Although (or maybe it’s because) Bill Frisell’s early days have had him playing with chopmasters like Mike Stern and John Scofield, he’s always emphasized a search for tone and visceral moods rather than technique. Consequently, he’s delivered albums ranging from Nashville skylines to Brazilian beaches. This latest one with vocalist Petra Haden (daughter of Charlie Haden), cellist Hank Roberts and baritone guitarist Luke Bergman takes you to homespun and traditional towns from the Cumberland gap, mixing Sunday morning and evening church meetings with casual family get togethers.
Haden’s voice and cadence gives for a June Carter traditional approach to the album, going a capella with Roberts and Bergman for a rural “Red River Valley” or dreamy with the musicians in instrumental and vocal harmony on Frisell’s “Everywhere” or his gospel-laden “God’s Wing’d Horse.” Frisell has his fingers on the pulse of Southern Flyover States as his own dreamy “Fifty Years” fits in perfectlyu along side Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times.” Frisell is a minstrel on the blue highway of “Curiosity” and pretty on “How Many More Miles” and even more surprising is when he does a duet with Haden for an agonizing and ominous take of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” that shines a light on previously unseen corners. Faded blue jeans, the Bible and a container of Copenhagen chewing tobacco sound great here.
Frisell is scheduled to do some duets with Julian Lage, coming to UCLA December 5. Don’t miss that one!