For Bill Frisell, music at its best feels dreamlike. It bends and manipulates time, contracting and expanding. On his latest, In My Dreams the guitarist is joined by longtime collaborators for a spectral set of tunes, including a sterling cover of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” He joins us to discuss the record, dreams, and Gary Larson’s The Far Side.
Category: Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell: “The Searcher” (Excerpt)
For four and a half decades, guitarist Bill Frisell has folded his beautifully faded melodies into a tapestry that includes work high profile pop singers, raging jazz punk, folk, ballads, country and western. In Beautiful Dreamer: The Guitarist Who Changed The Sound of American Music, released this week by Faber books, author Philip Watson presents a sprawling biography of Frisell. Aquarium Drunkard is proud to present an excerpt from the book’s first chapter, “The Searcher.”
Transmissions :: Bill Frisell
Our guest this week is legendary guitarist Bill Frisell. His latest is called Valentine. It’s out now on the Blue Note label, and it finds him in a trio setting, joined by Thomas Morgan on bass and Rudy Royston on drums. It features Malian folk, standards, and originals, and it’s as deft, nuanced, and emotive as you might expect. Bill joined us early on a Saturday morning to discuss the record, his friendship with the late Hal Wilner, his deep listening practices, and telepathy.