Failure with codeql database create

I am trying to use codeql in support of the MS HLK driver certification.
Following their directions, I installed and configured codeql for windows.
My problem is when I try to do a database create, and pass the -c "build command"
Our build process is slightly more complex than just calling msbuild in a directory - we need to configure the environment first. So I created a script to do just that (both as a cygwin bash and then as that wrapped in a .bat).

When I do that (after carefully testing the scripts in cygwin, cmd, powershell) I get a failure with the log below.
If I try the runner.exe command, that produces the correct build.
So tracer.exe is failing and I was not able to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Suggestions would we welcome :-)

$ cat database-create-20210415.154254.408.log
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] This is codeql database create -l cpp -s C:/cygwin/home/cspi/dave/tikiql/driver/ndis6 -c C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe gocodeql.sh C:/codeql-home/databases/mva -j 0
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] Log file was started late.
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] [PROGRESS] database create> Running command [C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe, gocodeql.sh] in C:\cygwin\home\cspi\dave\tikiql\driver\ndis6.
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] Running plumbing command: codeql database trace-command --working-dir=C:\cygwin\home\cspi\dave\tikiql\driver\ndis6 -- C:\codeql-home\databases\mva C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe gocodeql.sh
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] [PROGRESS] database trace-command> C:\codeql-home\databases\mva: Running in C:\cygwin\home\cspi\dave\tikiql\driver\ndis6: [C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe, gocodeql.sh]
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] Setting up tracing from specification at C:\codeql-home\codeql\cpp\tools\win64\compiler-tracing.spec.
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] [ERROR] Spawned process exited abnormally (code -1073741790; tried to run: [C:\codeql-home\codeql\tools\win64\tracer.exe, C:\codeql-home\codeql\tools\win64\runner.exe, cmd.exe, /C, type, NUL, &&, C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe, gocodeql.sh])
[2021-04-15 15:42:54] Exception caught at top level: Exit status -1073741790 from command: [C:\codeql-home\codeql\tools\win64\runner.exe, cmd.exe, /C, type, NUL, &&, C:/cygwin/bin/bash.exe, gocodeql.sh]
com.semmle.cli2.database.DatabaseProcessCommandCommon.executeSubcommand(DatabaseProcessCommandCommon.java:99)
com.semmle.cli2.picocli.PlumbingRunner.run(PlumbingRunner.java:110)
com.semmle.cli2.picocli.SubcommandCommon.runPlumbingInProcess(SubcommandCommon.java:159)
com.semmle.cli2.database.CreateCommand.executeSubcommand(CreateCommand.java:113)
com.semmle.cli2.picocli.SubcommandCommon.call(SubcommandCommon.java:430)
com.semmle.cli2.picocli.SubcommandMaker.runMain(SubcommandMaker.java:201)
com.semmle.cli2.picocli.SubcommandMaker.runMain(SubcommandMaker.java:209)
com.semmle.cli2.CodeQL.main(CodeQL.java:93)