Shape Shifter: Mary Halvorson’s Sonic Evolution

With her Guild archtop in hand, Halvorson continues to reshape the boundaries of jazz guitar. Includes a transcription of her composition “Tailhead.”

Photo by Julian Parker-Burns

Some years ago, a solo on my friend Ted Reichman’s album My Ears Are Bent immediately grabbed my attention. On “Every Man to His Own Taste,” just after a modulation from G major to A-flat, the guitarist’s fierce attack, rhythmic inventiveness, and melodic unpredictability propelled the tune in an exciting and unexpected direction.

Excerpt from Mary Halvorson’s solo on “Every Man to His Own Taste”

I realized the musician I was hearing was Mary Halvorson, someone I had seen in various settings around New York, many at the now-defunct Tonic on the Lower East Side in the early to mid-2000s. Each performance reaffirmed her as a singular improvising guitarist and a force of creative energy.

Halvorson, now in her mid-40s, has navigated the roles of bandleader and side musician with equal command, collaborating with icons like Bill Frisell and John Zorn, while always maintaining her distinct voice, anchored by the woody resonance of her Guild archtop. Whether leading her octet or exploring other configurations, she continually pushes the boundaries of what the guitar can do.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to interview Halvorson several times. (I still cringe at the memory of an editor giving one of those features the unfortunate headline “There’s Something About Mary”—a cheap reference to the 1998 romantic comedy that felt painfully out of place in the context of her work.) It has been a joy to watch her grow into one of the most original and forward-thinking guitarists of her generation. Her vision has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, she was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant, a recognition of her profound impact on contemporary improvisation.

I recently caught up with Halvorson to discuss her trusty Guild and custom-built travel guitar by Flip Scipio, both integral to her sound. We also explored how her mentor Anthony Braxton and collaborations with Bill Frisell and John Zorn shaped her career, and how the pandemic influenced her compositional process, particularly in creating her latest album, Cloudward.

I’ve talked to you a few times over the years for different magazines, and while your music has taken you in many different directions, you’ve always played your trusty Guild guitar. Was that an Artist Award?

Yes, that’s right. I have two guitars I use regularly. One is the Guild Artist Award, and the other is a custom-built travel guitar with a removable neck, which I use whenever I fly. I use the Guild if I’m in New York or within driving distance, but otherwise, I play the travel guitar. I love both of them, so it’s a nice situation.

The travel guitar was made by Flip Scipio, correct?

Exactly. Flip does these one-off, unique builds. Have you ever spoken with him?

I haven’t, but I know people who are connected with him. I’ve only heard great things about his work, across a wide variety of projects. Could you share the story of how you got it and how it’s shaped your playing?

I got it when I was in college, around 2000. I was a student at Wesleyan University, studying with the great jazz guitarist Tony Lombardozzi. I was looking for a new guitar because I had been playing an Epiphone Dot and was ready for an upgrade. Tony told me he knew the perfect guitar for me—it was for sale at a store in New Jersey. I trusted him, so I drove from Connecticut to New Jersey, played the guitar, and knew right away he was right. I bought it, and I haven’t looked back since. That was 24 years ago.

At this point, it’s hard for me to imagine playing anything else, except for Flip’s guitar, which feels very similar to the Guild. That was intentional, so switching between the two would be easy. I love the physicality of the Guild, its huge, resonant sound, and the DeArmond pickup—it just feels right, whether I’m playing through an amp or acoustically. I’ve never been much of a guitar collector. I know many guitarists have several, but I really just play these two.

That said, I also have a nylon-string acoustic guitar that was a gift from the luthier Matthew Rubendall. It’s a beautiful instrument, but since my focus is mainly on electric guitar, I don’t play it often. I’ve used it a few times and would love to incorporate it into my music more, but it’s been tricky to find the right context. Still, it’s been fun to experiment with.

Halvorson with her travel guitar by Flip Scipio, in the luthier’s workshop. flipscipio.com

Say more about the voice of the Guild and how it speaks to you.

I’ve always loved archtops. For me, part of the fun of playing electric guitar is plugging into an amp, using effects, and all of that. But it’s also nice to have a strong acoustic sound, so you can hear both. I’m usually playing electric, but the Guild has one of the nicest acoustic sounds I’ve heard. I’m not much of a gearhead—I don’t know a lot about different guitars—but maybe that’s because I’ve never felt the need to play others. I just love mine. The large body of the Guild gives it that resonant, powerful sound.

It’s cool that you found the Guild so early on and that it’s stayed with you, unlike many guitarists who are always chasing the next one. Could you talk a bit about the travel guitar and what you love about that?

