Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade”.
His latest recording titled Orchestras was released April ’24 on Blue Note. In the trio format he’s favored throughout his career, the guitarist and composer has always projected an orchestral scope — through his remarkably complete sense of harmony, a unique gift for melodies that remain with you long after a performance, and a keen feel for how dynamic range can be used to convey emotion. But on his new double album, his fourth release for Blue Note Records, he makes those symphonic evocations a reality. Produced by Lee Townsend, Orchestras documents two inspired concert-hall engagements arranged by Michael Gibbs for Frisell’s long-standing trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston: one featuring the nearly 60-piece Brussels Philharmonic, conducted by Alexander Hanson; and one with the 11-piece Umbria Jazz Orchestra, under the musical direction of Manuele Morbidini.
In March 2022, a biography on Frisell, entitled Beautiful Dreamer – The Guitarist Who Changed The Sound of American Music, written by Philip Watson was published by Faber and released in the UK, Europe, South, Central America & Asia. Through unprecedented access, and interviews with his close family, friends and collaborators, Philip Watson tells the story of the innovative and influential guitarist and composer.
Recognized as one of America’s 21 most vital and productive performing artists, Frisell was named an inaugural Doris Duke Artist in 2012. He is also a recipient of grants from United States Artists and Meet the Composer, among others. From 2013 – 2015, Bill was Resident Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center for their Roots of Americana series, and in 2016, he was a beneficiary of the first FreshGrass Composition commission to preserve and support innovative grassroots music. Upon San Francisco Jazz opening their doors in 2013, he served as one of their Resident Artistic Directors.
Bill is also the subject of a documentary film by director Emma Franz, entitled Bill Frisell: A Portrait, which examines his creative process in depth. He has also received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music.
Petra Haden
In a restlessly eclectic, wholly unique musical career spanning three decades, Petra Haden has established a singular reputation for creativity and versatility and a unique niche allowing her to apply her multiple talents to a diverse array of music.
As a singer, instrumentalist, and composer, Haden has built an impressively varied and accomplished discography encompassing her work as part of the 1990 alt-rock quartet That Dog, her collaborations with a broad array of acts, and a series of her own releases, which often showcase her unique talent for constructing complex, evocative A-Cappella arrangements by inventively layering multiple tracks of her own voice. Her catalog includes her solo album ImaginaryLand (1996), Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out (2005), and Petra Goes to the Movies (2012). Her work with Bill Frisell includes their Duo album, “Petra Haden and Bill Frisell” (2005), and their 2005 collaboration and Frisell’s albums HARMONY, and When You Wish Upon a Star.
Haden’s far-flung creative endeavors share a consistent sense of adventure and expression and a playful sensibility that gives her projects a consistently uplifting, inventive spirit that marks them as uniquely hers. As one of the triplet daughters of the late legendary jazz bassist and composer Charlie Haden, Petra was literally born into a life in music.
Petra’s skill for vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment has led to her voice and/or violin appearing on albums by the likes of Foo Fighters, Green Day, The Decemberists, Beck, Danny Elfman, Rufus Wainwright, Mike Watt and more.
