Customer Reviews

Blues Dream

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not exactly sure why Bill Frisell is one of the best jazz musicians playing right now, but he is. He seems to understand that jazz isn't significant simply because it inherits the sounds that Duke, Miles, Satchmo or Coltrane produced. Their work was very important, of course, but jazz is also about working with popular music, the current zeitgeist, and letting good musicians take it someplace special. Unlike many jazz musicians, Frisell's music doesn't sound like it comes out of the popular music of the 40s and 50s; it sounds like it comes out of the popular music of the last twenty or thirty years. There is a heavy blues influence, of course, but there is also a country music influence, and a Hendrix influence, and maybe even something from the outside rock music made by musicians like Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. The end result is a series of sonic dreams that sound like they belong to this century and to living generations. They are sometimes funky, often beautiful, occasionally even a bit corny, but almost always satisfying.

Bill Frisell's consistent recorded output over the last two decades has established his reputation as one of the most atmospheric of guitarists. His more recent infatuation with musical Americana has come to full fruition on "Blues Dream", which deftly blurs whatever distinctions occur between what are conveniently termed Blues, Jazz and Country. The result is an extremely listenable album that ignores any notion of genre autonomy, rather seeking to establish a mood that incorporates all the unique musical aspects that American contemporary life has embraced over the last century. So Bluegrass rhythms sit alongside avant-garde horn motifs, which bounce off abrasive slide-guitar excursions - a curious hybrid held together by it's geographical roots.

I was a bit disappointed after my first listen of this cd, as none of the tunes really grabbed me as many of Bill's (can I call him by his first name?) compositions have in the past (Egg Radio, Blues for LA, Rag, and Tales from the Far Side, inparticular). Upon listening over and over again, however, I've come to realize that this is one of those albums that grows and grows and grows on each subsequent listen, and now I rank "Blues Dream" as one of Bill's best.

As many reviewers in the past have pointed out, Frisell is one of those composers/arrangers/musicians who can blend styles with the deftest of hands, and "Blues Dream" serves as a terrific showcase for Frisell's method (now that I'm playing the role of critic, by the way, I'm referring to Bill Frisell as Frisell, as I'm attempting to portray myself as objective, which I'm not). Those unfamiliar with Frisell's work will find a rich soup of styles, as the album boils with country and bluegrass, blues, rock, and occasionally, a lick or two of straight jazz (though not too much). Those familiar with Frisell will find Frisell continuing in the vein of his mid- to late-nineties albums, but perhaps tempered by a more sullen, low-key feel than he's expressed in the past, which may prompt the question, "Does Frisell play the blues on this album?" I'd say, "not really," as only a few tunes are actually in blues form; however, as the title suggests, there is a dreamlike feel that justifies the title. As objects and places and people in one's dreams are never quite right, neither is the blues ever really properly addressed on this album--which is OK, because the album is not named "Straight Steel Blues from a Straight Steel Man," (I think that was Kenny Wayne Shepherd's last recording).

In closing, I'd consider "Blues Dream" to be an essential Frisell recording, as well as a fine introduction to his overall body of music. All the elements are there--the loopy guitar lines, the unique and memorable compositions, and the tasteful arrangements. Mmm... finger-pluckin' good.

"Blues Dream" released in 2001 on Nonesuch is one of Frisell's best efforts as a leader. The music, as always with Frisell, is very hard to categorize. It's essentially blues-jazz combined with folk, bluegrass, country, and a touch of avant-garde, because we all know Frisell favors a little bit more dissonance than other jazz guitarists. This is a great beginning album for people just starting to get into Frisell as is his album "Good Dog, Happy Man."

The musicianship, as with any Frisell album, is top-notch. Bill has a talent for finding just the right musicians to play his music. I was particuarly impressed with drummer Kenny wollesen, pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz, and trumpeter Ron Miles. All the other musicians are fantastic, but it seems these musicians really took this session to another level.

The audio quality of this recording is also very well done. This album is again produced by Lee Townsend, whom I feel is just as important as any of the musicians. You can really hear his mark on this album's production. Townsend has been producing Frisell's albums for many, many years now and always does a fine job.

If you enjoyed his albums "Good Dog, Happy Man" and "The Intercontinentals" then this would be a welcome addition to your collection. Very highly recommended.

