Label: Intakt Records, 2026
Personnel - Michael Formanek: double bass; John O’Gallagher: alto saxophone; Chet Doxas: tenor saxophone, clarinet; João Almeida: trumpet; Mary Halvorson: guitar; Alexander Hawkins: Hammond B3 organ; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.
Lisbon-based American bassist and composer Michael Formanek introduces a new septet, New Digs, featuring his trio partners from Thumbscrew—guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara—alongside British organist Alexander Hawkins and a three-horn frontline of saxophonists John O’Gallagher and Chet Doxas, plus trumpeter João Almeida.
Driven by imaginative, free-flowing arrangements, the band opens with “New Old World”, a platform for resolute bass lines, psychedelic organ textures, slippery rhythmic shifts, and bursts of cacophony marked by stabbing saxophone and trumpet figures over counterintuitive guitar accompaniment. Solos by Halvorson, O’Gallagher, and Doxas stand out, with the latter channeling a fervent, Coltrane-like intensity. The piece resolves unexpectedly in a high-pitched, suspended collective lament, even as Formanek turns to the arco. In turn, “Prequel” establishes an air of mystery through sustained organ chords, insistent bass notes, and kinetic drumming. Clarinet and alto saxophone interweave phrases with precision, while Formanek asserts himself with declamatory gestures supported by varied percussive textures. The piece builds toward a climax shaped by his double stops and chromatic motion.
“It Was” highlights the richness of the saxophone writing over a carefully constructed harmonic progression, while “For My Consideration” gains momentum through a bass pedal point, electrifying organ swells, angular unisons, muscular drumming, and dense horn interplay. Formanek’s compositional approach often suggests looseness in rhythmic design, yet “aka The Stinger” leans into a more direct, bluesy, groove-oriented framework.
Paying tribute to the late pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, “Gone Home / Interlude for Susan Alcorn” features a deeply expressive arco bass statement and a poised trumpet contribution from Almeida over a 3/4 harmonic cycle. “Quinze” emerges as another striking piece, marked by deep grooves, vivid improvisation, and sharp-edged intensity. The closing track, “Nigh Total”, ventures into an intergalactic soundscape shaped by swirling organ textures, resonant bass figures, and grounded percussion.
New Digs is another superb manifestation of Formanek’s capabilities as a bandleader. He remains one of the most distinctive voices in the avant-garde jazz scene, always giving his bands space to unleash their individuality within the frames he attentively designs.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - New Old World ► 02 - Prequel ► 03 - It Was ► 08 - Quinze