AAJ Review: Bill Frisell, Hurricane Harvey Relief: A Compilation

[jkelman]

My review of Bill Frisell's charity-driven Hurricane Harvey Relief: A Compilation From His Live Download Series, today at All About Jazz.

Many musicians may use their celebrity to speak out about issues that matter to them, but only a relatively precious few are actually prepared to put the time, effort and money where their mouths are, creating contexts where much- needed funds can be raised to support those causes. It's even better when they do so in a way that rewards fans who donate to such worthwhile efforts with something tangible, as an expression of gratitude.

Since 2008, Bill Frisell has released a series of download-only live performances from across his long and varied career. Beyond the opportunity to hear high quality soundboard recordings of material that many will only have encountered, so far, on studio albums from In Line (ECM, 1983) through to Beautiful Dreamers (Savoy Jazz, 2010), the Live Download Series--now 21 titles strong--also provides the chance to experience lineups that have never been heard on any of the guitarist's many commercial recordings.

With the massive damage incurred by recent hurricane activity in the southern USA and Puerto Rico, Frisell and his team have put together Hurricane Harvey Relief: A Compilation From His Live Download Series. Culled from five of his Live Download Series releases, Hurricane Harvey Relief not only serves as a good introduction for those who've yet to dip their toes into the series; as a recent press release, first issued on September 18, 2017, makes clear, "Everyone affiliated with this project is donating their royalty or time for this relief effort." It's clearly a win-win.

With the five shows represented already reviewed extensively at All About Jazz, there's little need to go into extensive detail about the individual releases. What's important is that all but one of these seven tracks document lineups that have never before been heard, in precisely these constellations, on any of Frisell's commercial recordings. While it would be impossible to suggest that these tracks are the "best of the best" from the guitarist's Live Download Series, their specific selection and sequencing makes for a compelling 65 minutes of prime Frisell.

Continue reading here...

[Dave (in MA)]

If there was a link provided, I failed to spot it, so:

https://artist-stores.com/collection...t=569435422745

[JKL2000]

Just purchased the MP3 download. Thanks, John, I wasn't familiar with Frisell aside from his name. Very cool music, and it feels good to do something that will do some good in the hope it will counter some of the overwhelming chaos in the news this morning. In fact, listening to this music is just the balm I needed...

Of course, my more joking/cynical side is prompting me to think it's nice to have one charity compilation from every disaster, but if we did our collections would be more out of control than they already are. Anyway, this one was a win-win.

[jkelman]

If there was a link provided, I failed to spot it, so:

https://artist-stores.com/collection...t=569435422745

It is in the header block of the article (just listed as BillFrisell.com), but thanks for posting this. The news item I linked to in the piece had a more obvious link to purchase, but AAJ has a rule about not tying reviews into commerce...even if, as is the case here, it's a charitable thing. I can't argue with the site's rules.

Anyway, thanks Dave!
Cheers!
John

[jkelman]

Just purchased the MP3 download. Thanks, John, I wasn't familiar with Frisell aside from his name. Very cool music, and it feels good to do something that will do some good in the hope it will counter some of the overwhelming chaos in the news this morning. In fact, listening to this music is just the balm I needed...

Of course, my more joking/cynical side is prompting me to think it's nice to have one charity compilation from every disaster, but if we did our collections would be more out of control than they already are. Anyway, this one was a win-win.

Glad you picked it up. And like it.

If you are ever looking for some recommendations of what I think are some of his best recordings, he's got a massive discography, so unless you've been in it, as I have, since the beginning, it's a pretty daunting list of recordings. But there are probably 10 albums I'd consider absolutely essential, and of those, five that would be great starting points, so I'll give you the 10 and asterisk the starting points. In no particular order, and with hotlinks to reviews/rediscoveries where available). I'll then list ten of my favourite guest appearances:

1. Have a Little Faith ** (his "covers" album, but with everything from Bob Dylan to Charles Ives, Madonna to Sonny Rollins, and from Aaron Copland to John Hiatt, it's an eclectic collection that, nevertheless, totally hangs together)
2. This Land ** (still, compositionally speaking, my favourite Frisell album)
3. Good Dog, Happy Man ** (still my favourite of his small group, more Americana-based albums)
4. Blues Dream ** (take #3 and add reeds and you've got, well, wow)
5. Quartet ** (a curious lineup of guitar, viola, trombone and trumpet, but man, does it ever work!)
6. Big Sur (his 858 string quartet meets a bass/drums rhythm section)
7. History, Mystery (wonderful double-disc set)
8. Unspeakable (his funk/r&b-centric collaboration with turntablist/sampler/producer Hal Wilner; as with all Frisell, nothing like the description suggests on a superficial level)
9. East/West (two great live trio dates, with two different trios)
10. Ghost Town (a solo album, but like none you've ever heard)
11. Small Town (with bassist Thomas Morgan) - ok, 11, but his most recent, and a lovely return to ECM Records with a gentle but deep duo set)

Plus, a few albums on which he's appeared that I think are also essential:
1. Jan Garbarek Group - Paths, Prints
2. Jan Garbarek Group - Wayfarer
3. Arild Andersen - Molde Concert
4. Kenny Wheeler - Angel Song
5. Paul Motian - It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago (the first of the late drummer's 25-year trio with Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, and still one of my faves)
6. Gnostic Trio - Gnostic Preludes (a wonderful trio of vibes, harp and guitar, playing sublime music by John Zorn; they have six albums out now, and picking one was kinda hard as they're all terrific)
7. David Sanborn - Another Hand (a surprisingly left-of-center album from a saxophonist normally thought of in more funbk/r&b and, even (yuk) smooth jazz, but still a terrific player)
8. Joey Baron - Down Home (a groove-laden album with drummer Joey Baron, saxophonist Arthur Blythe and bassist Ron Carter)
9. Don Byron - Tuskegee Experiments (with perhaps my absolute favourite Frisell solo ever, on "Next Love")
10. Marc Johnson - Bass Desires (a kickass group with John Scofield and Peter Erskine also in tow).

There are so many more, so believe me, just picking these was tough. And the entire live download series is terrific. I've reviewed 18 of them now (including this compilation), but have four more I need to group into a third (well, now, fourth) article. Here's a link to those reviews.

Anyway, just some ideas for you if you want to dig deeper. He's one of the greatest guitarists of his generation...also one of the greatest conceptualists who sees no borders in music...and I love him for that, too.