Bill Frisell

How many guitar players in the world can you immediately recognize by just listening to a couple of notes without ever having heard the song before?

I'm talking about those guitarists who are so proficient in their artistry that they have their own voice just like your favorite singers. Jimi Hendrix of course. Chuck Berry yep. Carlos Santana uh huh. B.B. King sometimes. Eddie Van Halen why not. Keith Richards ok. How about Bill Frisell? Definitely.

According to estimates, there are 50 million guitar players in the world. Bill Frisell should be at the top of that list for you to see live in person. I've seen Bill in concert more than 15 times in the last decade and I've never seen the same show or band format twice. Bill can be subtle, challenging and powerful all in the same song. Sometimes you have to wait for it… sometimes you get knocked over the head.

Whether he's performing his own compositions or interpreting the works of other greats like John Lennon, Hank Williams or McCoy Tyner, it's always a gift to be able to witness a master at their craft. So keep practicing in your bedroom, keep watching YouTube videos of your favorite artists but when Bill comes to town, get out of your house and experience the emotional impact of live music.

I never had the opportunity to see Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Duane Allman, Robert Johnson but I've seen Frisell.

Although William Frisell is known as one of the leading guitar jazz artists since his career began in the late 70s/early 80s yet his influence has been noted in a variety of genres including progressive folk, classical music and country music. It is perhaps due to his immeasurable musical ability and insane instrumental skill.

Fans travel from far and wide to see Frisell's expert guitar playing in person and he never leaves them disappointed with long shows developed to really showcase his finger picking skills. Not contented with his own discography, the man of the hour covers the likes of The Kinks and The Beach Boys to further demonstrate his range as a guitarist and also his knowledge of those he calls inspiration. He has brilliant rapport with his backing band and its great to see a group of musicians clearly enjoying each others company and talents onstage together as they seem to feel very lucky to be able to play to packed out shows night after night. A finale inevitably comes with 'Telstar' and 'Lift Off' becoming the highlight of the evening so far.

Bill Frisell is an incredible guitarist with so much character in his playing, we were entertained every moment. His chemistry with Charles Lloyd left you feeling thrilled, satisfied, hopeful, and reminded me of the sweetest moments of love that I have experienced throughout my lifetime - it takes a real musician to evoke those emotions in me. So it was lovely, in a very literal sense.

Bill Frisell is a humble Living Treasure.

Over the trajectory of his career, he has retained the authenticity of his instrument’s voice. Truly sui generis. He also has the capability to let everyone in the ensemble take it to a next level. We are lucky to have him in New York.
Oh, and he is a terrific daddo to his dotter.