History, Mystery

by

Bill Frisell

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Trying to pigeonhole Bill Frisell is a bit similar to abstract algebra or dwarf-tossing: it's not quite as easy as you might think. Even though the guy is obviously rooted in jazz, there's so much more his music encompasses.

If you had to pick one musician from the past 20 years who has really made a difference to the way we perceive sound, the guitarist Bill Frisell would surely come close to the top of the list. His unmistakeable electric guitar technique, in which ambient colour-wash effects are used to create dreamy soundscapes, often set to the contrastingly edgy, off-kilter, rhythms associated with the New York jazz avant-garde, would alone be sufficient to ensure a place in the history books.

Bill Frisell became one of the most influential guitarists ever for a style that initially sounded like a cross between a twangy '50s rocker, Jimi Hendrix, Ry Cooder and a tape-recording playing backwards.

Those might be distinctive qualities, but beneath all that, Frisell can be a resourceful, more or less straightahead jazz guitarist, and a full-on blues player, or a fastidious chamber-music explorer.

They're standard components of any Frisell project, history and mystery. Here they're presented as a subject rather than as a given. It's a two-CD job, featuring an octet incorporating strings, horns and reeds alongside the familiar rhythm section of Kenny Wollesen and Tony Scherr.

Plus, much of the material arose from collaborations with Seattle artist Jim Woodring.

This is the Bill Frisell who makes great soundtrack music; the one who rejoices in sieving the Hot Club de Paris out of Thelonious Monk. Essential for established Frisell's fan. Not a bad place to develop the taste.

"Bill Frisell with strings" might sound like a fantasy combination, but here the guitarist is performing with an octet containing violin, cello and viola. And in a spectral, oddball way, the results are often beautiful.

As is frequently the case with Frisell, the music here is a mélange of numerous idioms, from hillbilly to modern classical, with overall a wistful, elegiac mood (which is also typical of him).

It all seems to come to life on Thelonious Monk's "Jackie-ing", on which this strange but likeable band swing along like be-boppers from Mars

"Though guitarist Bill Frisell can seem indecisive in person, he has the surest touch as a musician. That is true for his playing, where he can invest a single note with meaning, and it's true in the way he organises his music and musicians. That slow response denotes a genuine thoughtfulness. And Frisell has rethought his ensemble lineup - a kind of roots-jazz-classical chamber hybrid, though with none of the hang-ups that might imply. The octet, recorded mainly live here, are particularly good at ultra-slow tempos on numbers such as Sam Cooke's smouldering "A Change Is Gonna Come", and the drawling groove of "Struggle", which foregrounds the string trio of Hank Roberts (cello), Jenny Scheinman (violin) and Eyvind Kang (viola).

The 30-track, double CD is studded with gems such as "Baba Drame" (by Boubacar Traoré), "Waltz for Baltimore" and "Monroe", appropriately reminiscent of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman".. ".Guardian

Artist Bill Frisell : guitar (with Eybind Kang - viola; Ron Miles - cornet; Hank Roberts - cello; Jenny Scheinman - violin; Tony Scherr - bass; Greg Tardy - clarinet / tenor sax; Kenny Wollesen - drums)

A Tedious, Tiresome and Disappointing Continuation of Frisell's Exploration of American Traditional / Public Radio / Folk / Sleep Music.

Enough Already Bill!! How About Some Interesting Music For a Change, Like you Made 10-20 Years Ago.

Bill Frisell was (note the past tense WAS) the most innovative jazz guitarist of the 1980's-90's.

He created his own trademark sound: a twangy, bending, echoey wash of color, making his own distinct wall of sound

on every recording of his and every recording that he guested on.

I was such a huge fan of Bill that I would seek out and purchase every album that he appeared on to hear his performance.

There were dozens of albums which he contributed to, putting his signature wall of sound on.

Seek out the albums "Power Tools," or Marc Johnson's "Bass Deisres" (1987) or the 1991 Live album

with Kermit Driscoll and Joey Baron to hear Frisell in a powerhouse performance.

The 1996 piece "Faith In You," from Marc Johnson's "The Sound of Summer Running" has a duo

between Frisell and Pat Metheny which is one of the most beautiful compositions I've ever heard.

Then around 1998 he decided he was going to move away from that eclectic fusion of sound.

His 1998 album "Gone Like a Train" opens with an exlposive fusion composition, then turns into a mush of uninspired improv.

That was the point he left the exciting guitar sounds and changed his career into experimental ad-lib American Folk Soundscapes.

Those of us like myself who purchased his next album "Good Dog Happy Man" were disappointed beyond belief

when the entire album was an uninspired, lifeless recording of Meditational Sleep Music, from beginning to end.

Leaving us to ponder the title: "GOOD performers, but a DOG album."

Or, perhaps his dog produced the album, hence the idea "GOOD DOG! You recorded my album, so I"m a HAPPY MAN."

Most of us fans hoped that this was just a temporary venture for him. Instead, for 10 years now he increased his popularity

on National Public Radio and has released one album after another, sometimes 2 albums a year of this meandering slop.

The bottom line is folks, with "History Mystery," the MYSTERY is: What happened to this once admirable musical prodigy?

This release is 2 discs, 90 minutes of what I've described above. Incorporating some fine musicians for sure,

but frankly, wasting their time just sitting around playing a few notes throughout this dullness.

Despite the efforts that went into it, and the fact that this album was part of an NPR special & part of his concert tour,

Frisell's music in the last 10 years is so boring and dull that even those suffering sleep apnea and insomnia would need

something with more movement to help them relax.