Bill Frisell

[Steve Reynolds]

I, for one, have never heard anything from Frisell that was interesting in the least.

I tried 2 or 3 of the Lovano/Frisell/Motian trio discs

I tried a couple of his discs

I tried a few other discs with him on them

nothing, nada that gets my juices going

give me Mary Halvorson or Wes Montgomery or Grant Green or Ben Monder or Marc Ducret or I guess alamost any other guitarist first.

it is all so fuzzy....

[.:.impossible]

Just to annoy Frisell fanboys and put things in perspective, I remember reading a review of a Frisell concert in the New York Times

where Frisell tried to play acoustic guitar, and the reviewer said he sounded like a beginner- just technically unable to play the thing.

I heard an NPR feature once on him playing with Jim Hall, and he was again featured on what sounded like an archtop guitar.

I can only concur with what the reviewer said.

Sure, I know he usually plays a Fender with lots of f/x, and he's achieved some type of Krishna-consciousness where he's able to play with no ego, and he wins all the Down Beast polls , but that doesn't mean his music neccessarily 'speaks in a very special way' (as we were taught to say in graduate school) to me.

Watch the clip I posted above. I don't know much about Bill Frisell, but that clip knocks me out.

[mjzee]

I, for one, have never heard anything from Frisell that was interesting in the least.

I tried 2 or 3 of the ... discs

I tried a couple of his discs

I tried a few other discs with him on them

nothing, nada that gets my juices going

That's kinda how I feel about Eric Dolphy. Just sayin'...

[Milestones]

I can't say there are many guitarists who can drive me to the verge of tears, but Frisell certainly does that on "Shenandoah."

As for acoustic, take a listen to "My Thief."

Mr. Reynolds, have you not listened to "News for Lulu"? How about "Ramblin" from one of the Ginger Baker-Bill Frisell-Charlie Haden records?

Edited April 4, 2013 by Milestones

[Steve Reynolds]

Didn't like News for Lulu

Not a big Zorn fan either

Never heard that trio record

Never heard Ginger play jazz

Still not sure i want to

[Milestones]

Reynolds terse and direct!

Anyway, to each his own.

[Milestones]

Just wanted to add that Frisell would get testimony from Lovano, Paul Motian, Zorn, Charlie Haden, Dave Douglas, Elvin, Arthur Blythe, Ron Carter, Joey Baron, Don Bryon, Ron Miles, Jim Hall, Lee Konitz, and god knows how many more.

But I understand that some musicians need adjusting to, and/or you never do get into them.

[mjzee]

This is a snippet from a Ron Carter interview in Down Beat some years ago:

DB: Is being uncomfortable in a musical situation a good thing?

RC: It's necessary. You have to process new information - adding to your library of musical knowledge a certain set of chords, or a rhythm that maybe Steve Kroon brings to the band for the first time, or the guitar sound that Bill Frisell brings - that you had not been introduced to nor expected to hear. That makes you uncomfortable. Once you accept that being uncomfortable is another step toward growing and maturing, you recognize there's a way to incorporate - or discard - music you haven't been involved with, and you can learn a great deal.

The Joey Baron albums are really good:

[A Lark Ascending]

This is a snippet from a Ron Carter interview in Down Beat some years ago:

DB: Is being uncomfortable in a musical situation a good thing?

RC: It's necessary. You have to process new information - adding to your library of musical knowledge a certain set of chords, or a rhythm that maybe Steve Kroon brings to the band for the first time, or the guitar sound that Bill Frisell brings - that you had not been introduced to nor expected to hear. That makes you uncomfortable. Once you accept that being uncomfortable is another step toward growing and maturing, you recognize there's a way to incorporate - or discard - music you haven't been involved with, and you can learn a great deal.

I like that quote.

It holds true about listening too - not that there's any imperative to listen outside your comfort zone but enormous rewards can come from doing it.

Again there you still have the choice to incorporate or discard music you haven't been involved with.

[mjzee]

This is a snippet from a Ron Carter interview in Down Beat some years ago:

DB: Is being uncomfortable in a musical situation a good thing?

RC: It's necessary. You have to process new information - adding to your library of musical knowledge a certain set of chords, or a rhythm that maybe Steve Kroon brings to the band for the first time, or the guitar sound that Bill Frisell brings - that you had not been introduced to nor expected to hear. That makes you uncomfortable. Once you accept that being uncomfortable is another step toward growing and maturing, you recognize there's a way to incorporate - or discard - music you haven't been involved with, and you can learn a great deal.

I like that quote.

It holds true about listening too - not that there's any imperative to listen outside your comfort zone but enormous rewards can come from doing it.

Again there you still have the choice to incorporate or discard music you haven't been involved with.

Yeah, that's why I saved it. I think it's a good quote about life in general.

[7/4]

I heard that trio with Barron and Carter at the Knit...not what I expected, but I liked it. I remember it sounded like Stuff from Miles in the Sky.

The Motian trio is the best...I heard those guys at the Village Vanguard a few times.

