Projects
Thumbscrew
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Michael Formanek Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
"It is neither hierarchical the way a soloist with accompaniment is, nor anti-hierarchical, the way free improv can be. The balance of governance and acquiescence is in constant flux, governed by a jointly shared sense of responsibility engendered by trust."
Bill Meyer, The Wire
Compositions by all. Some covers coming next year.
"Thumbscrew" and "Convallaria" on Cuneiform Records. Two new albums out in 2018.
The Out Louds
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Ben Goldberg Clarinets
Mary Halvorson Guitar
“A lot of contemplation goes into every move and moreover, they move together. Though the music is greatly instinctual, the thought of what springs forth from their minds before they even carry out those thoughts through their instruments becomes more important than the instruments themselves.”
S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!
Group composition and improvisation. Eponymous debut on
Relative Pitch Records.
Mary Halvorson's Code Girl
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Amirtha Kidambi Vocals
Ambrose Akinmusire Trumpet
Michael Formanek Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“…it’s a bold experiment in song form: By pairing Ms. Halvorson’s oblique harmonic sensibility with her own original lyrics, it suggests a kinship with a few of her non-jazz touchstones, like Robert Wyatt of Soft Machine.”
Nate Chinen, The New York Times
Mary's words and music. Debut out on Firehouse 12 Records
in early 2018.
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet
Taylor Ho Bynum Cornet
Jim Hobbs Alto Saxophone
Bill Lowe Bass Trombone & Tuba
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Ken Filiano Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“One of the most indispensable ensembles in
contemporary jazz.”
Theirry Lepin, Jazzman Magazine, France
Taylor's compositions. "Navigation" and "Apparent Distance" on Firehouse 12 Records.
Mary Halvorson Quartet
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Miles Okazaki Guitar
Drew Gress Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“Simply put, no one is making music like this.”
Lloyd Sachs, JazzTimes
"Book of Angels Volume 32: Paimon" out on Tzadik in October
2017. Compositions by John Zorn.
Michael Formanek’s Ensemble Kolossus
Michael Formanek Bass
Loren Stillman Alto Saxophone
Oscar Noriega Alto Sax Clarinet & Bass Clarinet
Chris Speed Tenor Saxophone & Clarinet
Brian Settles Tenor Saxophone & Flute
Tim Berne Baritone Saxophone
Dave Ballou Trumpet
Ralph Alessi Trumpet
Shane Endsley Trumpet
Kirk Knuffke Cornet
Alan Ferber Trombone
Jacob Garchik Trombone
Ben Gerstein Trombone
Jeff Nelson Bass Trombone & Contrabass Trombone
Patricia Brennan Marimba
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Kris Davis Piano
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Mark Helias Conductor
“The luminous voicing of the 40s Birth of the Cool band
or the slinky blues-swing of a Charles Mingus group
appear in glimpses, but spiky melodies are as prevalent
as mellifluous ones, while no-prisoners solos are bookended
by low-register vamps and fast-moving ensemble parts
fizzing with chases and echoes.”
John Fordham, The Guardian
Michael’s compositions for large ensemble. "The Distance" on
ECM Records.
Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Gerald Cleaver Drums
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Brandon Seabrook Guitar
Ralph Alessi Trumpet
Taylor Ho Bynum Cornet
“Deliberately seeing double in the cause of exploratory jazz, Fujiwara brings together instrumentalists primed to rub each other in all the right and creatively wrong ways.”
The New Yorker
My original compositions for double trio. Our debut album, "Triple Double", is out on Firehouse 12 Records on October 20.
Tomas Fujiwara & The Hook Up
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Michael Formanek Bass
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Brian Settles Tenor Saxophone & Flute
Jonathan Finlayson Trumpet
“Insightful, invigorating, hard to put a finger on…music with a history, smartly informed and firmly moored.”
Nate Chinen, The New York Times
This ensemble has recorded three studio albums of my original compositions: "Actionspeak" (2010), "The Air Is Different" (2012) and "After All Is Said" (2015), all on 482 Music.
Tomas Fujiwara Trio
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Brandon Seabrook Guitar
Ralph Alessi Trumpet
“In his writing and playing with this band, Fujiwara unshackles a visceral, explosive side of his aesthetic, and his top-flight collaborators seems to take a gleeful pleasure in helping him fuck shit up.”
Peter Margasak, The Chicago Reader
"Variable Bets" (Relative Pitch Records) recorded Live at Barbes in Brooklyn.
Tomas Fujiwara / Taylor Ho Bynum Duo
Taylor Ho Bynum Cornet
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“The playing is not just typically excellent, it’s conversational and buoyant, engaging the listener not through forceful attention-grabbing but rather coherence and seductiveness.” Trevor Hunter, NewMusicBox
Individually and collectively composed compositions and improvisations. "True Events" (482 Music), "Stepwise" (Nottwo Records), and "Through Foundation" (Self released vinyl).
Illegal Crowns
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
Benoit Delbecq Piano
Taylor Ho Bynum Cornet
“Together they form a collective of supreme talent, united
by a lyrical streak which surfaces even amid invigorating
improv vigor.”
John Sharpe, All About Jazz
Compositions by all. Eponymous debut on Rogue Art. Second album out in 2018 on Rogue Art.
Tomeka Reid Quartet
Tomeka Reid Cello
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Jason Roebke Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“…something wonderfully different. But the thing is, the odd math is only a subtext to the lovely motion that guides this recording with remarkable fluidity from first note to last.”
Bird Is The Worm
Tomeka's compositions. Eponymous debut on Thirsty Ear Records. Sophomore album out in 2018.
