynum, Trevor Dunn, Curtis Hasselbring, Tony Malaby, Nicole Mitchell, Jason Moran, Matana Roberts, Elliott Sharp, John Tchicai and Matthew Welch among many others.