The Mary Halvorson Quintet’s 2010 release Saturn Sings was a stunner. It not only gave the world more of Halvorson’s amazing guitar work; it displayed her ever-developing compositional abilities. Bending Bridges, its excellent follow-up, features more original compositions and the same lineup as the earlier album: Halvorson, trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert, and drummer Ches Smith. Halvorson plays several different roles: special-effects generator, power chord promulgator, creator of clean jazz lines with unusual shapes. “Sinks When She Rounds the Bend” gives listeners an idea of how much Halvorson and her band can pack into one track: plaintive horns accompanied by unusual rhythms, a striking bass solo, blasts of guitar noise coupled with falling-down-the-stairs drums, and much more. “Love in Eight Colors” has particularly nice horn writing, wild guitar comping from Halvorson, and an extended, unaccompanied trumpet statement by Finlayson. “All the Clocks” has thorny guitar runs, a zigzagging horn chart, and charged solos from Finlayson and Irabagon.