Bill Frisell is a jazz guitarist who I've been listening to for quite a long time. Describing him as a jazz guitarist might be a bit of a misnomer as, like John Scofield, his albums have crossed several musical genres.
His latest album, Four, is definitely jazz, in the small combo mode and it's wonderful. As well as Frisell, players on the album include Gregory Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet; Gerald Clayton: piano; Johnathan Blake: drums.
From JazzTrail.net:
The unmatchable American guitarist and composer Bill Frisell soars his six-string chords in the company of long-time collaborator Gregory Tardy on reeds, and recent partners: pianist Gerald Clayton and drummer Johnathan Blake. Four is Frisell’s third outing on the Blue Note imprint, and consists entirely of originals - nine newly composed and four taken from two previously recorded albums. They form a wonderful set of folk-rooted meditations on loss, renewal and friendship.
The record is dedicated to the late cornetist Ron Miles, but some specific tracks pay tribute to some of Frisell’s recently departed friends. The opener, “Dear Old Friend (for Alan Woodward)” is a solo-less, far-from-overwrought country song with a lullaby-ish melody. There’s also the gently persuasive “Waltz for Hal Willner”, and the wonderful collective work of “Claude Utley”, which celebrates the amazingly colorful painter of the same name, a native from Seattle who passed away in September 2021. This piece, carrying a post-bop leverage, incorporates the tenets of the bandleader’s style. Clayton gets the spotlight in the introductory section, after which an inducted three time feel stimulates Frisell and Tardy (on clarinet) to provide counterpoint.
This is beautiful contemplative music made by musicians who know how to listen as well as play. I like it very much and I hope you do too.
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