From the keyboard of David Cooper Orton:

Bill looks up Bill Frisell

a miscellany of frisellia

Bill looks down


...which contains:

plus details of:

Bill Frisell - A partial bibliography
[combined with items from*Martin Lane*'s collection]

Bill - good guitar, happy man

  • Barry Cleveland: "Swirling in Circles: Bill Frisell Surfs Space-Time via Lennon, Lloyd, Big Sur, Motian, and More" in Guitar Player 47(10) Oct 2013, pp44-46,49-51
    includes much equiment discussion, plus photos of various Tele-type guitars

  • Joe Charupakorn: "Off the deep end" in Premier Guitar 17(6) Jun 2012, pp95-100

  • Eric Fine: "Anything's Possible" in Downbeat, 78(9) Sep 2011, pp28-31
    includes full page photo by Monica Frisell.

  • Henry Yates: "Strings Attached" in Guitarist, Issue 338 Feb 2011, pp60-62,64
    in which the Jay Black shorter scale Tele custom with DeArmond pic-ups is once more referenced, as is another Tele-shaped instrument made by Rick Kelly of Carmine Street Guitars.

  • Barry Cleveland: "Bill Frisell" in Guitar Player, 43(9) Sep 2009, pp38-40,42
    in which equipment is discussed, adding a Boss DD-4 and a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory to the list below. Teles (including the Jay Black shorter scale custom) and Jaguars are mentioned.

  • Barry Cleveland: "Bill Frisell Interview Outtakes: Working With Paul Motian and Greg Leisz" in Guitar Player (online July 2009)

  • Barry Cleveland: "Bill Frisell Interview Outtakes: Scoring Three Buster Keaton Films" in Guitar Player (online July 2009)

  • Anon: "The ToneZone: Bill Frisell" in GuitarBuyer Issue 88, Dec 2008 p130
    Lists Bill's current (ie mid 2008) equipment as:
    Fender Telecaster; ProCo Rat Distortion; Ibanez Tubescreamer; Z.Vex Ringtone TT; Line 6 DL4 Delay (my personal favourite); Boss DD-3 Digital Delay; Lexicon MPX100; Fender Deluxe Reverb.

  • John Bungey: "Bill Frisell: the man with the golden guitar" in The Times 10 Nov 2008

  • Mo Nazam: "Finding your voice" in Guitarist Issue 309, Nov 2008 pp66-68

  • Ted Panken: "Homecoming in Umbria" in Downbeat, 75(10) Sep 2011, pp34-36,38-39

  • Ted Panken: "In conversation with ron miles & bill frisell" on jazz.com, transcript of a radio interview on WKCR 14 Aug 2008

  • Chris Dahlen: "Frisell freak out" in The Wire (newspaper), 27 Feb 2008

  • Anon: "In conversation with All Hat’s composer, Grammy- winner Bill Frisell" on/@ All Hat - the movie, undated but website © 2008. Includes embedded elements of the soundtrack.

  • Michael D. Ayers: "The Art of the (Frisell) Trio" in Village Voice, 4 Dec 2007

  • Nenad Georgievski: "Bill Frisell: Pursuing Beauty" on/@ allaboutjazz, 1 Nov 2007

  • Pete Callard: "Bill Frisell's Chord Style" in Guitar Technigues, Issue 142, Aug 2007 pp76-78

  • Evan Haga: "Trio in Motian" in Jazz Times, 37(6), Aug 2007 pp50-56

  • Danny Barnes: "Music is Good: An interview with Bill Frisell" in The Fretboard Journal, Issue 4, Nov 2006 pp14-22

  • Graham Hazelwood: "More than Jazz" in Guitar & Bass, 16 (11) Jan 2006, pp64-66

  • Adam Levy: "13 QUESTION METHOD: BILL FRISELL" @ adamlevy.com, circa late 2005?

