Bill Frisell
Always a very original guitarist with a sound of his own, Bill Frisell mixes together the influence of Jim Hall with aspects of country music, avant-garde jazz, rock and his own fertile imagination. Born in Baltimore in 1951, Frisell grew up in Denver. He played clarinet starting in fourth grade and at one time thought of becoming a classical clarinetist. He found his way to the guitar and, after a period playing rock and R&B, he discovered Wes Montgomery and jazz. Frisell studied at the University of Northern Colorado with guitarist Johnny Smith, attended the Berklee College of Music, had a few lessons with Hall, and began developing his echoey atmospheric sound, utilizing volume pedals, delay, reverb, distortion and octave shifters in unusual ways. In the late 1970s he began a decade-long association with ECM, utilizing such musicians as Jan Garbarek and Paul Motian on recordings that established his reputation and made him an influential force.
He worked in New York in adventurous settings and since that time has collaborated with such musicians as John Zorn, Tim Berne, Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull and Ginger Baker. His early 1990s recording Have a Little Faith includes a diverse group of compositions by artists ranging from Aaron Copland and John Phillips Sousa to Bob Dylan and Madonna. Frisell composed soundtracks for the films of Buster Keaton, recorded a trio set with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones, and explored the country and bluegrass music of Nashville in his own fresh way. Among his most important work was with his 1980s quartet consisting of cellist Hank Roberts, bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Joey Baron, his collaborations with John Zorn (including Naked City), and his recordings with Paul Motian’s trio that include Joe Lovano. There is no mistaking Bill Frisell for anyone else.
Artist’s website
Articles on Bill Frisell
03/22/13 News By Jeff Tamarkin
The Bad Plus & Bill Frisell to Play JALC
01/10/13 News By Jeff Tamarkin
Sony Classical to Relaunch OKeh Records as Jazz Label
12/05/12 Albums By Lloyd Sachs
Enfants Terribles: Live At The Blue Note
Lee Konitz/Bill Frisell/Gary Peacock/Joey Baron
08/02/12 Features By Geoffrey Himes
Bill Frisell: Fear and Composing
07/25/12 Artist's Choice By Anthony Wilson
Artist's Choice: Anthony Wilson on Bill Frisell
06/29/12 On the Scene with MOJA By Russ Davis
Frisell, Clarke, Hiromi and Spectrum Road at the 2012 Montreal Jazz Festival
06/27/12 On the Scene with MOJA By Russ Davis
Preview of 2012 Montreal Jazz Festival
04/19/12 News By Jeff Tamarkin
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Awards $5.775 Million to 21 Artists
03/19/12 News By Megan Kaplon
Monterey Jazz Festival Receives Grants
03/17/12 Farewells By Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell Remembers Paul Motian
02/15/12 News By Jeff Tamarkin
TD Vancouver Int’l Jazz Festival Announces Major Headliners
01/08/12 Albums By Philip Booth
all we are saying ...