I’ve had the travel guitar for almost ten years. About 15 years ago, I was touring a lot and noticed bass players with removable-neck basses. I thought, “If the bass player can do that, why can’t I?” Carrying a guitar on a plane was becoming harder, especially after airlines started charging for checked bags. Everyone was trying to carry on as much as possible, and the overhead bins were always full. It became really stressful—fighting with gate agents and worrying about whether the guitar would fit. When you’re flying dozens of times a year, that kind of stress builds up.

Flip Scipio, who’s a friend of mine, built the travel guitar. I met him through my friend Robbie Lee, who’s a great multi-instrumentalist. I asked Flip if he could make a guitar with a removable neck—I thought, “If anyone can do this, it’s Flip.” He hadn’t made one before, but he agreed to try. I trusted him completely. After a few years of work—he was busy with other commissions—he finished it. It’s amazing how easy it is to take apart and reassemble, and it stays perfectly in tune.

Originally, I thought I’d carry it on flights, but it was still a bit too big, so I ended up checking it in a suitcase. Since it looks like regular luggage, it goes with the normal bags, which has been great. Flip also used a vintage DeArmond pickup, like the one on my Guild, and made the neck feel very similar, so switching between the two guitars is seamless. I don’t have to compromise by bringing a cheap guitar on tour with me. He also took these old Guild inlays, flipped them around, and made these weird shapes with them. I love the way it looks.

It must be nice to keep things pared down to essentials that truly resonate with you.

It definitely simplifies things. I don’t feel the need to chase after new guitars or spend money on them, which can get expensive quickly.

You mentioned getting the Guild in college, which reminded me—you were a student of Anthony Braxton. How did studying with him shape your music?

There’s so much I could say about Anthony, but the main thing is, I wouldn’t be a musician today if it weren’t for him. He got me excited about pursuing music as a career and gave me the confidence to believe I could do it. Before meeting him, I was planning to study science. Music was more of a hobby, and I thought I might minor in it or take a few classes. But once I took his course, everything changed. By the end of the semester, I had dropped my science classes and was fully immersed in Wesleyan’s music program, which was excellent.

Anthony taught me that music is just creativity—it doesn’t have to be confined to any one style. He had great respect for tradition but also encouraged breaking boundaries. That mindset has been foundational for me. His music has influenced mine, but not in a way where I’m copying his style. Instead, it’s more about the broader approach to creativity.

He always encouraged me to find my own thing. That’s something I try to apply to all my influences—focusing on the feeling or ideas behind the music, rather than just copying the specific stylistic choices.

Also, every time I see Anthony, he continues to push boundaries. The last time I saw him live was in the middle of the pandemic, a duo concert with the saxophonist James Fei. It was one of the greatest concerts I’d seen in a long time. Even forgetting about his compositional output, he’s one of my favorite improvisers on the saxophone. It was in that period where we couldn’t see many shows. I was so grateful to hear music as powerful as that, and I still remember that concert like it was yesterday.

What’s it been like to collaborate with legends like Bill Frisell and John Zorn while also pursuing your own projects?

It’s a dream, honestly. Bill Frisell has been one of my heroes for as long as I can remember, and playing with him has been an incredible experience. He’s such a great listener and musician, and it feels easy to play with him. Sometimes it’s almost surreal, like, “Wow, that really sounds like Bill Frisell.”

John Zorn has also been a huge influence and another hero of mine. I’ve been following his music since I discovered Masada, and he’s incredibly inspiring—not just musically, but also in terms of how prolific and boundary-pushing he is. He must be writing multiple pieces of music every day. Being around him has been incredibly motivating.

Zorn seems like someone who fosters community and supports other musicians. Has he served as a mentor to you?

Absolutely. He’s also someone I can turn to for advice. He’s incredibly intuitive and cares deeply about the people around him. He’s brought together so many musicians through his work with the [performance venue the] Stone and his record label, Tzadik, as well as through projects like the bagatelles. He has a remarkable ability to think big and build communities, which has been really inspiring to witness.

Photo by Brian Cohen

I wanted to ask about your recent work, especially your latest album, Cloudward. You wrote that as we were emerging from the pandemic, right?

Yes, exactly. The first Amaryllis album was written in 2020 during the lockdown when there was nothing going on. Writing that music helped me stay hopeful, even though there were no gigs. The second album, Cloudward, was different because the band had been playing together and touring. I felt much more connected to the group by then, which gave me a sense of momentum when writing the new music.