  • Andy Robson: "the far side of frisell" in Jazzwise, No. 91 Oct 2005, pp40-43

  • Paul De Barros: "Weird sounds from Seattle" in Downbeat, 72(7) Jul 2005, pp38-40,42,44-45

  • John Ephland: "Bill Frisell's perfect world" in Relix Magazine, Jun 2005

  • Alexander Varty: "Offbeat - Frisell keeps ‘em guessing " oon///@@ Georgia Straight , 23 Jun 2005

  • Lloyd Peterson: "The Message is Music: A Conversation with Bill Frisell" in Earshot Jazz, 21(5) Jun 2005, pp4,17,22

  • Blair Jackson: "Loudon Wainwright III - the folk music great in a new musical dimension" on/@ SF Gate, 1 Apr 2005

  • Derk Richardson: "Artistic Inspiration: Bill Frisell gets a real band out of Gerhard Richter-inspired music project" on/@ SF Gate, 3 Feb 2005

  • Celeste Sunderland : "Bill Frisell's Big Ocean" on/@ allaboutjazz: New York, No. 29 Sep 2004 p9. Also available in PDF

  • Bob Young: "Declassified: Guitarist Frisell flouts categories" in Boston Herald, 30 April 2004

  • Bill Beuttler: "Openness to other genres takes a former purist far" in Boston Globe, 30 April 2004

  • Anon: "TIME Special Advertising Feature: Bill Frisell, Creators at Carnegie" in TIME magazine, Mar 2004
    See also NPR radio broadcasts of this concert

  • Phil Johnson: "Bill Frisell: Me? Inventive? Try playing with the Super Rail Band of Mali..." in Independent on Sunday, 29 Feb 2004

  • Fred Jung: "A Fireside chat with Bill Frisell" on/@ allaboutjazz, 21 Feb 2004

  • Robin Denselow: "Welcome to my world" in The Guardian, 19 Feb 2004

  • Banning Eyre: "Bill Frisell interviewed at Experience Music Project, Seattle, WA 2003" on/@ Afropop Worldwide, 2003 [?]

  • Frank Goodman: "Interview with Bill Frisell" on/@ Pure Music, 2003 [?]
    transcript also available in PDF

  • Aaron Steinberg: "Bill Frisell - Nothing to talk about" in JazzTimes, Jul/Aug 2003

  • John Ephland: "Outlaw Bill" - Frisell assembles a new international musical posse in Downbeat, 70(6) Jun 2003, pp44-47

  • Jamie Renton: "Top of the Bill" in Froots, 24(7/8) Jan/Feb 2003, pp35,37

  • Jude Gold: "The Big Bang" in Guitar Player, 36(12) Dec 2002, pp92-96,98,100
    in which "Bill Frisell helps you unleash an ever-expanding universe of melodic, harmonic, and textural possibilities". Includes 16 examples of same.

  • Geoffrey Himes: "Wide Open Spaces - Bill Frisell Finds the Jazz Vibe in Country Music's Roomy Expanse" in Baltimore City Paper Online, 9 October 2002

  • Francis Davis: "Unironic" in Atlantic Monthly, Jul/Aug 2002. [See also @ songtone]

  • Andy Robson: "the QUIET man" in Jazzwise, No. 54 Jun 2002, pp30-33

  • Richard Williams: "Let your fingers do the talking" in The Guardian, 18 May 2002

  • Scott Nygaard: "Expect the Unexpected" in Acoustic Guitar, No 113 May 2002, pp48-51,55-57
    (plus transcription of Moon River, pp 52-54)

  • Marc Ribot: "Bill Frisell" in BOMB magazine, No 79 Sping 2002, pagination unknown

  • Jude Gold: "Bill Frisell - Seattle's Super Sonic" in Guitar Player, 36(2) Feb 2002, pp47,49

  • John Cratchley: "A sound investment - Bill Frisell at 50" in Avant, Issue 19 Summer 2001, pp52-54

  • Richard Seven: "The Sound of One Man Dreaming - Guitarist Bill Frisell invents music without borders" in The Seattle Times: Pacific Northwest Magazine, 22 Apr 2001

  • Mike Brannon: "The Textural Minimalist redefines American music" on/@ allaboutjazz, Mar 2001 [? - also for a while @ FUSE Online until it wasn't anymore!]

