Unpacking Big Ears: The Mary Halvorson Sets

One of the many delights of the Big Ears experience is the opportunity to see and hear musicians perform multiple times, playing in different settings, on different stages, with different bands. 2026 was no exception and I was able to experience "the delightful and gifted weirdness of Mary Halvorson’s playing" (Marc Ribot's description) three times, once in each of the first three days of the festival. 

Halvorson's sound is difficult to describe yet immediately recognizable once encountered. In addition to being a great guitarist, she's also a dedicated composer and bandleader, as willing to take the lead as let her playing provide background atmospherics behind her bandmates. 

Big Ears 2026 opened for me with a performance by Ches Smith's Clone Row, a two-guitar band comprised of (l. to r.) Liberty Ellman, bassist Nick Dunston, Halvorson (in the Cruella deVille coat)  and Smith on drums, vibraphone, and electronics. 

The twin guitars bounced off of each other, played in counterpoint, and played in unison. The result was neither punk nor funk nor John Zorn thrash but something altogether unique and different, an angular fusion of jazz and chamber. Here they are at Public Records in Brooklyn back on October 5 of last year:

Later that night, Halvorson and Smith played again, this time in guitarist Marc Ribot's Shrek ensemble, which also featured bassist Sebastian Steinberg and second drummer Chad Taylor, but I missed that show in order to catch the first night of SML's three-night residency (one of many painful Big Ears decisions). 

On Day Two, Friday, a surprise, "secret show" was announced of Halvorson duetting with Ribot. Like her playing with Ellman in Clone Row, Halvorson bent and twisted her lines in and around Ribot's undulating lines, and while they both had sheet music in front of them, the set was marked by the improvisations between the compositional portions. At one point, Ribot switched to ukulele and performed a straightforward rendition of Goodnight Irene, which Halvorson made much more interesting by adding ambient, outer-spacey tones beneath it. The always outspoken Ribot provided one of the more pointedly political statements of the festival by reading a text by Nelson Mandela, admitting to the use of sabotage after the repressive South African regime had taken away every other means of protest and change away from the people. (The next day was No Kings Day and Ribot lead a group of protesters from the festival to a local protest after a signing event that Saturday.)           

I couldn't find any duet samples of Halvorson and Ribot to share, but below is a 2014 video from a set of Mary performing with a Ribot trio that also included Henry Grimes (bass and violin) and drummer Chad Taylor. The context is different than their stripped-down, Big Ears performance, but the playing of the two guitarists is similar to what I heard last week. 

 

Finally, on Saturday, Day Three, Halvorson presented her new quartet, Canis Major, in one of their rare  performances. Canis Major consists of Mary (l., below) along with (l. to r.) bassist Henry Fraser, drummer Tomas Fujiwara, and young trumpeter Dave Adewumi. Leading her own ensemble, this set was her major showcase event of the weekend and presented in Knoxville's beautiful Tennessee Theater, the largest venue of the festival.. 

Much of the time, Halvorson seemed content to play in the background, providing atmospherics behind Adewumi's lovely playing. One of the many notable features of the set was Mary's use of a loop pedal, an effect I don't think I've seen her use in the past. It's wonderful to see a performer of her stature at the top of her craft continue to expand her repertoire and technique. Another revelation was the playing of Adewumi, who I understand will be releasing his own debut album on Nonesuch Records sometime later this year. Here's Canis Major in their debut performance in New York back in March of 2025. 

While in line between performances, three of four audiences members separately told me that they had earlier met Mary's parents at the festival. Some said they were talking about her performance while waiting on other lines at other sets before the couple proudly announced, "We're her parents," and another said he was struck by the physical resemblance of the mother to Mary and asked her if she was somehow related. They should be proud - their daughter is a major talent and a true vanguard of the current, 21st Century jazz and creative-music renaissance.

SML Win Big Ears 2026!

It's a silly tradition, but every year I crown someone the "winner" of that season's Big Ears festival. Usually, it's the performer I've seen the most times; Brian Marsella and Nels Cline won for that distinction in 2024 and 2025, respectively. But this year, my unofficial winner of Big Ears goes to the group SML.

The band held a three-night residency at Big Ears this year, with two sets on each of the three nights, and members of the band also performed separately with other artists on other stages. They could probably win the year based on number of appearances alone, but they not only were probably my favorite set of the festival, they were probably the most talked-about group. Everyone I met raved about them, and even those who said they didn't care for them based on their recordings were converted after catching one of their sets. Many said that after seeing one of their residency nights they were going to change their schedule to catch them again. I caught them on Night 1 (Thursday) was was tempted to go back again myself. 

