Bonebridge

Erik Friedlander (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 14, 2011)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Skipstone Records
• ASIN: B004UTQYUC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,561 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

In 1971 Erik and his family visited the Galax Fiddlers Festival in Galax, Virginia. The Friedlander family was camping out with hundreds of bluegrass fans and Erik would walk around the festival grounds listening to the numerous pick-up bands that had impromptu sessions. Trucks would roll up, doors would open, and groups would come together. Do you pick? people would ask each other. If the answer was yes a band would have its start. One staple of the bluegrass sound is the lap-steel guitar and Erik, then a 11-year old cello player, quickly became a fan. Men with their guitars turned face up and hitched at their waists, pressed down on the neck of the guitar with a silver slide-- the bending tones left a lasting impression: The sound is so expressive and I think is in some ways similar to the cello being bowed -- both instruments are legato and singing. It hit me like a flash when I was contemplating my next project why not put the my cello together with slide?! After making this connection, everything fell into place and the music started writing itself. Produced by Erik Friedlander Recorded at Excello by Scott Solter Mixed at Baucom Road by Scott Solter Mastered by Steve Berson at Total Sonic Media All Music by Erik Friedlander Personnel: Erik Friedlander, cello; Doug Wamble, guitar; Trevor Dunn, bass; Mike Sarin, drums.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars From the folk fringe of jazz July 10, 2011

By Nobody important VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

If you are fan of Bill Frisell's folk-tinged albums, like Nashville, Ghost Town, or The Willies, you will find much to like about Erik Friedlander's "Bonebridge." A better point of reference might be Jack West (more on him later), but I'll start with the Frisell comparison because Frisell is more widely known. Friedlander is not a conventional jazz musician. For starters, he plays cello, which is almost unheard-of in jazz. He frequently opts for plucking over bowing, though, and he tends to sound more like Edgar Meyer in one of his jazz moods rather than any other cello player. After all, Meyer frequently plays so high up on the fingerboard of his bass that a casual listener might think he is playing cello anyway. Friedlander is joined by up-and-coming guitarist Doug Wamble. Wamble, like Frisell, is a genre-hopping guitarist who is as influenced by folk, country and blues as by jazz. He relies heavily (although not entirely) on his slide skills here, leading to a very interesting dynamic. Since the cello is a fretless instrument, Friedlander frequently slides his fingers across the fingerboard in a way that blends with Wamble's electrified acoustic slide guitar. The two leads are joined here by a bass-and-drum rhythm section, which is quite good, but mostly stays out of the way of Friedlander and Wamble. Stylistically, this is only marginally jazz. The music is improvised, but not based in any specific jazz tradition. There are occasional hints of bebop, and even a reference or two to gypsy jazz, but like some of Bill Frisell's best albums, Friedlander is as influenced by country and folk as by anything in the "pure" jazz world. Wamble brings more delta blues to the table than Frisell ever does, but I keep coming back to Frisell because anyone who likes his roots-based albums will almost certainly like Bonebridge.

Further listening:

Jack West & Curvature. Jack West plays the same kind of acoustic, instrumental folk-jazz that Friedlander does. Also like Friedlander, West likes to experiment with unusual instrumentation. Along with unexpected combinations of backing instruments, he plays a custom-made 8-string acoustic guitar, with a slide, and Wamble's sound on Bonebridge is frequently reminiscent of Jack West. In particular, I recommend "Big Ideas," "Around About Now," and "As We Know It."

Doug Wamble, "Country Libations" and "Bluestate." Doug Wamble's first two albums are absolutely brilliant. On his solo stuff, he also sings, and his voice is a deeply soulful, gospel-influenced blues voice. He shows even more contempt for genre boundaries than Friedlander, and once you hear these two albums, it will be immediately obvious why Friedlander knew that needed Wamble.

Tin Hat Trio. They have several albums out. They use unusual instrumentation to play a vaguely European acoustic folk-jazz with hints of world music. Very adventurous.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Compulsive listening January 25, 2012

By Orwellflash

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I won't try to label this album--I categorize it, very loosely, with Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Tin Hat Trio, melodic Jazz/chamber music. Lots of variety of sound and feel, which keeps my attention and favor. Anyway, I have found it to be one of those rare albums that I listen to over and over again, like Barenboim's Tribute to Ellington. Listen to the previews and see if you agree. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites over 2 years January 17, 2013

By T. Land

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This CD is highly recommended. The compositions are so engaging. I keep listening to this album, over and over. Yes, I agree with the other reviewers this could go in a group with Tin Hat Trio (although more melodic), Bill Frisell's small group "Americana" recordings, Bela Fleck's bluegrass sessions, Artie Traum's "Meeting with Remarkable Friends," Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg and Edgar Myer's "Skip, Hop and Wobble." Thank you other reviewers for your suggestions. This CD is very well recorded. After buying the CD in 2011, and falling in love with the compositions, I looked at Erik's touring schedule and saw that he had unfortunately cut his hand while bicycling. I now see that he's touring again. Erik has played with John Zorn's groups for years and I learned about him as a member of the Bar Kokhba Ensemble (also highly recommended). Please give this CD a listen.