2017 release. Small Town presents guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan in a program of duets, the poetic chemistry of their playing captured live at New York s hallowed Village Vanguard. Frisell made his debut as a leader for ECM in 1983 with the similarly intimate In Line. The guitarist's rich history with the label also includes multiple recordings by his iconic cooperative trio with Paul Motian and Joe Lovano, culminating in Time and Time Again in 2007. Small Town begins with a tribute to Motian in the form of a searching, 11-minute interpretation of the late drummer s composition 'It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago', the duo's counterpoint yielding a hushed power. Morgan has appeared on several ECM albums of late, as bassist of choice for Tomasz Stanko, Jakob Bro, David Virelles, Giovanni Guidi and Masabumi Kikuchi. Small Town sees Frisell and Morgan pay homage to jazz elder Lee Konitz with his 'Subconscious Lee', and there are several country/blues-accented Frisell originals, including the hauntingly melodic title track. The duo caps the set with an inimitable treatment of John Barry's famous James Bond theme 'Goldfinger'.

The debut recording of guitarist BILL FRISELL'S trio with bassist Thomas Morgan & drummer Rudy Royston is a wide-ranging 13-song set that mixes Frisell originals new & old, jazz standards, traditional songs, and covers. Valentine explores the creative freedom of the trio format and the profound musical relationship between these three musicians after years of touring.

2019 release. Like their acclaimed ECM release Small Town of 2017 which The Guardian called "wistful and mesmerizing... tonally ingenious and haunting" Epistrophy by guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan was recorded at New York City's Village Vanguard. The album once again captures the rare empathy these two players achieve together in this intimate environment. There are further poetic takes on pieces from the duo's beloved Americana songbook ("All in Fun," "Red River Valley," "Save the Last Dance for Me"), as well as another intense version of a composition by Paul Motian ("Mumbo Jumbo"), an artist whom both the guitarist and bassist knew well. Frisell and Morgan communicate the essence of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and the Frank Sinatra hit "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," so much so that the famous words seem to hang in the air even without a singer. At the center of the album is a pair of pieces by Thelonious Monk: the funky, angular "Epistrophy" and the ruminative ballad "Pannonica." And as with "Goldfinger" on Small Town, Frisell and Morgan offer a glowing duo interpretation of a melody-rich John Barry title tune from a James Bond film "You Only Live Twice."

Double vinyl LP pressing. 2019 release. Like their acclaimed ECM release Small Town of 2017 which The Guardian called "wistful and mesmerizing... tonally ingenious and haunting" Epistrophy by guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan was recorded at New York City's Village Vanguard. The album once again captures the rare empathy these two players achieve together in this intimate environment. There are further poetic takes on pieces from the duo's beloved Americana songbook ("All in Fun," "Red River Valley," "Save the Last Dance for Me"), as well as another intense version of a composition by Paul Motian ("Mumbo Jumbo"), an artist whom both the guitarist and bassist knew well. Frisell and Morgan communicate the essence of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and the Frank Sinatra hit "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," so much so that the famous words seem to hang in the air even without a singer. At the center of the album is a pair of pieces by Thelonious Monk: the funky, angular "Epistrophy" and the ruminative ballad "Pannonica." And as with "Goldfinger" on Small Town, Frisell and Morgan offer a glowing duo interpretation of a melody-rich John Barry title tune from a James Bond film "You Only Live Twice."

JOY IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING

Classical Music

2022 release. Bill Frisell convenes a new line-up of musical friends on his third Blue Note album, Four, which features the acclaimed guitarist with Gregory Tardy on saxophone and clarinet, Gerald Clayton on piano, and Johnathan Blake on drums. Together, the foursome delves into intimate explorations of thirteen Frisell originals (both old and new) to create this stunning new work that is a meditation on loss, renewal, and friendship.

Double vinyl LP pressing. 2022 release. Bill Frisell convenes a new line-up of musical friends on his third Blue Note album, Four, which features the acclaimed guitarist with Gregory Tardy on saxophone and clarinet, Gerald Clayton on piano, and Johnathan Blake on drums. Together, the foursome delves into intimate explorations of thirteen Frisell originals (both old and new) to create this stunning new work that is a meditation on loss, renewal, and friendship.

Classical Music

For this 2014 album, GUITAR IN THE SPACE AGE, guitarist and composer Bill Frisell mines the catalog of guitar based music from the '50s and '60s that first inspired him to pick up the instrument. Joining Frisell for this album of musical memoriesare the members of his working trio, bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen, along with frequent collaborator Greg Leisz, a master of the lap and pedal steel guitars. This superb quartet explores the music of Pete Seeger, the Byrds, Junior Wells, Dick Dale, the Ventures, the Astronauts, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis and others with Frisell's own compositions sprinkled in. The album offers a rare look into Frisell's formative influences, from a time when the electric guitar was in it's infancy and creating a startlingly new sound, pushing popular music into the future.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Bill Frisell's expansive double album Orchestras documents two inspired concert-hall engagements arranged by Michael Gibbs for the guitarist's trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. Sweeping orchestration evoking landmark film scores and Gil Evans alike move nimbly within and around the trio's telepathic rapport, and Frisell's shimmering trademark tone melds gorgeously with symphonic strings and brass. CD Packaging: Softpak CD

Bill Frisell's expansive double album Orchestras documents two inspired concert-hall engagements arranged by Michael Gibbs for the guitarist's trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. Sweeping orchestration evoking landmark film scores and Gil Evans alike move nimbly within and around the trio's telepathic rapport, and Frisell's shimmering trademark tone melds gorgeously with symphonic strings and brass.

2016 release. When You Wish Upon a Star features Grammy Award-winning jazz guitarist Bill Frisell's arrangements and interpretations of music for film and television. The album is more than an homage to a set of iconic scores and the choice of music is both inspired and carefully balanced. For the first time in many years, Frisell used vocals on many of the tracks. Petra Haden, daughter of the late bass player Charlie Haden, is the featured vocalist and her vocal style is a perfect fit for Frisell's arrangements. Included on the album are the classic music themes from To Kill a Mockingbird, Psycho, Once Upon a Time in the West and The Godfather all with Bill's refined interpretations. Bill Frisell is one of the leading and most innovative guitarists of our time. Although his work is steeped in jazz, his music includes characteristics of rock, country and bluegrass, among various other styles. Such liberality explains his willingness to expand his tonal palette beyond that of a typical jazz guitarist and he has carved out a niche by virtue of his sound. A Grammy winner for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2005, Bill is one of the most singular musicians of his generation and has released over 30 albums since his debut recording in 1983.