Thumbscrew

Since arriving on the avant-garde jazz scene in the early '00s, guitarist Mary Halvorson has quickly made a name for herself, playing with a number of established players and leading an array of small, forward-looking bands. She's joined in the collaborative group Thumbscrew by young and emerging drummer Tomas Fujiwara and established bassist Michael Formanek, an acclaimed leader whose past credits as a sideman range from Tony Williams to Tim Berne. Not surprisingly, this is a restless blend of visceral grooves, angular transitions, and unexpected flights. Those looking for something leaning more toward rock should turn to the short and thorny “Nothing Doing” and the more exploratory “Buzzard’s Breath,” which lays down a meaty 4/4 beat. The playful but tangled “Still… Doesn’t Swing” lives up to its name, and the title track is pretty tricky too. Perhaps the best song here, “Fluid Hills in Pink,” is a dark formal melody carried on Formanek's insistent bass. It all adds up to an excellent recording by a new trio that have already found their creative footing.