  • Richard Gehr: "Bill Frisell Mixes Country, Horns On Blues Dream" in SonicNet Jazz News, 20 Jan 2001

  • Bill Milkowski: : "Solo-flex: Bill Frisell steps into the spotlight" on Guitar.com, undated - c2000?

  • Darrin Fox: "A Town of One" in Guitar Player, 34(8) Aug 2000, pp33-34

  • Matthew Carlin: "A Conversation with Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell" in Knitting Factory Knotes, May - June 2000 *

  • Brian Glasser: "Listening post - turn down the amp" in Jazzwise, Issue 32 May 2000, pp30-21

  • John Ephland: "Screams and whispers: the music of Bill Frisell" in Downbeat, 67(1) Jan 2000, p24

  • Adam Levy: "Post Modern Americana - Bill Frisell digs into roots music" in Guitar Player, 33(9) Sep 1999, pp66-70

  • Josef Woodard: "eXPAnding the universe (the GREY AREA) SCOFIELD & FRISELL" in Downbeat, pp36-39*

  • Dan Ouellette: "Jazz Album Of The Year" (ie: Nashville) in Downbeat , Aug 1998, pp52-54*

  • H. Phillips Hoffman: "Lee Townsend's Latest Project" in Music From the Four corners, Spring 1998 pp6-7 (Borders Books free publication).*

  • H. Phillips Hoffman: "Bill Frisell: From the Far Side, inside and out" in Music From the Four Corners, Spring 1998 pp4-5 (Borders Books free publication).*

  • Roberta Penn: "For Frisell, innovation can mean reaching beyond jazz circles" in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 27 Mar 1998 p8 *

  • Derk Richardson: "Bill Frisell: Jazz-rock guitar's Clark Kent" in SF Gate - Entertainment, 26 Mar 1998

  • Andrew Bartlett: "Bill Frisell: Mystery to yearn for" in Earshot Jazz, 14(3) Mar 1998, pp1,6-7

  • Howard Mandel: "Joe Lovano: Making History" in Downbeat, Jan 1998, pp17-21*

  • Dan Ouellette: "A jazzman in Nashville - the new acoustic adventures of Bill Frisell" in Acoustic Guitar, No. 57 Sep 1997, pp66-67,70-73,89-90
    (Plus a transcription of Brother pp68-69)

  • Myrna Petlicki: "Flirting with bluegrass" in Pioneer Press: Diversions (Chicago area), (Summer 1997)*

  • William Stephenson: "On the road to Bill Frisell" in Jazziz, 14(5) May 1997, pp40-45
    (Cover drawn by Bill; full page review of Kenny Wheeler's Angel Song p66)

  • J. Macnie: "Jazz Blue notes: Freewheeling Bill Frisell give Nashville a nod" in Billboard Magazine, 12 Apr 1997 pp29-30.*

  • J. Rotondi et al: "The dirty thirty - guitar's most subversive terrorists, tweakers & troublemakers" in Guitar Player 31(1) Jan 1997 p45-6 - See also:

  • Bill Frisell: "Phrase shifters - Wring out the ring" in Guitar Player, 31(1) Jan 1997, p76
    (Bill provides an eight bar example of his harp-like arpeggiation)

  • S. Ollivier: "Mise en sons: Bill Frisell" in Jazz Magazine, Nov 1996 p28*
  • Anon. "44th annual DB critics poll: And the winners are..." in Downbeat, August 1996. p32.*

  • J. Macnie: "Jazz guitarist Frisell forms foursome for Nonesuch set" in Billboard Magazine, 13 Apr 1996 p12+ *

  • Dan Ouellette: "Bill Frisell: Reckless introvert" in Down Beat, 63(4) Apr 1996, pp16-20

  • Matt Resnicoff: "Free radical: the unpredictable world of Bill Frisell" in Guitar Player, 30(1) Jan 1996 pp81-4

  • J. Woodward: "Victoriaville: XIIe Festival international de musique actuelle, du 18 au 22 mai" in Jazz Hot Sep 1995 p19*

  • M. Rosenstein: "Observations: Victoriaville Festival 1995" in Cadence Jul 1995 pp36-38*

