AAJ Review: Bill Frisell, Big Sur

[jkelman]

My review of Bill Frisell's Big Sur, today at All About Jazz.

Recently signed to Sony Masterworks' revived Okeh imprint, Frisell's debut for the label is as auspicious as could be hoped for. A marriage of his 858 Quartet and Beautiful Dreamers trio - meaning 858 + drummer Rudy Royston - this commission for the Monterey Jazz Festival is an ambitious collage of groove-driven textures, ranging from the skewed harmonies for which the guitarist has become known, to the unerring interpretive instincts of his group, which also includes violinist Jenny Scheinmen, violist Eyvind Kang and cellist Hank Robertson. It's also a significant return, after his John Lennon tribute (All We Are Saying (Savoy Jazz, 2011)) to Frisell the composer, and a most welcome one at that.

Review here.

[N_Singh]

Pretty much auto buy.

Strange to think that one of the biggest labels around--Sony--is restarting a jazz label--one with a name (OKeh) that apparently, from what I can recall, goes back to the 1920s, during the period of the so-called "race records". I think Ellington was on Okeh at one time. Now 90 something years later, so is Frisell.

[jkelman]

Pretty much auto buy.

Strange to think that one of the biggest labels around--Sony--is restarting a jazz label--one with a name (OKeh) that apparently, from what I can recall, goes back to the 1920s, during the period of the so-called "race records". I think Ellington was on Okeh at one time. Now 90 something years later, so is Frisell.

And John Medeski (whose solo album was the first of the newly revived label), Bob James & David Sanborn, Kat Edmondson and Michel Camilo are all the other artists who're signed to the label, at least so far....

BTW, for those wondering where the name came from, according to their website: "OKeh was founded by Otto K. E. Heinemann when he set up his own recording studio and gramophone record pressing plant in New York City in September 1918.

As for Frisell? I really think this is the best record in quite some time (not that the others have been bad); it has some of his best writing in a long time, imo, and I cannot wait to see the group at Norway's Molde Festival next month!

[JSS]

And John Medeski (whose solo album was the first of the newly revived label), Bob James & David Sanborn, Kat Edmondson and Michel Camilo are all the other artists who're signed to the label, at least so far....

BTW, for those wondering where the name came from, according to their website: "OKeh was founded by Otto K. E. Heinemann when he set up his own recording studio and gramophone record pressing plant in New York City in September 1918.

As for Frisell? I really think this is the best record in quite some time (not that the others have been bad); it has some of his best writing in a long time, imo, and I cannot wait to see the group at Norway's Molde Festival next month!

Cool, can't wait to hear this.

Bill is playing as part of the Charles Lloyd Quartet, & the Lennon Project, at the Detroit Jazz Festival in September. Should be great. Love Kenny Wolleson with Bill.