Mary Halvorson Is Always Thrilling and Amazing

Jazz guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has plied her trade in a variety of configurations: as a solo guitarist, with vocalists, string ensembles, quartets, you name it. However, she’s currently in the midst of what may be her most acclaimed and creatively fruitful period. As the leader of the jazz sextet Amaryllis, Halvorson released Amaryllis (2022), Cloudward (2024), and now About Ghosts (2025). As with the previous two releases, About Ghosts continues Halvorson’s brilliant and engaging exploration of this particular format.

Reuniting with the same five musicians – Jacob Garchik on trombone, Nick Dunston on double bass, Tomas Fujiwara on drums, Patricia Brennan on vibraphone, and Adam O’Farrill on trumpet – Halvorson has added additional saxophones on a few of the tracks, courtesy of Immanuel Wilkins on alto and Brian Settles on tenor. This was the result of her desire to add more dense harmonies to the mix without starting from scratch with a completely new ensemble. “I guess I do that a lot,” Halvorson explained. “Take something that already feels good and then add an element, kind of throw a wrench in it, and see what happens.”

The results are nothing short of spectacular. As always, while Halvorson composes and contributes guitar (as well as a synthesizer called a Pocket Piano), she is all too willing to let the other musicians shine and solo throughout. From the creeping, simmering opening track, “Full of Neon”, to the lush, multifaceted closer, “Endmost”, the eight songs that comprise About Ghosts are engaging, sonically rich pieces that display the full capabilities of the musicians assembled.

Horn arrangements are one of the many highlights of this beautiful record, spiked throughout tracks like “Carved From”, as the vibraphone weaves in and out, the rhythm section cooks, and Halvorson takes on extended, mesmerizing solos. Additionally, the Pocket Piano synth, provided to her from childhood friend Owen Oborn of the musical gadget company Critter & Guitari, blasts in unexpectedly at the song’s conclusion, adding oddball levity to the performance.

Halvorson shifts both tone and tempo throughout the record, and the lightning-fast “Absinthian” benefits from its swiftness as well as the exquisite multiple solos. The glorious, languid title track is a leisurely stroll that benefits from Halvorson and Garchik’s spotlight moments, as well as the addition of Wilkins and Settles, adding a nice extra texture.

Some of the more off-kilter moments that were the linchpin of Halvorson’s earlier efforts present themselves here as well, such as on the wobbly, curious intro and outro segments of “Amaranthine”, which include bits of robotic rhythms and vague experimentalism (before turning into a glorious, melodic showcase for O’Farrill’s trumpet). The fast, jittery horn charts on “Polyhedral” recall Frank Zappa’s 70s fusion era. “Eventidal” is introduced with brushed drums and some delightfully odd harmonics from Halvorson, creating a somewhat ambiguous vibe.

In my 2024 review of Cloudward, I observed that the record conveyed a sense of adventurous optimism, which certainly seems to be the general feeling on About Ghosts as well. Mary Halvorson, a 2109 MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, is a brilliant musician and composer. Instead of keeping all of those talents to herself, she allows her fellow musicians to thrive and prosper in this rich musical environment. If Halvorson is the future of jazz, we are in tremendously gifted hands.