Bill Frisell
12/09/11 News By Jeff Tamarkin
Bill Frisell Free Public Interview & Performance Today in NYC
09/30/11 News By Jeff Tamarkin
2012 Portland Jazz Festival Headliners Announced
05/25/11 Albums By Mike Joyce
Sign of Life
Bill Frisell
05/25/11 Albums By Mike Joyce
Sign of Life
Bill Frisell
05/24/11 News By Lee Mergner
Bill Frisell to Premiere New Work at Ellnora Guitar Festival in Illinois
April 2011 Albums By Josef Woodard
Lágrimas Mexicanas
Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell
April 2011 Albums By Josef Woodard
Lágrimas Mexicanas
Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell
03/04/11 Concerts By Evan Haga
Guitars Gone Crazy: Frisell, Cantuária and the Celestial Septet
December 2010 Features By Shaun Brady
Sounds for Silence: Jazz & Silent Films
10/13/10 News By Lee Mergner
Earshot Jazz Festival Kicks Off in Seattle
October 2010 Albums By Bill DeMain
Beautiful Dreamers
Bill Frisell
October 2010 Albums By Bill DeMain
Beautiful Dreamers
Bill Frisell
05/18/10 News By Aubrey Everett
Preview of 25th Vancouver International Jazz Festival
04/19/10 Concerts By Perry Tannenbaum
Savannah Music Festival
November 2009 Albums By Thomas Conrad
Disfarmer
Bill Frisell
November 2009 Albums By Thomas Conrad
Disfarmer
Bill Frisell
09/24/09 News By Lee Mergner
The Kennedy Center Announces 2009-2010 Jazz Season
04/28/09 News By Jeff Tamarkin
Two Bill Frisell DVDs Coming This Fall
April 2009 Features By Evan Haga
Bill Frisell and Jim Hall: Free Stylists
April 2009 Albums By Bill Milkowski
Hemispheres
Jim Hall & Bill Frisell
January/February 2009 Features By JazzTimes
2008 Year in Review: Top 50 CDs
December 2008 Features By Geoffrey Himes
Jazz and Country Fusion: The Searchers
10/02/08 Concerts By Josef Woodard
Monterey Jazz Festival
08/25/08 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
JVC Jazz Festival - Newport
08/05/08 Concerts By Thomas Conrad
Umbria Jazz '08
August 2008 Albums By Bill Milkowski
History, Mystery
Bill Frisell
03/10/08 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
Dennis Irwin Benefit Concert
September 2007 Albums By Michael J. West
Floratone
Matt Chamberlain/Bill Frisell/Tucker Martine/Lee Townsend
08/07/07 Concerts By Bret Saunders
Telluride Jazz Celebration
07/10/07 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
July/August 2007 Features By Evan Haga
Paul Motian, Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano: Trio In Motian
May 2007 Albums By Chris Kelsey
Time and Time Again
Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano
11/19/06 Concerts By Nick Breul
Bill Frisell's Unspeakable Orchestra
November 2006 Albums By Bill Milkowski
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian
Bill Frisell
November 2006 Albums By Bill Milkowski
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian
Bill Frisell
09/11/06 Concerts By Evan Haga
Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell
07/17/06 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
Bohemia Jazz Fest 2006
July/August 2006 Features By Geoffrey Himes
Nonstandards Fare: Jazz and Pop
July/August 2006 JT Notes By Lee Mergner
People Get Together
06/21/06 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
Sweet Lorraine: A Jazz Celebration for the Village Vanguard
May 2006 Drum Beat By Bill Milkowski
The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
Jack DeJohnette featuring Bill Frisell
May 2006 Drum Beat By Bill Milkowski
The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
Jack DeJohnette featuring Bill Frisell
02/28/06 By Doug Ramsey
Concerts — May 2006
January/February 2006 Top 50 CDs of 2005 By
I Have the Room Above Her
Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano
11/08/05 Concerts By Josef Woodard
JazzFest Berlin 2005
November 2005 Albums By Russell Carlson
East West
Bill Frisell
November 2005 Albums By Russell Carlson
East West
Bill Frisell
November 2005 Fused By Ron Wynn
Fusion for Miles: A Guitar Tribute
Various Artists
09/21/05 Concerts By Larry Appelbaum
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition
April 2005 Guitartistry By David R. Adler
Richter 858
Bill Frisell and the 858 Quartet
April 2005 Guitartistry By David R. Adler
Richter 858
Bill Frisell and the 858 Quartet
March 2005 Vox By Christopher Loudon