SML is the quintet of synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, guitarist Gregory Uhlmann, bassist Anna Butterss, and percussionist Booker Stardrum. The band began at the Los Angeles club ETA, probably best known for Jeff Parker's Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy, and both Butterss and Johnson were part of that Parker quartet. To date, they have released two albums, their self-titled debut and 2025's How You Been, but have only played about a dozen or so live shows. This is odd for a band that started from live performances and seemingly thrives on improvisation and feeding off the audience's energy. After seeing the first night of their Big Ears' residency, I can attest that they're even more compelling live than in the studio. 

Both of their albums were compiled and edited from their live performances at ETA and elsewhere, similar to Teo Marcero's approach on Miles Davis' In a Silent Way and On The Corner. Stylistically though, the recordings probably have more in common with the proto-trance repetitions of Harmonia or Holgar Czukay's re-assembly technique with Can, with polyrhythmic floating patterns and time-clocked electronic rhythms added to the mix. At different moments they may evoke the synth-driven improvisations of Herbie Hancock's Sextant, the rhythmic revelry of Fela Kuti, or the low-end elasticity of Parliament/Funkadelic.

At Big Ears, they performed in the round on a stage set up in the middle of a former Greyhound Bus station. The low floor of the stage was the only barrier between the performers and the audience, which is why it looks like the picture at the top was taken on stage. If it looks like I was shooting over Uhlmann's shoulder, it's because I was. Here's a picture I found online that shows me (in the white shirt) right behind Uhlmann's shoulder.

The second set of each night's Big Ears residency included guest musicians and was billed as SML XL. When I saw them on Thursday night, the guests were Rob Mazurek of Chicago Underground and Deerhoof guitarist John Dieterich. Mazurek was fantastic, blowing both minds and the roof off the venue, although to be honest he was a bit of a ball hog. He dominated the set, allowing little space for the rest of the musicians to express themselves - on Thursday night, SML XL was more The Rob Mazurek Show, with backing by SML. Nevertheless, it was still an exciting and mind-expanding trip.

The rave atmosphere of the reconditioned Greyhound Station was heightened by video projections on the bus terminal walls surrounding the stage.

The only reason I didn't go back to Nights 2 or 3 was because of the richness of the Big Ears' schedule. I wanted to see SML on Friday night, but more than Fred Frith and a "surprise" duet by Marc Ribot and Mary Halvorson? Or on Saturday, more than the Darius Jones Trio? Such are the dilemmas one is forced to consider at Big Ears.

Anyway, SML were the talk of the town at Big Ears 2026 and put on possibly my favorite performance of the weekend, so congrats to SML, you won Big Ears this year!

Big Ears - Day 4

 

Sunday was warmer than Saturday and cooler than Friday as we awoke to blue skies and a final day full of music.

The first set of the day was Brian Marsella's Imaginarium, a 10-piece ensemble performing a two-hour set of wildly diverse music, accompanied by a psychedelic video show. One of the top performances of the festival.    

Laurie Anderson, who performed separately this year, brought Lou Reed's guitars down to Knoxvile with her, and set them up in an old Greyhound terminal (the same venue where I saw SML) against amplifiers to create a continuous four-hour drone of feedback. Some guy occasionally moved some of the guitars, turned them around, or otherwise manipulated them to create variations in the wall of sound. I didn't stay for all six hours (more like 10 minutes).     

It was a day for large ensembles. This is Simon Hanes' Gargantua, a mammoth 15-piece band of three French horns, three trombones, three singers, three bassists, and three drummers. all conducted by Simon Hanes. This isn't my picture, but it's better than anything I took, despite the fact that I'm in it.  

Dave Dougles' GIFTS Quintet was a third the size of Gargantua, and consisted of Douglas on trumpet, the great James Brandon Lewis on tenor sax, the equally great Tomeka Reid on cello, and Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang of the band Son Lux on guitar and drums.

The Miles Electric Band was a 10 piece (trumpet, sax, two keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, two percussionists, and a dj), all of whom were somehow connected to Miles Davis but not one of whom I'd ever heard of before.

And that was that for Big Ears 2026. I drove home today safe and sound, and am finally back in the comfy confines of my own home. 

