Mary Halvorson Quintet, 'Saturn Sings' Free Stream

NPR streams Ms. Halvorson’s release for free:

Over the 10 tracks that make up her second album as a leader, Halvorson splits the time between her regular trio (bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith) and a full quintet, which adds trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon. The harmonies were inspired by a diverse group of composers (Clifford Brown, Thelonious Monk, Robert Wyatt, Dmitri Shostakovich, Archie Shepp), but the new horn section provides the guts behind the songs, taking the spirit of Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye. It also doesn’t hurt that Hebert knows his way around a funky bass line that tugs at the legs to move — or at least shuffle spasmodically.

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