Mary Halvorson's Reverse Blue
Mary Halvorson Guitar
Chris Speed Tenor Saxophone & Clarinet
Eivind Opsvik Bass
Tomas Fujiwara Drums
“Details emerge in melody, harmony and rhythms that are wonderful and do much to reinforce the view that this is one the most interesting bands today."
JazzDaGama
Mary's compositions. Eponymous debut on Relative Pitch Records.
Discography
Coming Soon!
Thumbscrew Ours (Cuneiform, 2018)
Thumbscrew Theirs (Cuneiform, 2018)
Illegal Crowns second album (Rogue Art)
Kristo Rodzevski The Rabbit and the Fallen Sycamore (Much Prefer Records)
Tomas Fujiwara Triple Double VINYL! (Firehouse 12 Records, 2019)
Albums as a Leader
Tomas Fujiwara Triple Double (Firehouse 12 Records, 2017)
Tomas Fujiwara & The Hook Up After All Is Said (482 Music, 2015)
Tomas Fujiwara Trio Variable Bets (Relative Pitch, 2014)
Tomas Fujiwara & The Hook Up The Air Is Different (482 Music, 2012)
Tomas Fujiwara & The Hook Up Actionspeak (482 Music, 2010)
Albums as a Co-Leader
Halvorson, Fujiwara, Bynum, Delbecq Illegal Crowns (Rogue Art, 2016)
Thumbscrew Convallaria (Cuneiform, 2016)
Fujiwara, Goldberg, Halvorson The Out Louds (Relative Pitch, 2016)
Taylor Ho Bynum / Tomas Fujiwara Duo Through Foundation (Self, 2014)
Thumbscrew Thumbscrew (Cuneiform, 2014)
The Thirteenth Assembly Station Direct (Important Records, 2011)
Tomas Fujiwara / Taylor Ho Bynum Stepwise (Nottwo, 2010)
The Thirteenth Assembly Free Jazz from the Sanctuary (Media Sanctuary, 2009)
The Thirteenth Assembly (un)sentimental (Important Records, 2009)
Taylor Ho Bynum / Tomas Fujiwara True Events (482 Music, 2007)
Albums as a Sideman
Mary Halvorson Code Girl (Firehouse 12 Records, 2018)
Nicole Mitchell & Haki Madhubuti Liberation Narratives (Third World Press, 2017)
Mary Halvorson Quartet Book of Angels Volume 32: Paimon (Tzadik, 2017)
Richard Giddens Quintet Mimosas (Orenda Records, 2017)
Kristo Rodzevski Bitter Almonds (MPR, 2017)
Red Baraat Bhangra Pirates (Rhyme and Reason, 2017)
Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus The Distance (ECM, 2016)
Taylor Ho Bynum Enter the Plustet (Firehouse 12 Records, 2016)
Nomoto Nomoto (Self, 2016)
Soo Jung Kae Soo's Collage, Moers Festival Live (Dream Beat, 2016)
Diego Allieri Union Street (No Flight Records, 2016)
Tomeka Reid Tomeka Reid Quartet (Thirsty Ear, 2015)
Kristo Rodzevski Batania (MPR, 2015)
Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng Africa's Moving Forward (Nfewa Music, 2014)
Anthony Braxton Trio Trio (New Haven) 2013 (New Braxton House, 2014)
Mary Halvorson Reverse Blue (Relative Pitch, 2014)
Max Johnson The Prisoner (NoBusiness, 2014)
Ideal Bread Beating the Teens (Cuneiform, 2014)
Jeremy Wilms Diamond People (Diamond People, 2014)
Red Baraat Bhangra Pirates (Sinj, 2014)
Matt Bauder Nightshades (Clean Feed, 2013)
Matana Roberts Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (Constellation, 2013)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet & 7-tette Navigation (Firehouse 12 Records, 2013)
Sasha Dobson Aquarius (Obliqsound, 2013)
Jason Cady Happiness Is the Problem (Lock Step, 2013)
Red Baraat Big Talk (Sinj, 2013)
Jessica Pavone Hope Dawson Is Missing (Tzadik, 2012)
Living By Lanterns New Myth / Old Science (Cuneiform, 2012)
Positive Catastrophe Dibrujo, Dibrujo, Dibrujo...(Cuneiform, 2012)
Red Baraat Shruggy Ji (Sinj, 2012)
Anthony Braxton Creative Music Orchestra (NYC) (New Braxton House, 2011)
Exegesis The Harmony of the Anomaly (Dems Dem's Demos, 2011)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12 Records, 2011)
Red Baraat Bootleg Bhangra (Sinj, 2011)
Nate Wooley / Taylor Ho Bynum The Throes (CIMP, 2011)
Matt Bauder Day In Pictures (Clean Feed, 2010)
Ideal Bread Transmit: Vol. 2 of the Music of Steve Lacy (Cuneiform, 2010)
Red Baraat Chaal Baby (Sinj, 2010)
Mitch Marcus Quintet Countdown 2 Meltdown (Porto Franco, 2009)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet Asphalt Flowers Forking Paths (hatOLOGY, 2009)
Positive Catastrophe Garabatos Volume 1 (Cuneiform, 2009)
Ideal Bread The Ideal Bread (KMB Jazz, 2008)
Taylor Ho Bynum / Stephen Haynes Double Trio (Engine, 2008)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet The Middle Picture (Firehouse 12, 2007)
Soo Jung Kae Trio Soo's Collage (Audioguy, 2006)
Matana Roberts The Calling (Utech, 2006)