  • Joe Gore: "Lee Townsend - the passion of improvisation" in Guitar Player, Jul 1995 pp67-68
    (Interview with LT, producer of several BF sessions)

  • Paul Tingen: "Oh super man" in The Guitar Magazine, 5(9) 1995 pp28-30

  • U. Umberto: "Frisell en ecre" in Jazz Magazine, Jun 1995 p5*

  • F. Bouchard: "Keaton shoots, Frisell scores" in Down Beat 62(4) Apr 1995 p14*

  • J.M. Proust: "Les rencontres du samedi soir sur Europe 1: Morceaux choisis" in Jazz Magazine, Mar 1995 p81*

  • R. Grosman: "Bill Frisell: La premiere seance" (interview) in Jazz Hot, March 1995, p54-5*

  • F. Goaty: "Bill Frisell: flashbacks sans cinema" in Jazz Magazine, Mar 1995 pp22-4*

  • J. Schwerin: "Bill Frisell: stumfilmskompositoer" Musik (Sweden), Jan 1995 p16-18*

  • Tony Herrington: "Bill Frisell" in The Wire, No. 129 Nov 1994 p14

  • J. Scherwin: "Fri konversation" in Musik (Sweden), Sep 1994 p11*

  • L. Seger: "En spjuver paa klarinett" Orkester Journalen, May 1994 p14*

  • F. Goaty: "Sco & Billy the Kid" in Jazz Magazine, May 1994 p8-9*

  • Peter Watrous: "Eclectic composer gives Buster Keaton a modern voice" in New York Times, 24 Feb 1994 pC13*

  • B. Ratliff: "Jazz '93: God is in the gestures" in Village Voice, 23 Nov 1993 p J7*

  • J. Arndt: "Fr, Fr, Frisell: Gedanken zur Musik von Bill Frisell" in Jazz Podium, May 1993, p5-7+*

  • Dan Ouellete: "Blindfold test" in Down Beat, May 1993 p48*

  • Bill Milkowski: "Bill Frisell: the whole picture" in Jazz Times, No. 4 1993 p35-6*

  • Rick Batey: "Bill Frisell: Faith, chops, hilarity" in Guitarist, 9(10) Apr 1993, pp74-75,77-78,80

  • F. Goaty: "Frisell" (interview) in Jazz Magazine, Mar 1993 pp27-8*

  • J.L. Cornolli: "Reve refrigere" in Jazz Magazine, Mar 1993 pp29-30*

  • Various: "The 100 greatest guitarists of the 20th Century" in Musician, Feb 1993 p53*

  • Kenny Mathieson: "Bill is god" in The Wire, No.108 Feb 1993, pp26-28

  • M. Rosenstein: "Observations (Victoriaville Festival 1992)" in Cadence Dec 1992. pp21-4+.*

  • A. Schmitz: "Bill Frisell" (interview) in Jazz Podium, Dec 1992 pp3-6+*

  • D. Ribouillault: "Bill Frisell et Egberto Gismonti au Theatre de la Ville" in Guitare, 41(10) 1992*

  • L. Giraudo: "Paul Motian (Hyeres)" in Jazz Magazine, Oct 1992 p16*

  • Larry Birnbaum: "Mingus meditations: Hal Willner's Weird Nightmare"in Down Beat, Oct 1992 pp30-33*

  • Joe Gore: "Let's get lost - Touring the harmonic backroads with Bill Frisell" in Guitar Player, 26(7) Jul 1992, pp62-64, 66
    9 examples of Bill's musical techniques

  • James Rotondi: "Bill Frisell & John Scofield - a meeting of spontaneous minds" in Guitar Player, 26(7) Jul 1992, pp54-56, 58-60

  • Anon: "Live! (Johnny D's , Somerville, MA)" in Jazz Times, No.6 1992 p60*

  • C. Bergstroem: "Bill Frisell lyssnar, blandar och ger" in Orkester Journalen, March 1992, p41-2*

  • Howard Mandel: "No semi, no roadies, no set list" in Downbeat, March 1992 pp20-24*

  • Andy Widders-Ellis: "Bill Frisell" in Guitar Player, 26(1) Jan 1992, pp52-53
    As one of the "25 players who shook the world", Bill's previous GP interviews are snipped, reformatted and re-presented

