Guitarist Mary Halvorson is definitely one of the most inquisitive of today’s guitarists, looking for a place to sit in almost any atmosphere. This time around, she focuses on creating atmospheres for poetry delivered by the dreamy voice of Amirtha Kidambi, joined by tenor saxist/vocalist Maria Grand, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara and a special guest appearance by King Crimson alumnus Robert Wyatt, who loans his voice on a few pieces.
With Wyatt and Kidambi, the sounds get dreamy and lonely on “The Lemon Trees” while Halvoson gets dark and Crimson’d on “Walls and Roses”. Wyatt stretches out his raspy voice on the loose and elliptical “Bigger Flames” with some added textures by O’Farrill and Grand. Halvorson and Kidambi swoop downward on the melancholic “Mexican War Streets”, with this piece and “A Nearing” sounding reminiscent of the mood, passion and sway of Charlie Haden’s classic Ballad of The Fallen. “Last Minute Smears” also includes pleading, prismatic bass, voice and tenor sax, melding bohemia and post bop. An intriguing direction with Halvorson’s guitar used as an impressionistic paint brush for lines, shades and tones.