There's a DVD of solo guitar that I really like, I'd like to hear more like that.

This NPR Tiny Desk video should be an official release.

Edited April 4, 2013 by 7/4

[Steve Reynolds]

I really like the playing of Baron & Carter and I love the playing of the great Arthur Blythe when he is on his game.

I had that disc back in the day and it did nothing for me.

we all have different ears but as far as me not being open to different sounds, I have been seaching and listening to new music for years, but for whatever reason I havn't got into Bill Frisell.

maybe I start a thread about Papa Joe.......

I really like the playing of Baron & Carter and I love the playing of the great Arthur Blythe when he is on his game.

I had that disc back in the day and it did nothing for me.

we all have different ears but as far as me not being open to different sounds, I have been seaching and listening to new music for years, but for whatever reason I havn't got into Bill Frisell.

mayeb I start a thread about Papa Joe.......

Edited April 4, 2013 by Steve Reynolds

[Steve Reynolds]

oops wacky quote of myself....

[jeffcrom]

we all have different ears but as far as me not being open to different sounds, I have been seaching and listening to new music for years, but for whatever reason I havn't got into Bill Frisell.

I get that. An Atlanta music writer loaned me an album by Alabama outsider artist Lonnie Holley - Just Before Music is something of an "indie" sensation. It did nothing for me. My friend flat out told me I was wrong. So I listened again. It does nothing for me.

As for Bill Frisell, there are so many Bill Frisells.... When he hit the scene, I absolutely loved his music. Whoever that artist was has splintered into many different artists, seemingly.

A few years ago, I sat in the middle of a small club in Atlanta, listening to Frisell and Greg Leisz play duets. I thought it was pleasant, unremarkable music, but everyone around me was rapt - it was obvious that it was a transcendent experience for them.

[Steve Reynolds]

shoulda see a couple of friends of mine sitting next to me in one of the small rooms at The Knitting Factory maybe around the year 2000.

The first set was Paul Dunmall on bagpipe with Paul Rogers on his newly aquired custom upright bass.

second set had Kevin Norton joining on drums with Dunmall switching to tenor saxophone.

All three of us agreed Rogers was incredible including the friend who was losing interest in jazz leaning towards small EAI type music (which is also a musical interest of mine) and the other who is a long time jazz listener from NYC who goes back to hearing Mingus in the early 70's.

As far as Dunmall, the second set to this day is possibly the most powerful live tenor saxophone performance I've ever heard.

The others thought things like poor man's Archie Shepp from the 60's to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

so be it............

Poem About the Hero, baby

[JETman]

shoulda see a couple of friends of mine sitting next to me in one of the small rooms at The Knitting Factory maybe around the year 2000.

The first set was Paul Dunmall on bagpipe with Paul Rogers on his newly aquired custom upright bass.

second set had Kevin Norton joining on drums with Dunmall switching to tenor saxophone.

All three of us agreed Rogers was incredible including the friend who was losing interest in jazz leaning towards small EAI type music (which is also a musical interest of mine) and the other who is a long time jazz listener from NYC who goes back to hearing Mingus in the early 70's.

As far as Dunmall, the second set to this day is possibly the most powerful live tenor saxophone performance I've ever heard.

The others thought things like poor man's Archie Shepp from the 60's to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

so be it............

Poem About the Hero, baby

that would be poor man at least twice removed!

[Steve Reynolds]

and as far as I am concerned, Archie Shepp on his best day in his prime couldn't have touched the *great* Paul Dunmall on that night.

[JETman]

and as far as I am concerned, Archie Shepp on his best day in his prime couldn't have touched the *great* Paul Dunmall on that night.

I'll give ya one thing -- you're a man with a unique gift for hyperbolic action!

[Steve Reynolds]

nothing like I was back in the halcyon days of the net......

I wish I could dig up my quote about the band Mujician something to the effect:

'the greatest improvising ensemble in the history of improvised music'

plus I still believe it possibly outside of AMM......

[JETman]

nothing like I was back in the halcyon days of the net......

I wish I could dig up my quote about the band Mujician something to the effect:

'the greatest improvising ensemble in the history of improvised music'

plus I still believe it possibly outside of AMM......

Catfood, baby!

[Milestones]

I find that the second album by Baron-Frisell-Blythe-Carter is much better than the first one.

[Steve Reynolds]

bad flashbacks for me looking up a David S Ware thread from another board from late 2002 to early 2003.

damn - I was more obnoxious than I thought possible

[mjzee]

Anyone heard anything about this one? Looks like high concept, but the listing gives no details (release date June 18):

Amazon

[David]

Check out here (not my site):

http://livemusicblog.com/2013/05/02/bill-frisell-announces-big-sur-release-on-june-18th/

The 15 minute video is quite interesting and the snippets of music therein prompted me to place a preorder immediately after (though I probably would have anyway -- I'm a huge Frisell fan).

[mjzee]

Thanks for posting that; it gives me a lot of insight into the project.

I don't think I'll be getting it - it looks like his Americana music has crossed over into New Agey. Not my cup of meat.