Canis Major is the latest project from Mary Halvorson, winner of Artist, Group and Guitarist of the Year in the current DownBeat Critics Poll. This dynamic quartet features Dave Adewumi on trumpet, Henry Fraser on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. Its all-new book of original music marks Halvorson’s return to the small-group format that shaped her early career, following more than a decade devoted to writing and arranging for larger ensembles like her award-winning sextet, Amaryllis.

Since early 2025, Canis Major has actively performed around the world, from Dizzy’s Club in New York City to Dublin’s National Concert Hall to the historic Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy. The group has also appeared at major festivals, including Big Ears, Pickathon, and the Vision Festival. Its debut recording is scheduled for release on Nonesuch Records in 2027.

About Mary Halvorson

Mary Halvorson is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, composer and recording artist for Nonesuch Records. Her distinctive sound and innovative approach to her instrument have earned her widespread recognition, including a 2019 MacArthur Foundation fellowship and Guitarist of the Year honors from the DownBeat Critics Poll, International Critics Poll and the Jazz Journalist Association's JJA Awards. 

In his recent survey of her discography for Bandcamp Daily, Peter Margasak writes, "Her development as an improviser, bandleader, and composer has been astonishing, and more than two decades later that progress shows no signs of stopping." PopMatters' Chris Ingalls adds, "If Halvorson is the future of jazz, we are in tremendously gifted hands." 

Her most recent recording as a bandleader, About Ghosts, was selected as the best new jazz album of 2025 by NPR Music, Slate and the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll among others. And, her "beguiling and fascinating" (Kevin LeGendre, Jazzwise) collaboration with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings, was released in June 2026. She can also be heard on more than 75 releases as a co-leader or sidewoman. Learn more at maryhalvorson.com