Frisell incorporates nearly all of his "styles" here. What strikes me most is the way he meshes the sound of This Land (Folkes and Drewes played on that one too) with his current country/bluegrass interests. What is new here is an overt sense of "the blues." Tunes like Ron Carter play up the blues element (i'm not sure why this song is named for the very classic bassist) and tunes like What We Do show some of the sweeping qualities found on Quartet and earlier ECM sets.

This is possibly Frisell's best disc yet! If you liked anything he has done in the nineties, get it!

This records confirms what now appears as the inevitable direction Frisell has been moving in since "Nashville," and here is the destination. That is seems as such is a bit disappointing, since so much of the pleasure of his records is the surprise they bring. The surprise here is that the style and sound is familiar, and if that is a criticism, it is only such because Frisell is such an enchating artist.

There is the obvious consolidation of sound: the rootsy, pedal-steel shimmer from "Good Dog, Happy Man" has been joined to the atmospheric horn accompaniment of "Quartet," and it sounds great. The material is direct in the line of Americana, both traditional and newly-minted, that the guitarist has been mining since "Nashville," and with great sucess on "Ghost Town." He's really gone beyond jazz to make American instrumental music, and nice it is. If you're familiar with and enjoy his recent work, you'll enjoy this too, and if you're curious about the man and his music, this is almost as good as a recent 'best of.'

Bill Frisell has a knack for composing unique songs inside traditional American styles. This album combines country, bluegrass, folk, and blues --- but he gives the blend a modern spin. The music is elegant and personal, played to perfection by Frisell's band.

The songs come in two general forms: short sketches of melody and rhythm, and the long songs that gently work out a particular musical theme. It's the long songs that stand out. The high point is "Greg Leisz," a deep blues track and repeats the same simple musical phrase until it becomes hypnotic. Frisell takes the long and the short songs and mixes them up, alternating between the sketches and the deeper, more adventurous tracks. I highly recommend this album. It will introduce you to Bill Frisell's work. From here, you'll want to hear more of his CDs. I recommend Ghost Town after this one.

As a long time fan, I have enjoyed many Bill Frisell releases immensely, although my favorites have to be Quartet, Live, and Ghost Town. I just got this cd today (it came out yesterday) and it is an continuation of sounds, themes, and expressions from previous releases. Its like a next step. I am hearing elements from different projects, but it mostly feels like a combination of Good Dog, Happy Man and Quartet. There's some Nashville up in there too. The horns really add dimension and texture, and I must say I'm a big Ron Miles and Curtis Fowlkes fan. There's so much here. Thanks to all,

i can honestly say that rarely have i ever been seriously disappointed by a frisell album, and that dates back to when they only came on that black vinyl stuff. i heard him first with eberhard weber and have been captivated by his expressive playing ever since. (he was on lyle mays' first solo album too... a strange combination to be sure, but amazingly listenable none the less) a clarinetist in origin, he seems to be able to play the guitar as if it has a reed...

blues dream is the first recording in a while that i've been really really excited about listening to over and over- this time not so much for frisell's playing, but rather the compositions. i guess that, having grown up in the 'heartland' but as the son of a jazz player i was never able to quite reconcile the bluegrass i heard coming out of the radio with the jazz coming off of dad's turntable. this album is thereapy for others simularly situated. why haven't you bought this yet?

Guitarist Frisell's previous couple of recordings found him in something of a mellow, acoustic-oriented vein. Although these were nice recordings, it is nice to be able to report that Frisell has cranked up the energy a couple of notches on Blues Dream, which features Frisell on both acoustic and electric guitars. The rest of the group comprises Greg Leisz on various steel guitars and mandolin, Ron Miles on trumpet, Billy Drewes on alto sax, David Piltch on drums, Kenny Wollesen on drums, and Curtis Fowlkes on trombone.

The recording opens with what sounds like a blues holler played on the trumpet, and the blues dream begins. Perhaps because he has a trumpeter named Miles in this band, Frisell names two of the cuts after musicians, "Ron Carter" (with some big fat bass notes) and "Greg Leisz" (moody and atmospheric, sounding something like soundtrack music). Overall, this is rich stuff, with plenty of texture. The players weave in and out of various cuts; it is especially interesting to hear the occasional interplay between trumpet and guitar.

Frisell's music is hard to pigeonhole. It sounds distinctly American, but it is at once rural and cosmopolitan. His is a unique musical vision; perhaps he will one day be recognized as a seminal force in American music. This is an amazingly satisfying recording that you will want to play over and over again and recommend to your friends, be they jazz buffs, country fanatics, folkies, blues enthusiasts, or whatever.