Mary Halvorson

[Bernie]

Had to go to Martin Unofficial Forum to get to know her, but she does play a Guild... I sometimes like some weird music still, but it has to have soul and a strong melodic feel it seems...What about about her ? You'd probably know her better than I do, but who knows, sometimes this kind of artists remain largely unknown....
Please welcome Miss Mary Halvorson www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJwyBBcP51A&t=120s
From Ornette Coleman to Robert Fripp (before love addiction )

 

[GGJaguar]

We know her because she plays an Artist Award. Very avant-jazz so her music is polarizing.

 

[fronobulax]

She's been discussed before.

Search results for query: Mary Halvorson

letstalkguild.com

Not sure she is still or only playing Guilds.

 

[walrus]

...her music is polarizing.

This. I might disagree with using the word "music", but my opinion is undoubtedly a minority opinion. To each his/her own.

See frono's nicely summarized search results for numerous discussions.

walrus

 

[teleharmonium]

She's great.

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

Had to go to Martin Unofficial Forum to get to know her, but she does play a Guild... I sometimes like some weird music still, but it has to have soul and a strong melodic feel it seems...What about about her ? You'd probably know her better than I do, but who knows, sometimes this kind of artists remain largely unknown....
Please welcome Miss Mary Halvorson www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJwyBBcP51A&t=120s
From Ornette Coleman to Robert Fripp (before love addiction )

Sounds like a bunch of people warming up at the same time but they never get warm enough to play a song together.

 

[Guildedagain]

Too horny for me, can't hear the guitar.

 

[Bernie]

I don't like some of it, but the piece I mentioned appealed to me. She played a Guild, so I thought it might interest some people here. Glad to see you knew her already. Thought I might teach you a bit, but obviously no...
Still, she is a brave person to dare play that style : music is not only songs, and she has enough skill to be given a chance to be heard at least ; must be hard to earn enough money to survive this way, and I'm glad such people do play this music, when I end up having enough patience to listen and enjoy it.

 

[wileypickett]

Not that I'd know, but it's possible she's doing OK at making ends meet -- she's certainly got a following; she played Carnegie Hall; got the cover of DownBeat; is on the prestigious Nonesuch label, home to Ry Cooder, Randy Newman, and many other "critic's darling" type performers.

 

[jp]

I appreciate that there are people making music like she does. I certainly have to be in the mood to listen to it, just like Ornette Coleman, John Zorn, and any of the jazz folks that composed pretty out there stuff like Charles Minigus, Sun Ra, and even Duke Ellington. Sometimes I can't tolerate it, but I can also say the same for certain very specific genres like blues, popular radio music, punk, classic rock, or classical.

Over the years, I've come to realize that every kind of music has its place and audience, and I have the capacity to both love it and hate it, depending on how I feel at the time. Lol!

 

[crank]

Ugh.

 

[walrus]

Well, she did do a duet album with one of my favorite guitarists, Bill Frisell, in 2018. "The Maid With the Flaxen Hair" is an album of Johnny Smith songs.






walrus

 

[Canard]

I do not own any of her recordings, but I have probably seen her live a dozen or more times in various contexts. She looks like she should be a librarian, but she has chops, albiet outside ones. And she can play quite straight if the situation calls for it.

The most memorable setting was backing up cellist, Tomeka Reid.

 

[davidbeinct]

I’m not crazy about what I’ve heard of hers, but I don’t know how anyone can hear her and cast aspersions on her chops, or her bandmate’s.