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I’ve never managed to connect with Bill’s Americana stuff, and not being into that I never looked further. But I like the guy a lot, his demeanour, enough to buy the circa 500-page biography of him by Philip Watson. It’s a good read, though not objective enough, maybe, but it has exposed for me Bill’s early playing. When an album is discussed, I can usually find it on YouTube, or at least a track.
After hearing a little of The Paul Bley Quartet (ECM, 1988), I immediately downloaded the album for a full listen. It is an incredible album! Every player is on top of their game - Bley on piano, John Surman soprano sax and bass clarinet, Paul Motian drums, and our man on guitar and effects. On one track, ‘Heat’, his biographer says Bill sounds like Hendrix channelling Derek Bailey - and he does! The first track (20 minutes) Interplay, was made up by collective improv-composing, and you can hear the musicians listening - a rare and intense treat. The interplay between Frisell and Surman is especially beautiful. The piano playing of Bley is fascinating, and there could have been no better drummer for this group recording than Motian. Best jazz-related album I’ve heard in a long time. I approached it rather sadly wondering what Bill’s playing would be like, but soon switched that part of my brain off, and just succumbed to the group effort. Interplay would have been a good title for the whole album.
So I intend to explore the 1980s and 90s Bill Frisell, and would appreciate your recommendations. The same group had an earlier album called Fragments, but reviewers tend to say it is less focussed than this one. I might try it nonetheless.
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11-04-2024 06:16 PM
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Frisell and Scofield on "Bass Desires". (ECM) That was my introduction to Frisell, although I had begun following Scofield and Stern.
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I too find myself digging Frisell; but with other artists. Like when he plays with Norah Jones for example. I did enjoy his SOLOS CD/DVD, but I too have a hard time with alot of his Americana stuff. I feel like he's one of those players who is called "jazz" because there's nowhere else to put him, much like Jim Campilongo.
Looking forward to reading the discussion.
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Monk In Motian is my go-to Motian/Lovano/Frisell trio album. Have A Little Faith is my favorite of his 90s solo albums. I don't know that I could recommend his Zorn-adjacent projects unless your taste in jazz is a few steps outside the club. Hemispheres (w/ Jim Hall) is also amazing, but that is from the 2000s. The duo and quartets are like conversations between two friends.
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Maid with the Flaxen Hair, with Mary Halvorson..tribute to Johnny Smith. It grew on me...not in your time frame I know
Last edited by Old Nick; 11-04-2024 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Add
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I love this thread, Bill is one of my fave artists and I am honestly envious of anyone newly attracted to him, as well as excited about him. I haven't mentioned this on the forum, but I work for Bill's management. I am the curator of his archive and a collaborator on the live download series on his website. Just wanted to mention this, in order to emphasize that I have intimate knowledge with his output. There is literally too much to list with Bill. Any recommendation has to start with the listener because Bill is relentless in his exploration, so much so that when you put your toe in, it's necessary to realize that that snippet is never what he is all about.
During the 80's Bill began releasing his own records. His most significant musical relationship up until that point was with Paul Motian. The Motian recordings during this period are all essential. I'm going to infer/assume that the deep relationship between Motian and Bill is something you sensed on that Bley record. But Motian also had that with Bley. Motian also appears on Bill's second (mainstream) release, "Rambler". Any Motian recordings with Bill are just great to start with. I like "On Broadway Vol 2" and "Bill Evans", as I do like his unusual approach on those. His use of the guitar synth on "It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago" hasn't aged well. Listening to Bill play on any Motian release is like listening to Bill play at home.
All Motian records with Bill on them are significant in his output, but the records made by the trio (Motian, Lovano, Frisell) are even more special. A good place to start there, might be the live disc at the Village Vanguard "You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart" (1995).
It's interesting to me that the Bley release from 1988 jumped out at you. It seems to me that something happened to Bill around 1987. His confidence just exploded and he began consistently putting down a big range of expression on recordings. It's also true he began participating in a lot more sideman projects around this time, and leading his own group rather than mainly participating in Motian's. His solos became more often fierce when they needed to be, and his sensitivity in calmer settings just grew, as well. This is just my own opinion and biased observation!
