Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email


2022 May 13 • Friday

Bill Frisell's guitar playing is so extraordinary that it's possible never to get past it and give equal time to his compositions.

One way to do it is to get his compositions off by themselves. There's no better approach than this record: Unscientific Italians Play the Music of Bill Frisell Volume 1.

It's brilliant. Crucially, there's no guitar on it. It's an ensemble of eleven people, mostly wind instruments with bass, drums, a bit of piano and electronics.

This first volume takes seven tunes in beautiful arrangements with lush textures and sonorities as well as a strong sense of swing.

The record itself has drawings by Frisell and so presumably has his official blessing. I have to assume he's very pleased with the result!