Bill Frisell • Big Sur

 

Review by Thom Jurek
Bill Frisell's Big Sur, on Sony's resurrected Okeh imprint, collects 19 individual pieces in a suite commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival. He spent ten days in retreat at Big Sur's Glen Deven Ranch, where he composed most of it. His band on this date includes his 858 Quartet -- Jenny Scheinman: violin; Eyvind Kang: viola; Hank Roberts: cello-- and his drummer Rudy Royston; Kang and Royston are from his Beautiful Dreamers group, making this an unorthodox string quartet with drums. Those drums not only keep things grounded and earthy, they add force, dimension, and dynamics even on the ballads. As is typical for Frisell's ensembles, it's not about soloing so much for these players -- though all are given opportunities -- as the strength of the work through the voice of the group, with Frisell's guitar as the unifying factor, whether it's in the opening waltz "The Music of Glen Deven Ranch," the slowly unfurling, darkly tinged ballad "Going to California," or "The Big One," which references surf rock. There is a five-note vamp the guitarist uses in several pieces here as a way of bringing the listener back to the fact that despite the varying nature of these pieces, they make up a significant whole. "We All Love Neil Young" is a duet for Frisell and Kang with the violist taking up the "vocal" part as the guitarist fills and weaves through his lines. The gradually unfolding nature of "Highway 1" is an excellent and wonderfully quirky showcase for Scheinman and Kang in dialogue, and for the staggered use of dissonant harmony as Frisell's effects. The title track is a wonderful showcase for Roberts, while "The Animals," though brief, offers fine interplay between the violinist and violist as they weave through Frisell and Roberts with a Celtic-tinged folk music. "Hawks" is the most driven thing on the record, though it flirts with classical and folk music by turns, and in and out statements by all group members, driven by Royston, offer a deft quickness that gives the impression of flight. While the aforementioned tracks are noteworthy examples, this hour-long work is at its absolute best when taken as a whole. On Big Sur, Frisell delivers an inspired musical portrayal of the land, sky, sea, and wildlife of the region with majesty, humor, and true sophistication.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/big-sur-mw0002538213

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Reseña de Thom Jurek
Big Sur de Bill Frisell, en el sello Okeh resucitado de Sony, recopila 19 piezas individuales en una suite encargada por el Festival de Jazz de Monterrey. Pasó diez días en retiro en el rancho Glen Deven de Big Sur, donde compuso la mayor parte. Su banda en esta fecha incluye su Cuarteto 858-Jenny Scheinman: violín; Eyvind Kang: viola; Hank Roberts: violonchelo-y su baterista Rudy Royston; Kang y Royston son de su grupo Beautiful Dreamers, lo que hace de este un cuarteto de cuerdas poco ortodoxo con batería. Esos tambores no solo mantienen las cosas conectadas a tierra y terrenales, sino que agregan fuerza, dimensión y dinámica incluso en las baladas. Como es típico en los conjuntos de Frisell, no se trata tanto de tocar solos para estos músicos, aunque a todos se les dan oportunidades, como de la fuerza del trabajo a través de la voz del grupo, con la guitarra de Frisell como factor unificador, ya sea en el vals de apertura "The Music of Glen Deven Ranch", la balada de lento despliegue y tintes oscuros "Going to California" o "The Big One", que hace referencia al surf rock. Hay un empeine de cinco notas que el guitarrista usa en varias piezas aquí como una forma de devolver al oyente al hecho de que, a pesar de la naturaleza variable de estas piezas, forman un todo significativo. "We All Love Neil Young" es un dueto de Frisell y Kang con el violista asumiendo la parte" vocal " mientras el guitarrista llena y teje sus líneas. La naturaleza que se desarrolla gradualmente de "Highway 1" es un escaparate excelente y maravillosamente peculiar para Scheinman y Kang en el diálogo, y para el uso escalonado de la armonía disonante como efectos de Frisell. La canción principal es un escaparate maravilloso para Roberts, mientras que "The Animals", aunque breve, ofrece una excelente interacción entre el violinista y el violista mientras atraviesan a Frisell y Roberts con una música folclórica con tintes celtas. "Hawks" es lo más impulsado del disco, aunque coquetea con la música clásica y folclórica por turnos, y las declaraciones internas y externas de todos los miembros del grupo, impulsadas por Royston, ofrecen una hábil rapidez que da la impresión de volar. Si bien las pistas mencionadas anteriormente son ejemplos dignos de mención, este trabajo de una hora está en su mejor momento cuando se toma en conjunto. En Big Sur, Frisell ofrece una representación musical inspirada de la tierra, el cielo, el mar y la vida silvestre de la región con majestuosidad, humor y verdadera sofisticación.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/big-sur-mw0002538213


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcBervKDkus


www.billfrisell.com ...

Tracks:
1 - The Music Of Glen Deven Ranch - 3:46
2 - Sing Together Like A Family - 4:22
3 - A Good Spot - 0:53
4 - Going To California - 3:17
5 - The Big One - 2:44
6 - Somewhere - 1:32
7 - Gather Good Things - 5:31
8 - Cry Alone - 3:18
9 - The Animals - 1:39
10 - Highway 1 - 4:51
11 - A Beautiful View - 4:05
12 - Hawks - 4:40
13 - We All Love Neil Young - 1:39
14 - Big Sur - 3:05
15 - On The Lookout - 2:01
16 - Shacked Up - 4:11
17 - Walking Stick (For Jim Cox) - 4:10
18 - Song For Lana Weeks - 4:14
19 - Far Away - 4:36


Credits:
    A&R [Okeh] – Wulf Müller
    Art Direction, Design – Paul Moore (2)
    Cello – Hank Roberts
    Coordinator [Production Assistance] – Adam Blomberg
    Drums – Rudy Royston
    Engineer [Mastering Engineer] – Greg Calbi
    Engineer [Recording Engineer], Engineer [Mxing Engineer] – Adam Muñoz
    Guitar, Composed By – Bill Frisell
    Management – Songline/Tone Field Productions
    Photography By – Monica Jane Frisell*
    Photography By [Historical] – Library of Congress*
    Producer – Lee Townsend
    Viola – Eyvind Kang
    Violin – Jenny Scheinman

Label:    Okeh – 88883717382
Country:    Europe
Released:    May 31, 2013
Genre:    Jazz, Folk, World, & Country
Style:    Contemporary Jazz, Folk
https://www.discogs.com/release/4615840-Bill-Frisell-Big-Sur

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