My fave of Bill's own releases during the 80's or 90's are the two Buster Keaton soundtrack discs ("Go West" and "The High Sign/One Week", both 1995). They incorporate a lot of "Americana" sensibility and have a lot of wacky (as well as sweet) music on them. These were also the last releases with Kermit Driscoll and Joey Baron before they disbanded. They were reading each other's minds at this point. And the music is well rehearsed. I love these.
It is hard to top that Bley recording, for the reasons that you state you appreciate it. Others I would recommend that have that chamber-ish quality, with highly sensitive players that are good listeners are:
Gary Peacock "Just So Happens" (1994)
Kenny Wheeler "Angel Song" (1996)
Two great records with more conventional groups, both from 1999, are:
Don Byron "Romance with the Unseen"
Ron Carter "Orfeu"
Hearing Bill play with Ron is super special of course, but Bill plays it pretty safe on that record. There are sooooo many more great discs to hear after the 90's. But I may as well mention two trio records from later on, worth hearing for obvious reasons.
Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones (2001)
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian (2006)Last edited by enalnitram; 11-04-2024 at 08:29 PM.
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This album is one of the most perfect things ever recorded.
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Agreed! When they made that album, they had set aside several days for the recording. But after the first few hours on the first day, Paul said, nope, they got it, and sent everyone home. It all fell together, magically. A once in a lifetime experience for all involved.
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Bill Frisell and Charlie Haden in the Ginger Baker Trio. This does not sound much like Cream and Ginger looks like he's having a great time playing with these guys. I think there are two or three studio albums by this unit.
If this could be released as a recording, that'd be great.
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Jeff, what is this album? I tried playing the video, but it is only available to Music Premium members. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Oh, I see it is called I Have the Room Above Her - I thought that just might be one track. I’ll seek it out.
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Ordered!
Martin - what a job you have! Thanks for all your info and enthusiasm.
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Bill plays on a few Paul Motian's records: at least On Broadway (volumes 1-3) and It Should Have Happened a Long Time Ago. I prefer later stuff from Bill when he plays more traditional solo/duo/trio/quartet, like East/West, or last decade collaborations with Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston - it sounds more free, flexible, inventive, interactive to me...
rather than his big groups with more conceptual programs, always a bit too much like 'pop-covers' to me, and also I have the feeling that with big groups it sounds nice but like background music. I think it is partly connected with arrangements and firm structure and Bills's solos sound less determined, like he is just floating within the fixed frames here and there.
Also with these conceptual LPs of Americana I often have a feeling that they try to put more meaning into it than it really has, trying to make more 'serious'.
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I first heard Frisell on a Jan Garbarek album from 1984 called Wayfarer. It's still probably my favorite album from both of them.
first track:
playlist for the entire album...
Jan Garbarek - Wayfarer (Studio album, 1983) - YouTube
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The duo record Bill did with Jim Hall is often overlooked but I really like it. One disc is just the two of them and there is plenty of spontaneous interplay and was recorded to tape. The second is with a not too shabby rhythm section
Hemispheres — Bill Frisell
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Rob, you said 80s Frisell ?
I have an old LP dated Feb 1980 of Chet Baker recorded in Brussels with Belgian saxophonist Steve Houben and Bill Frisell on guitar :
You can find on Youtube a "live in Paris" with the same setup
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Whoops, sorry about that. Hope you enjoy it. It's a "desert island" disc for me. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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For Bill in a more traditional straightahead jazz style, try his album Reunion with Dale Bruning. quite different from almost anything else in his catalog.
Also on his live download page on his website, there is a performance with he and his quartet doing all John Lennon tunes. It’s really quite good.
I tend to not get into the bleeps and beeps stuff with all the effects pedals, but I’ve seen him twice this year. The first time was his trio with Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston at the Dakota; they came out, started the set and didn’t stop playing for over an hour, a remarkable performance. Then I saw him perform Southern Bodies with Kit Downes on pipe organ at Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis. That was an astonishing concert. (I have also seen Bill do a solo concert and perform with the original Bad Plus lineup about 10 years ago).Last edited by Cunamara; 11-05-2024 at 11:47 AM.
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Thanks for all the comments and recommendations. Appreciated. I’ll follow them all up.
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