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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZFRISELL, Bill(b 18 March 1951, Baltimore MD) Guitar, banjo, composer. Studied with Jim Hall '71 and under Mike Gibbs at Berklee mid-'70s, touring with him '78. Ubiquitous on the ECM label in the '80s, playing with Paul Motian (trio with Joe Lovano was still touring and recording in the '90s), and Jan Garbarek (also on other labels, such as JMT for Motian's Monk In Motian '88). His own ECM albums included Rambler '84 and Lookout For Hope, quiet chamber music released '88. He was also active on New York's 'downtown' scene with saxophonist Tim Berne, cellist Hank Roberts, John Zorn, etc (e.g. with Zorn on News For Lulu). His unique paint-squeezed-from-a-tube guitar sound at that period was just a hint of his growing ability to make the instrument do anything he wanted; his intelligent eclecticism were showcased on Elektra Musician and Nonesuch albums including Before We Were Born '89, some tracks produced by Arto Lindsay (who also sings) and Peter Schere, both of avant-garde rock group Ambitious Lovers; four-part 'Some Song And Dance' has a reed section including Julius Hemphill, while 'Hard Plains Drifter' has Frisell fragments arranged by Zorn into one of Zorn's kaleidoscopic comic strips. Is That You? '89, Where in the World? '91, Have A Little Faith '93 (included music by Aaron Copland, Stephen Foster, Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan) and This Land '94 followed by two CDs of Frisell's Music For The Films of Buster Keaton: three Keaton films inspiring a fan's guitar wizardry; Bill Frisell Quartet had trombone, trumpet, violin doubling tuba and guitar, some tracks originating as accompaniment to Gary Larson's animated 'The Far Side'. Gone, Just Like A Train '97 on Nonesuch with Jim Keltner and Viktor Krauss on bass (Alison's brother) touches disparate bases in American music, encroaching on Ry Cooder's territory. Live! '91 made in Spain with Kermit Driscoll and Joey Baron is on Gramavision, later from Rykodisc; he also recorded with co-leader Vernon Reid on Smash And Scatteration '84 on Rykodisc, etc. Intense, highly individual and consistently innovative, Frisell has expanded the textural and harmonic possibilities of the guitar. Addendum: A later example of Frisell's ability to add beauty to a collaborative effort was Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note 2012, with Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock and Joey Baron. He has made 41 albums and appeared on 300 more; hiss unique mastery of his instrument and his dedication not just to jazz but to all music is captured in Philip Watson's book Bill Frisell, Beautiful Dreamer: The Guitarist who Changed the Sound of American Music (2022). |