Inever know what year's Big Ears will be my last, so I soak in each year's performances as if they would be the last ones for me. And the way the world's going crazy right now and thee economy going off the tracks, this year might very well have been my last.

Big Ears - Day 3

Clear skies returned to Knoxville on Saturday, but the morning was still a blustery, cold start to the day. However, it gradually warmed up as the day progressed, but yesterday was probably the coldest I've ever experienced at a Big Ears. 

Nothing cold on stage, though. John Zorn's Cobra game set was as hot (and as inscruitable) as ever. By the way, this pic of the ensemble's final bow isn't mine (photography was forbidden) but I found it somewhere on Facebook. 

Mary Halvorson debuted her new ensemble, Canis Major, featuring the amazing, young trumpet player, Dave Adewumi. Also, Mary's playing style keeps on evolving, and now includes some impressive looping in her already impressive arsenal of methods.   

I never woud have imagined I'd have the chance to see downtown avant-garde legend Charlemagne Palestine perform, but there he was at Big Ears on solo piano in front of projections of his original artwork. A long mesmerizing set, it was a remarkable performance by a remarkable original artist.

Patricia Brennan's septet bought an exciting and fun brand of modern Afro-Cuban jazz to the day in a stand-out performance of a day full of stand-out performances.

The day ended with a terrific set of free jazz by the remarkable Darius Jones. The ensemble, also featuing drummer Gerald Cleaver (not pictured - his had was behind a cymbal from my vantage point) had a fittingly late-night sound as I wrapped up Day Three.

One more day to go.

Big Ears - Day 2

 

Another lovely day in Knoxville. Sure, it was overcast and humid, but at least the weather was warm, at least at the start of the day. 

The day started in stellar fashion with a set by John Zorn's original Masada quartet. Zorn insisted on no photography at the set and I complied, but I found this pic from the set online of Zorn and trumpeter Dave Douglas by someone willing to flout the rules.

My next set was a "secret" surprise set, a lovely improvisational duet between guitarists Julian Lage and Nels Cline. 

The "secret" surprise set knocked me off my plan, but I recovered and went to see Jeff Parket and his Expansion Trio at the Mill nd Mine.

After the cool vibes of Parker, I experienced some revved-up funk by Steven Bernstein and his 11-piece Millennial Territory Orchestra (including John Medeski on the Hammond B-3) playing the music of Sly Stone in a fun, exuberant set. Nels Cline cameoed for a set-ending blaze-of-glory solo.

Speaking of cool, a light rain passed through in the late afternoon, followed by a cold front. Temperatures dropped some 20 degrees and gusty winds made it feel far colder. 

British improv legend Fred Frith with a typically (for him) quirky set of angular compositions and, of course, improvisation. 

Another "secret" surprise show, this time a duet of guitarists Mary Halvorson and Marc Ribot.

I ended the day back at the Bijou, where I had started, for another John Zorn set, this time an ensemble called Awakening Ground featuring Zorn, Medeski, and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. It was another "no photography" set and I again complied, but this time I couldn't find a pic online.

I'm starting with another John Zorn set again today.

Update: Found a forbidden photo of Zorn, Lombardo, and Medeski from the Awakening Ground set.

 

Big Ears - Day 1

 

Back in Knoxville, Tennessee for my seventh consecutive Big Ears since 2018 (the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the covids).  

Thursday evening started with a quirky jazz set by Ches Smith's Clone row. That's guitarist  Mary Halvorson in the Cruella de Ville Dalmatian coat, guitarist Liberty Ellman on the left, bassist Nick Dunston, and Smith over on the far right. 

Next up was the band SML in the round (that's why it looks like I'm onstage with them in this pic) in an old Greyhound station. I'm looking over he shoulder of guitarist Gregory Uhlmann and that's saxophonist Josh Johnson in front of him. I stayed for two sets, and in the second they were joined by trumpeter Rob Manzarek of Chicago Underground and the guitarist from the band Deerhoof. 

Final set of the night was the quartet Medeski, Martin, Metzger & Cline, lined up above as Medeski, Cline, Metzger and Martin.

Didn't make it back to my hotel room until 1:30 am and I'll be back at it at noon for John Zorn's original Masada quartet.

Meanwhile, In Budapest . . .

From what very little I know, the band trabant recorded back in the 1980s, but their music is only now getting released more widely. I like it, and like the enigmatic lack of knowledge of anything about the band other than the sound of this one song. Enjoy!