  • P. Deschepper et al: "Pourquoi ils aiment Bill Frisell" in Jazz magazine, Oct 1991 pp28-31*

  • H. Kumpf: "John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, John McLaughlin" in Jazz Podium, Jun 1991, p40*

  • Jim Macnie: "Talent in Action" in Billboard Magazine, 102(49) 8 Dec 1990 p41

  • Bill Milkowski: "Bill Frisell - Sonic sculptor carves a new niche" in Guitar Player, 24(12) Dec 1990, pp44-46,48,50,52,133

  • D. Michel and F. Goaty: "Frisell entre les sept" (blindfold test) in Jazz Magazine, June 1990 pp62-63*

  • G. P. Chapin "Future frets: a survey" (interview) in Ear Magazine, Apr 1990 pp26-31*

  • Peter Watrous: "Bill Frisell's progress in music's Avant-Garde" in New York Times 25 May 1990 pC14*

  • J. Woodward: "Success will never spoil Bill Frisell" in Jazz Times, Sep 1989 p9+*

  • G. Rouy: "Frisell: le souffle dans les cordes" in Jazz Magazine, Sep 1989 p33*

  • Gene Santoro: "Jazz Special: Monk's young" in Village Voice, 29 Aug 1989 pJ19*

  • P.N. Wilson: "...gelegentlich auch Jazz: 18 Internationales New Jazz Festival Moers" in NZ, Jul-Aug 1989 p58*

  • T. Moon: "Bill Frisell: a shy guitar eclectic stages a quiet revolution" in Musician, Jul 1989 p92*

  • Jonathan Coe: "He who hesitates...er..." in The Wire, No. 65 Jul 1989, pp36-39

  • B. Ogan: "Stargastspiel zum 35 jaehrigen Jubilaeum des Nuernberger Jazz-Studio: Bill Frisell-Hank Roberts" in Jazz Podium, Jun 1989 p33*

  • John Diliberto: "Bill Frisell: guitars & scatterations" in Down Beat, 56(5) May 1989, pp16-19
    (Also features Joe Dennison's transcription of Bill's solo on Evidence from Paul Motian's Monk in Motian CD pp56-57)

  • Gene Santoro: "Avant Gardean angel" in Guitar World, 10(5) May 1989, pp75-78,121-122*

  • Gene Santoro: "Bill Frisell" in Taxi Magazine, May 1989, p33*

  • Tom Moon: "A jazz guitarist stands alone in class of sidemen" in The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 23 1989*

  • M. Chenard. "Festival international de Musicque actuelle de Victoriaville" in Jazz Podium, December 1988, pp52-53*

  • J. Suess: "Avantgarde im Arri" in Jazz Podium November 1988, p39*

  • K. Whitehead: "Six-strings for six (Lookout for Hope)" in Downbeat, June 1988, p 30*

  • A. Jones: "Bill Frisell: The New Faces" in Coda, Apr-May 1988, pp14-16*

  • Tom Surowicz: "Frisell bringing guitar wizardry to Walker"in Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 9, 1988*

  • R. Geisenhanslueke: "Marc Johnson's Bass Desires" in Jazz Podium April 1987, pp22-23*

  • Gene Santoro: "Blindfold test" in Downbeat, April 1987, p53*

  • Brian Morton: "A shy guy with a guitar" in The Wire, No. 36 Feb 1987, pp10-11,58
  • Dan Forte: "Henry Kaiser and Bill Frisell: Truth Or Consequences" in Guitar Player, 20(6) Jun 1986, pp98,100-103
    Discusses the making of `Truth Or Consequences', the GP Soundpage #21, including a block diagram of the composition

  • W. Gratzer: "Tim Berne - Bill Frisell" in Jazz Podium, May 1986, p24.*

  • Howard Mandel: "Bill Frisell: In search of the Lost Chord and other sound effects" in Down Beat, 53(4) Apr 1986, pp19-21, 61
    (Also features a review of Smash & Scatteration, and John Scofield's "Blindfold Test", with Smile On You amongst the 8 tracks discussed)

