BILL FRISELL plays DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES

**RClegg** · 11-10-2013, 02:31 PM

The level of fidelity to a tune is something that I think about a lot. I do think of a lot of jazz sounds so completely disconnecting from the underlying tune that it sounds very generic; a re-harmonizing really makes the most sense if you can understand/still hear the original harmony, imho. Jazz players get so educated on our own musical language that we leave a lot of listeners bored, but otoh maybe the audience for any version of "The Days of Wine and Roses" is limited.

I heard Pearl Jam play a couple of weeks ago and great as the show was I felt afterwards that there was too much shredding going on. Play the song, do something interesting with a short solo, the bang on to the next song! I understand that playing and hearing the same tunes over and over can get tedious, but it works with bach and Mozart.

Having said all that I do like most of Bill F's playing and he is someone I listen to a lot.

**willschmid97** · 11-11-2013, 11:49 PM

I love Bill Frisell. I don't find it a lot on this forum, but many guitarists consider Bill to be overrated because of his slower chops. I find him underrated most of the time because of it. Bill's attention to detail in everything he does musically is astounding. If blistering guitar shred is your thing (and believe me, I'm not talking to most people on this forum), I understand why you wouldn't care for Bill. But if you are a fan of MUSIC, give him a chance. One of the most musical players I know.

**West LA Jazz** · 11-12-2013, 01:14 AM

I am going to download "Unspeakable" which was recommended by a friend who listens to Jazz and Jam music. Go figure.

I love harmony and rhythm which is why I gravitated to Scofield as opposed to Frisell. Initially, all the experimental stuff Frisell was doing, didn't grab me. I guess now that I'm older I am beginning to "feel" Frisell better. I am only now realizing that Sco and Frisell share DNA via their teachers Goodrich and Jon Damian(sp?). If I had heard Frisell's Wine and Roses rendition (1st post) 10 years ago, I might have sung a different tune.

Sco doesn't turn his nose up to the Jam scene either. I was shocked (when I found about that scene) two years ago to find out that what is considered part of the "rock and pop" genre essentially had a HUGE scene where fans paid good money to see bands like THE STRING CHESSE INCIDENT play and essentially improvise over tunes for extended periods as in 20 minute songs.

I first heard STRING CHEESE doing a rendition of FLY ME TO THE MOON. I was impressed. Out of curiosity, I went to see them live. I was even more impressed.

(Metheny whose music I dig, has expressed a distaste for even Miles' "funk" 2 chord vamp period btw. He wants harmonic meat- 2 chords aren't enough he has said). Sco is just as comfortable soloing over a two chord vamp as he is playing over a song like ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE or DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES. Even though Sco and Metheny hail from the same area, Sco seems to be more at home in raw rhythm settings that Mr Metheny. Just my humble opinion.

I'll be searching out more Frisell music moving forward.

Originally Posted by willschmid97

I love Bill Frisell. I don't find it a lot on this forum, but many guitarists consider Bill to be overrated because of his slower chops. I find him underrated most of the time because of it. Bill's attention to detail in everything he does musically is astounding. If blistering guitar shred is your thing (and believe me, I'm not talking to most people on this forum), I understand why you wouldn't care for Bill. But if you are a fan of MUSIC, give him a chance. One of the most musical players I know.

TH · 11-12-2013, 04:44 AM

You'll find a very wide spectrum when you look into Bill's music. He's one of the few who's equally at home playing with Jim Hall (both Bill and Sco share this first hand influence too) as with John Zorn, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Fred Hersch and the serious modern art world (He's collaborated with painter Gerhardt Richter, done multi media performances of music to the films of Buster Keaton), worked with poets and played with Cream's drummer Ginger Baker as well as D. Sharpe who played with Jonathan Richmond and the Modern lovers, and Marianne Faithful-check out the clip below.
Every moment is equally musical and free of cliche. He's truly a composer unwilling to repeat himself no matter how great his earlier steps may have been. You'll have your hands and ears full when you open up his legacy.
Have fun
David