Illusionary Sea, by Mary Halvorson

Illusionary Sea

by Mary Halvorson

supported by

Guitar Noire Great compositions and band interplay! Favorite track: Illusionary Sea (No. 33).

federicofrancszarco Bravo!! Desde España de un fan incondicional. Saludos Federico.

Michael Mueller Mary Halvorson's compositions make my head spin. As is so often the case with her work, here, she continues to twist and subvert conventional notions of melody and modality.

Her own playing is astonishingly deft, and the arrangements complex and inventive.

But there is a warmth here, too; a playful of spirit, a restlessness to continue to change and connect in new ways.

Halvorson isn't just a jazz innovator, she's fast becoming one of of the giants of new music. Favorite track: Smiles of Great Men (No. 34).

Nerdwood Visionary guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson leads a seven-piece ensemble that swings, grooves, cooks, smokes, slices, dices and is just plain fun to listen to.

more...

	/

Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Double LP at 45 RPM with Gatefold Cover, plus exclusive liner notes by NPR's Lars Gotrich

Includes unlimited streaming of Illusionary Sea via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

edition of 500

Purchasable with gift card

$35 USD
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$10 USD
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

Comes in 4-panel digipack

Includes unlimited streaming of Illusionary Sea via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

Purchasable with gift card

$13 USD

1.	Illusionary Sea (No. 33) 07:07	buy track
2.	Smiles of Great Men (No. 34) 07:38	buy track
3.	Red Sky Still Sea (No. 31) 09:39	buy track
4.	Four Pages of Robots (No. 30) 07:14	buy track
5.	Fourth Dimensional Confession (No. 41) 06:42	buy track
6.	Butterfly Orbit (No. 32) 05:52	buy track
7.	Nairam 05:39	buy track

about

On September 10th, Firehouse 12 Records will release the Mary Halvorson Septet’s Illusionary Sea, the guitarist/composer’s fourth album as a leader for the label and the debut of her seven-piece ensemble. The new group adds Ingrid Laubrock (tenor saxophone) and Jacob Garchik (trombone) to Halvorson’s long-running quintet featuring Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon (alto saxophone), John Hébert (bass), and Ches Smith (drums). In addition to single CD and digital download versions, Firehouse 12 will also offer a limited edition double LP, on 45-rpm audiophile vinyl with liner notes by NPR's Lars Gotrich.

Illusionary Sea follows Halvorson’s much-lauded Firehouse 12 recordings Bending Bridges (2012), Saturn Sings (2010), and Dragon’s Head (2008). This body of work as a leader demonstrates why Halvorson has been described as "the most original jazz guitarist in a generation" (Michael J. West, Washington City Paper), and "one of today’s most formidable bandleaders" (Francis Davis, Village Voice).

At the end of 2011, Halvorson had finished writing two albums’ worth of quintet music and decided she was ready for a new challenge. Thinking of the constant encouragement of her mentor Anthony Braxton to “write for larger ensembles,” Halvorson decided to expand her core ensemble (which already included trio and quintet versions), creating a mini-big band that maintains the trust and rapport of her smaller groups. She says, “Adding to an existing band piece-by-piece feels like completing a puzzle, rather than starting from scratch.”

The album features six Halvorson originals, where the four-horn blend brings deeper sonority, orchestral possibility, and an increased level of intricacy to Halvorson’s distinctive compositional voice. The seven musicians are both masterful soloists and sensitive ensemble players, as individual spotlights seamlessly blend with collective energy. Halvorson closes the recording with a surprise, paying tribute to one of her musical heroes, Robert Wyatt. Her exquisite arrangement of "Nairam" - penned by Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine and recorded under the title "Maryan" on Wyatt's album Shleep - is the first cover to appear of any of Halvorson's albums as leader.

credits

released September 10, 2013

Jonathan Finlayson - trumpet
Jon Irabagon - alto saxophone
Ingrid Laubrock - tenor saxophone
Jacob Garchik - trombone
Mary Halvorson - guitar
John Hébert - bass
Ches Smith - drums

license

about

Mary Halvorson New York, New York

shows

Apr 09

Space Gallery

Portland, ME
Apr 11

Pioneer Works

Brooklyn, NY
May 05

Downtown Brooklyn Bed & Breakfast

Brooklyn, NY

discography

Amaryllis

May 2022
Belladonna

May 2022
Artlessly Falling

Oct 2020
Code Girl

Mar 2018
Away With You

Oct 2016
Meltframe

Sep 2015
Illusionary Sea

Sep 2013
Bending Bridges

May 2012
Saturn Sings

Oct 2010
Dragon's Head

Oct 2008

contact / help

Contact Mary Halvorson

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Mary Halvorson, you may also like:

Enter the PlusTet
by Taylor Ho Bynum

supported by 81 fans who also own “Illusionary Sea”

Nobody, giant or otherwise could sleep through that opening section!...I liken it to the struggle for life...working/striving for balance in a musical/ecological domain... (what?) oh, its groovy too! Bob Ross
go to album
Fly or Die
by jaimie branch

supported by 77 fans who also own “Illusionary Sea”

This record has such a magical flow to it, it seems to capture so directly the ups and downs of life, the joy of music and dance, and it's just so damn catchy and fun to listen to as well. Giles
go to album
Universal Beings
by Makaya McCraven

supported by 76 fans who also own “Illusionary Sea”

Drummer, band leader, sound collagist Makaya McCravens 2nd opus magnum. Material from 4 different purely improvised live sets in 4 cities, recomposed into new compositions/collages. To astonishing results, I have to add. Carsten Pieper
go to album
Protean Labyrinth
by Kyoko Kitamura

The musician shines brightly on this experimental jazz/classical hybrid. Bandcamp Album of the Day Aug 13, 2018
go to album
Coffee Philosophy
by K. Sparks, Ricardo Schneider, Hoffy Beats

featured on Bandcamp Radio Mar 23, 2023
go to album
Ngo Ma
by IzangoMa

featured on Bandcamp Radio Mar 21, 2023
go to album
Pillars
by Tyshawn Sorey

supported by 75 fans who also own “Illusionary Sea”

Total mastery of patience, time, and drama create a constantly engaging journey that never gets tiresome or same-y: in fact the harder you listen the better it gets! Somehow Sorey et al. find a way to combine the deep listening and spontaneous interaction of the best jazz with the sense of every tone and sound being worth a universe of listening, which could be equally from Cage and Feldman or the accompaniment to an ancient ritual. The recording/engineering is absolutely perfect as well. Giles
go to album