  • R.J. Smith: "Swing shift: dark shadows" in Village Voice, February 4th, 1986. p76.*

  • Josef Woodard: "Bill Frisell: ECM's lyrical `house guitaist'" in Guitar Player, 19(4) Apr 1985, pp45-49,52

  • Anon: "Waxing on: Legato legacy" in Downbeat, January 1985, pp37-39.*

  • R. Summers: "Profile: Bill Frisell" in Downbeat, February 1984. pp46-7.*

  • Chip Stern: "Bill Frisell's toothpaste guitar: Oozing through cracks in time" in Musician, July 1983, p82*

The somewhat self-explanatory Klein Profile: BILL FRISELL by Don Ayers. Everything you might want to know about what, at the time, were Bill's main guitars - and some other stuff, too. The guitars were subsequently sold-on by Bill and now owned by a private collector based in the UK.

Other guitar-related pages:

  • Andersen Stringed Instruments
    Reknowned builder of archtop guitars, flattop guitars and mandolins, Steven Andersen made Bill's "Little Archie" in 1996, as illustrated by Kevin Ellsworth's photo.
  • D'Addario strings
    As endorsed by Bill
  • Yanuziello Stringed Instruments
    At some point around the cusp of 2003/04, Bill came into possession of a Yanuziello spruce-top, hollow bodied electric guitar, as evidenced by Daniel Sheehan
  • Gary Brawer details the set-up on Bill's then newly-acquired 1974 Fender Telecaster in this December 2003 article from Guitar Player
  • For some while now, Bill has been using Tacoma's Papoose "thing" and a baritone guitar, plus, of course, his many Fender Telecasters, as the transcript of this October 2005 conversation details

Not sure how long this will stay around, but as of October 2011, Seattle's Fretboard Journal presents it's Podcast No. 43, featuring a 30 minutes interview with Bill, moments before his departure on a Fall tour of pretty much everywhere.

Jazz on 3 from the BBC has an on-going commitment to broadcast Bill's appearances in the UK; for quite some while the 2005 London Jazz Festival appearance at the Barbican, accompanied by violinist Jenny Scheinmann and lap steel/pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz (which took the form of a tribute to John Lennon) was available online; it's now one of the download series from songtone.

NPR - "an internationally acclaimed producer and distributor of noncommercial news, talk, and entertainment programming" broadcast highlights of The Intercontinentals' Creators at Carnegie concert, in September 2003; it has also produced this audio profile of Bill, presented by Rick Karr; and "Intersections: 'Bumpin' into a Guitar Legend" - Bill's thoughts on Jazz Maestro Wes Montgomery. On October 19, 2007, Bill appeared on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio show. And on 3 September 2008 (my silver wedding anniversary, fact fans) the trio of Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano was broadcast "Live At The Village Vanguard".

Radio station KCRW has archived a Real Audio version of Bill's Morning Becomes Eclectic appearance, 8 January 1998.
NB - URL updated Dec 2007

WNYC - New York Public Radio has highlights of the New Sounds Live concert, including new music for silent films by the Bill Frisell Trio [featuring Kenny Wollesen on drums and Tony Scherr on bass] recorded at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden, as part of the 2004 New York Guitar Festival. Other pieces have been presented in a subsequent broadcast.

Hear also these NY Guitar Festival Marathon 2002 performance by Bill Frisell and Greg Leisz:

  • Hard Times Come Again No More/That Was Then
  • Keep Your Eyes Open/What's Goin' On/Baba Drame

  • Bill Frisell
    The Guitar Artistry of Bill Frisell, Rittor Music/Warner Bros 1996

    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Kermit Driscoll - bass
    Joey Baron - drums

    This video is arranged in six "chapters", each segment dealing with different aspects of Bill's personalised approach to harmony, rhythm, use of effects (delays, looping etc) and so on. An accompanying booklet contains exercises, and transcripts for the songs included on the tape:

    • When We Go
    • Strange Meeting
    • Rag
    • The Days of Wine and Roses


    Martin Lane's Bill Frisell Transcriptions

    Available as PDF files, Martin has transcribed a number of Bill's solos over tunes featured on the following recordings:

    • On Broadway, Volume One
    • On Broadway, Volume Two
    • On Broadway, Volume Three
    • Monk In Motian
    • Bill Evans JMT

    Marvellous piece of work, well worth a viewing. Requires Adobe Acrobat v.6


      Bill Frisell's quartet appeared at the 1996 North Sea Jazz Festival. This typical example of the band's haunting sound features Bill Frisell on guitar, with Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Ron Miles (trumpet) and Eyvind Kang (violin).


