Bill Frisell’sloping, laconic guitar phrases are as implacably beautiful and subtlyshape-shifting as a prairie landscape, a perfect soundtrack forcompelling visuals. Indeed, two of the cooler items in his quilteddiscography were created to accompany the photographs of Walker Evans (This Land) and the films of Buster Keaton (Go West). Now the Walker has co-commissioned Frisell to … Read more
The music by this experimental jazz guitarist is so phenomenally prodigious that we’d be sick of it by now, if Frisell didn’t keep reinventing himself. He’s played with John Zorn’s jazz punk band Naked City, recorded a series of meditations on American folk standards, paid homage to Malian blues, and covered pop and rock artists … Read more
In a herculaean feat involving customs negotiations, visas, and all sorts of other international red tape, the Cedar manages to import a couple dozen Scandinavian musicians each year for its Nordic Roots Festival. The music itself is even more amazing. This year’s lineup includes traditional players like Norway’s Knut Hamre (a master of the lovely … Read more