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Album Description: Two CD set. Bill Frisell’s History, Mystery is a series of short pieces, alternately elegant and playful, written by Frisell for an octet comprised of the guitarist himself and a group of longtime collaborators-friends. One evocative snippet melds into another to form a virtually seamless work that unfolds over the course of this double-disc package. It has an engrossingly theatrical quality, as if it were the score to some unseen play. Some of these tracks were originally written for Mysterio Sympatico, a 70-minute multi-media dialogue between Frisell and fellow Seattle based artist/comic book author Jim Woodring that premiered in 2002 at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, featuring Frisell’s compositions and Woodring’s surreal projections, and that has subsequently been reprised around the country. Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-01
Circus music
That's what my daughter called it, and she's right. I know Frisell makes these sort of discs occasionally, with bizarre horn arrangements, but I don't care for them. Heck, I can't even tell if there's a guitar anywhere in some of these tracks! I shouldn't have bought it before listening closely. My mistake. If you like Nashville, Good Dog Happy Man, Gone Like a Train, Blues Dream, The Willies, East/West, Unspeakable -- this is nothing like any of them. Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-23
music for grownups
Miles Davis once said that the secret to playing jazz was capturing the feel of children's rhymes like "Patty Cake." Bill Frisell captures it perfectly, and his music is simple, playful, and fun. It's also serious and complex. No contemporary jazz artist (other Keith Jarrett) puts me in touch with the poignancy of life the way Bill does, with the sweetness of being alive, with delight in what's transient and beautiful in the face of great loss and inevitable death. Bill (like Keith) understands how important it is to keep jazz connected to its roots in blues and American popular song. ("All Blues" would be a good title for Bill's entire oeuvre.) I think this is why I resonate more to his music than to trickier cutting edge jazz, which sometimes sounds like an unfun puzzle. History, Mystery has the kind of artistic scope of Blues Dream, but it's even larger, more natural, and more satisfying. It contains echoes of The Intercontinentals, but sounds deeper, less concepty, and more settled. The pairing of guitar and violin has an illustrious history: Rheinhardt and Grapelli, McLaughlin and Goodman, McLaughlin and Shankar, Abercrombie and Feldman. Add Frisell and Scheinman to that list. Rating:
Date: 2008-05-23
Still Growing on Me
This holds together much better then one might think, 30 tracks from different sources. There is a very nice flow to it. I like this more then East/West, less guitar histrionics (but there is a bit). It most reminds me of his "The Intercontinental", probably my favorite Frisell recording.
His version of "A Change is Gonna Come" on here is gorgeous! Rating:
Date: 2008-05-18
I can't wait for the next one.
Another fantastic release from Mr. Frisell. I recommend this to people who are already very familiar with Bill Frisell's work and enjoy it. History, Mystery is a wonderful mix of the familiar with the unfamiliar. I can't wait to see what Bill creates next. Rating:
Date: 2008-05-17
press "play"
Thoroughly interesting, eminently entertaining, highly recommended!
The description that this album seems like a soundtrack to an unseen play is apt. Perfect for close "headphones" listening, or for a long thoughtful drive in the car.
Let your mind wander... Great CD! |
