Thumbscrew

1) Thumbscrew is an avant-jazz trio featuring Michael Formanek (double bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and Mary Halvorson (guitar), three well-established leaders on the new jazz scene. While are all known for their prodigious capabilities as improvisers, Thumbscrew is more of a composer’s vehicle. While many cooperative bands draw on material recycled from other projects, "One of the things we said at the beginning is let’s just write music for Thumbscrew and it will only be Thumbscrew music," says Formanek.