New Digs [CD]

With his extensive artistic biography, Michael Formanek is one of the most outstanding figures in contemporary jazz - as a composer, as a bassist in ensembles, and as a soloist. In this formation, he brings together musicians who are among the most original and articulate voices in American and European jazz innovation. When Formanek envisioned this new ensemble, he started by asking the brilliant Alexander Hawkins to join him, with the specific plan to seat him behind a Hammond B3. He then summoned his long-time partners in Thumbscrew - Mary Halvorson and Tomas Fujiwara - then completed the mix with a triplet of adventurous horn players - John O'Gallagher, Chet Doxas and Joao Almeida. "From beginning to end, New Digs is a stunning display of Formanek's engaging writing, exploring an array of different musical ambiences, often diving the group into small units that follow their own path - conscious of being in a bigger picture, but almost independent of each other", writes Gonçalo Frota in the liner notes and adds: "Imaginative and versatile as ever, this is Michael Formanek at the top of his game".