Frisell, Bill / Music Is
Album: Music Is   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Frisell, Bill   Added:Apr 2018
Label:Okeh  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2018-04-08 Pull Date: 2018-06-10 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Jun 3 May 13 Apr 29 Apr 22 Apr 15
Airplays: 1 2 1 2 2

Recent Airplay
1. Jun 01, 2018: Traditions
Think About It
4. Apr 24, 2018: Lucid Lightning: Power Hour
Rambler (Alternate Track)
2. May 11, 2018: Traditions
What Do You Want?, Change In The Air
5. Apr 21, 2018: Old Fart at Play
Change In The Air
3. May 08, 2018: Lucid Lightning: Power Hour
Rambler (Alternate Track)
6. Apr 18, 2018: Oh Messy Motion
Pretty Stars

Album Review
Tom McCarter
Reviewed 2018-04-05
Reviewed: 2018-04-05
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Every now and then evolution becomes revolution, & this disc is revolutionary. Frisell has come a long way since his first major label appearance 35 years ago & this disc represents a significant leap forward for him as a guitarist, composer and conceptualist. Frisell's style has always been predicated on a rare ability to sustain passing notes as he (often simultaneously) moves complex voicings and linear phrases up, down and across the neck of his instrument, but rarely has he done so with such seamless sophistication as on this solo work of original compositions, half new & half mined from his past.
If You Like: Ralph Towner, Robert Fripp, John Abercrombie, Eivind Aarset, Jakob Bro
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Pretty Stars (2:21) – slow almost Chinese-like> quick stop
2/ Winslow Homer (2:25) – slow & hesitant with kind of a western twang> quick stop
*3/ Change In The Air (5:00) – slow & shimmering> shifts to an undertow, then to outer space> ramps up in volume & midtempo> progressive fade
*4/ What Do You Want? (2:06) – loud electric blast> slow & loud with spacey background that slowly takes over> slow fade
5/ Thankful (2:12) – slow with a subtle twang almost singing> quick stop
6/ Ron Carter (3:34) – slow & hesitant> false stop> slow & engaging with beautiful melody> quick fade
*7/ Think About It (5:39) – slow with vamping chords> shifts to pretty melody> shifts to slow & hesitant> shifts to riding along the trail into a spaceship> quick stop
8/ In Line (4:14) – slow and plodding> quick fade
*9/ Rambler (3:57) – slow with pretty melody like light rain falling> shifts to a slower pretty melody & fades
*10/ The Pioneers (6:33) – slow spacey electronic start> builds to midtempo spacey> fade
11/ Miss You (2:48) – slow pretty melody like a love song picks up to midtempo & fades
12/ Monica Jane (4:45) - slow and steady> fade
*13/ Go Happy Lucky (5:09) – slow with intriguing nuances around the central melody swells in volume & fades
14/ Kentucky Derby (1:00) – slow & short with heavy power chords & feedback> quick stop
15/ Made To Shine (2:44) – slow with almost Indian vibe>spacey fade
*16/ Rambler (alternate take) (3:27) – slow slightly funky & hesitant> swings to midtempo almost ragtime> fade


Track Listing
1. Pretty Stars   9. Rambler
2. Winslow Homer   10. The Pioneers
3. Change In The Air   11. Monica Jane
4. What Do You Want?   12. Miss You
5. Thankful   13. Go Happy Lucky
6. Ron Carter   14. Kentucky Derby
7. Think About It   15. Made To Shine
8. In Line   16. Rambler (Alternate Track)