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
March 2005 Vox By Christopher Loudon
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
March 2005 Albums By Nate Chinen
I Have the Room Above Her
Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano
March 2005 Albums By Nate Chinen
I Have the Room Above Her
Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano
January/February 2005 Albums By David R. Adler
Unspeakable
Bill Frisell
January/February 2005 Features By
The Year '04 in Review: Top 50 CDs
January/February 2005 Albums By David R. Adler
Unspeakable
Bill Frisell
January/February 2005 The Gig By Nate Chinen
The Year in Gigs
05/02/04 Concerts By Nate Chinen
Bill Frisell Trio in New York
July/August 2003 Features By Aaron Steinberg
Bill Frisell: Nothing to Talk About
May 2003 Albums By Aaron Steinberg
The Intercontinentals
Bill Frisell
October 2002 Albums By Aaron Steinberg
The Willies
Bill Frisell
06/10/02 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
Bill Frisell and Jim Woodring - "Mysterio Simpatico"
June 2002 Books By Christopher Porter
Trosper: Drawings/Story
Jim Woodring
March 2002 Albums By John Litweiler
Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones
Bill Frisell/Dave Holland/Elvin Jones
01/22/02 Concerts By Bill Milkowski
New York Guitar Festival Marathon
July/August 2001 Albums By Jim Ferguson
Reunion
Dale Bruning with special guest Bill Frisell
05/23/01 Concerts By Josef Woodard
Festival International Musique Actuelle Victoriaville 2001
May 2001 Albums By Bill Shoemaker
Blues Dream
Bill Frisell
July/August 2000 Albums By Josef Woodard
Ghost Town
Bill Frisell
December 1999 Albums By Josef Woodard
The Sweetest Punch, Songs of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach
Bill Frisell/Elvis Costello
September 1999 Albums By Josef Woodard
Good Dog, Happy Man
Bill Frisell
March 1999 Albums By Bill Milkowski
Songs We Know
Fred Hersch/Bill Frisell
May 1998 Albums By Jim Ferguson
Gone, Just Like A Train
Bill Frisell
October 1997 Movies By Chuck Berg
The Guitar Artistry of Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
September 1997 Albums By Josef Woodard
Nashville
Bill Frisell
Events featuring Bill Frisell
- Bill Frisell's Unspeakable Orchestra
- Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell
- Sweet Lorraine: A Jazz Celebration for the Village Vanguard
- JazzFest Berlin 2005
- Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition
- Festival International Musique Actuelle Victoriaville 2001
- New York Guitar Festival Marathon
- Bill Frisell and Jim Woodring - "Mysterio Simpatico"
- Bill Frisell Trio in New York
- Melbourne International Jazz Festival
- JVC Jazz Festival - Newport
- Monterey Jazz Festival
- Bill Frisell Trio at the Kennedy Center
- Savannah Music Festival 2010
- Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2010
- Bill Frisell Trio Opens Caramoor Fall Festival
- Earshot Jazz Festival
- Portland Jazz Festival
- TD Toronto Jazz Festival
- Newport Jazz Festival Presented by Natixis Global Asset Management
- Bill Frisell: Allen Ginsberg’s Kaddish
- Bill Frisell: Hunter S. Thompson’s The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved
- Healdsburg 15th Annual Festival
Albums
Gone, Just Like A Train
Nonesuch Records
Nashville
Nonesuch Records
Good Dog, Happy Man
Nonesuch Records
The Sweetest Punch, Songs of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach
Decca Records
Ghost Town
Nonesuch Records
Blues Dream
Nonesuch Records
Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones
Nonesuch Records
The Willies
Nonesuch Records
The Intercontinentals
Nonesuch Records
Unspeakable
Nonesuch Records
Songs We Know
Nonesuch Records
I Have the Room Above Her
ECM Records
Richter 858
Songlines
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
Sovereign
East West
Nonesuch Records
12 Songs
Cryptogramophone
The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers
Golden Beams
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian
Nonesuch Records
Reunion
Jazz Link Enterprises
Time and Time Again
ECM Records
Floratone
Blue Note Records
History, Mystery
Nonesuch Records
Hemispheres
ArtistShare
Disfarmer
Nonesuch Records
Beautiful Dreamers
Savoy
Lágrimas Mexicanas
E1 Music
Sign of Life
Savoy
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