Search - Bill Frisell :: Is That You

Is That You
Bill Frisell
Is That You
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #1

Recorded in 1989, Is That You? is very much a studio session, making ample use of overdubs and Bill Frisell's highly selective doubling on bass, banjo, ukulele, and clarinet, as well as his usual guitars. Producer Wayne Ho...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Bill Frisell
Title: Is That You
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Nonesuch
Release Date: 5/18/1990
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop, Rock
Styles: Avant Garde & Free Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Modern Postbebop, Bebop, Jam Bands, Jazz Jam Bands
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 075596095624, 075596095648, 007559609562

Synopsis

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Recorded in 1989, Is That You? is very much a studio session, making ample use of overdubs and Bill Frisell's highly selective doubling on bass, banjo, ukulele, and clarinet, as well as his usual guitars. Producer Wayne Horvitz adds keyboards and some drum programming, with Joey Baron playing drums and Dave Hofstra appearing occasionally on tuba and electric bass. It's Frisell's ability to construct novel musical zones that stands out, mixing acoustic folk-derived materials with distorted big-beat electric guitars in what sometimes feels like a one-man culture clash. Much of this genre evasion takes place at slow tempos, making the method even more impressive, and sometimes one of Frisell's long bends seems to span continents. The ethereally beautiful "The Way Home" sounds as if it's straddling a picturesque Japan and steel-guitar country, wandering slowly between the two without ever taking up a definite residence. Those qualities appear frequently here, and there are also a couple of terrific covers, a slow solo-guitar version of Henry Mancini's "The Days of Wine and Roses" filled with a wandering tonality, and a very funky version of Aretha Franklin's hit "Chain of Fools." --Stuart Broomer

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CD Reviews

Well worth a listen
C. Robinson | San Mateo, CA | 12/29/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great album without a doubt, but not quite as strong in my opinion as 'Before We Were Born', released the same year.It has a much less 'live' a feel than 'Before We Were Born', due largely to Frisell's multi-instrumental, multi-layered overdubbing in the studio. Wayne Horvitz demostrates some pretty impressive (if heavy-handed) production chops here, standing out far more on this album in that roll than that of composer or even keyboard player.But hey, what's a little studio trickery when the end result is as good as this? 'No Man's Land' navigates a vast, spare sonic landscape with an occasional fiery squall from Frisell and some amazing, atmosperic drumming from Joey Baron.'Rag' makes its debut here, the most obvious early example (that I know of) of Frisell's 'front porch Americana' style that would fill entire albums later on. Frisell takes the melody of 'Chain of Fools' into his capable hands and delivers, big time. He squeezes as much emotion and nuance from every note as Aretha Franklin ever did, and that's obviously saying a lot. As he's demonstrated many times, Bill Frisell has an amazing way with a pop tune.Dave Hofstra's tuba on 'Hello Nellie' is a highlight: blissfully bouncing along while Frisell boils all around him. ...and that's just my favorite tracks. Much of the album is more in the territory of the 'avante garde spooky' sound of the early 90's scene in downtown Manhattan. This would be a really good purchase for more recent Bill Frisell fans, who would like to see where he was coming from on his way to such albums as 'Ghost Town', 'Nashville', and 'Gone, Just Like a Train'."
A very good album
Danylo Lytovchenko | USA | 03/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"For me, this album of Bill Frisell is my favorite so far... it has some great masterpieces in it... beautiful melodies... This is actually my first album of Frisell I heard, and I still listen to it with pleasure through years. I highly recommend it!"