The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    He is one of my favorite guitarists. I love his innovation.

    For decades, he looks like he's giving birth to each phrase. His head moves forward. His faces tenses up slightly. There is a small hesitation. Then come the notes.



    Compare that to Roy Clark. This video is about as intense as he gets with his facial expression.


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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    To the casual observer, you might be forgiven for wondering if Frisell was going to take up the guitar as an area of study.

  4. #3

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    He's played Shenandoah for many years. It's one of my favorites by him. He still has that slight hesitancy with phrasing. I know he's doing exactly what he wants and is fussy about his tone.

    There is only one Bill Frisell.

    Last edited by Marty Grass; 04-09-2020 at 08:51 PM.

  5. #4

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    Last one. Twenty five years ago he the same Bill. He fits in the broad category of jazz and pushes the edges. His playing is slower and heartfelt.


  6. #5

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    Somebody said that art was not in making something hard look easy - that way lies empty virtuosity - but making something simple look interesting.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Somebody said that art was not in making something hard look easy - that way lies empty virtuosity - but making something simple look interesting.
    Apropos! I wish I thought of that.

  8. #7

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    Yes Bill always looks like he is making choices right now... and I like it.

    but I would not say 'it looks hard'

    I really love him... by the way watch his solo recital from home it is available on Live From Our Living Rooms till 15.04
    It was cool.


    I love when he plays more trad jazz solo and also how he compliments combos as a sideman.
    I also like how he works with effects.

    Sometimes though he is a bit... I do not know how to say - relaxed? in his own projects... a bit too 'zen-ish'... I feel that he 'puts' some spirituality and depth in it but it seems inadequate to the material
    I like when music is more 'fleshy' harmony/melody-wise... he begins to use tonal/sonorous elements as langauge I lose him...

    Also I do not really dig songs like Poem for Eva .. it is sweet but no more than just some nice soundtrack... I think that he just takes things in a much more relaxed way... he has fun and he does it... 'zen-ish'... I am old school christian guy and suffering and all that sh..t.. in the head...

    Sco never decieves me in that sense... he can be very simple with no pretentions and all and playing some sweet tune but he is always that 'soul that has flesh and blood'

  9. #8

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    I do hear more than a little of Monk in Bill's music
    Me too...

    this is what I love in both of them,

    Wje I first put on Monk's solo records - my wife said: no surprise you like it, it sounds like you...

    I said: I do not and cannot play that way...

    She said: I do not say you play that way... I say it just sounds like you)))

  10. #9

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    Hm... there were a few posts of another memeber --- and they are gone

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    For decades, he looks like he's giving birth to each phrase. His head moves forward. His faces tenses up slightly. There is a small hesitation. Then come the notes.
    You can only bring what you've got.

    At his best he brings so much, and like yourself I don't really care how he brings it.

    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Somebody said that art was not in making something hard look easy - that way lies empty virtuosity - but making something simple look interesting.
    That would be Charles Mingus:

    “Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”

  12. #11

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    I do hear more than a little of Monk in Bill's music
    Exactly what I was thinking. I also hear Thelonius in Bill's faltering, hesitant, eventually beautiful lines!

  13. #12

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    The funny thing is, he talks like he plays. He says a few words, pauses, then finishes the sentence. I'm not saying always, but enough to be noticeable.

    I have a DVD of his in which he is interviewed at length and he plays as well.

    I know that there in no consensus on this, but his playing is a little bit like watching someone who stammers. The person begins a sentence, stops in the middle ever so briefly, then builds up the pressure to finish the sentence.

  14. #13

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    I agree with all of that. His rhythm or cadence or manner of speaking is so distinctive. The hesitation, faltering, airy pauses followed by sweet or brilliant insights. I've heard him a bunch of times, have a bunch of his CDs and DVDs. He's definitely my number one cat for the last many years. At first I thought his manner of speech was a bit of an act. But it's not. He always sounds like that. It's him.

  15. #14

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    Roy Clark's career was built on performing carefully rehearsed numbers at speed, and he did that well and made it look easy. But check the video of Clark and Joe Pass. Joe is laid back, and really making it look easy. Roy is sweating and working his ass off to try to keep up. On simple Hank Williams songs.

  16. #15

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    That whole spinning/regripping of the pick I find distracting. Obviously, who am I. But the topic was brought up so I'd comment. Much rather listen than to watch and listen.