    Other records from the last few years featuring Bill Frisell and not included elsewhere (with input and promptings from Martin Lane):

    Arild Andersen
    Molde Concert, ECM 2000

    Bill Frisell - guitar
    John Taylor - piano
    Arild Andersen - double-bass
    Alphonse Mouzon - drums

    A live concert recorded at the 1981 Molde Jazz Festival, this CD reissue "adds more than 20 minutes of previously unreleased material" and restotes "the original dramaturgy of the performance".


    Joey Baron
    We'll soon find out, Intuition 1999

    Joey Baron - drums
    Arthur Blythe - alto saxophone
    Ron Carter - bass
    Bill Frisell - guitar


    Joey Baron
    Down Home, Intuition 1997

    Joey Baron - drums
    Arthur Blythe - alto saxophone
    Ron Carter - bass
    Bill Frisell - guitar


    Don Byron
    Romance with the Unseen, Emd/Blue Note 1999

    Don Byron - clarinet
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Jack DeJohnette - drums
    Drew Gress - bass


    Vinicius Cantuaria
    Vinicius, TransparentMusic 2001

    Bill appears on three tracks: Ele e Carioac, Quase Choro and Nova de Sete, credited as:
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    along with:

    Vinicius Cantuaria - vocals, guitars, percussion, keyboards
    et al


    Vinicius Cantuaria
    Tucuma, Verve 1999

    Bill is one of the many musicians guesting on this excellent record. He appears on two tracks: Amor Brasileiro and Tucuma
    The line-ups include:
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    Vinicius Cantuaria - vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion
    Joey Baron - drums
    et al


    Ron Carter Sextet
    Orfeu, Blue Note 1999

    Ron Carter - bass
    Houston Person - tenor sax
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Stephen Scott - piano
    Payton Crossley - drums
    Steve Kroon - percussion


    Crazy Backwards Alphabet
    Crazy Backwards Alphabet, SST 1987

    Bill is one of the innumerable musicians guesting on this Henry Kaiser record. According to Artur Novak, his one appearance is on track 16: The Same Thing [only available on the CD version from the mid-90's]
    The line-up is
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Henry Kaiser - guitar
    Michael Maksymenko - drums


    J.A. Deane
    These Times, Zerx Records 2000

    Recorded Live at The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA - 5th October 1988
    J.A. Deane - trombone/electronics, multiple drum machines
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    Terry Rolleri - electric guitars


    Robben Ford
    Blues Connotation, ITMP 1996

    Bill appears on five of the eight tracks: my thanks to Bryan Aaker for letting me know about this one
    Robben Ford - guitar
    Ralph Towner - synth
    Julian Prister - trombone
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Kenny Garrett - alto saxophone
    Charlie Haden, Anthony Cox - bass
    Jerry Granelli - drums, synth


    Bill Frisell
    The Sweetest Punch - The new songs of Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach, arranged by Bill Frisell, Decca 1999

    Brian Blade - drums and percussion
    Don Byron - clarinet, bass clarinet
    Billy Drewes - alto saxophone
    Curtis Fowlkes - trombone
    Bill Frisell - electric and acoustic guitars
    Viktor Krauss - bass
    Ron Miles - trumpet
    with:
    Elvis Costello and Cassandra Wilson - special guest vocals


    Jim Hall
    Dialogues, Telarc 1995

    Bill appears on the first two tracks: `Frisell Frazzle'; and `Simple Things', with:
    Jim Hall - guitar
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Scott Colley - bass
    Andy Watson - drums


    Fred Hersch and Bill Frisell
    Songs We Know, Nonesuch 1998


    Fred Hersch - piano
    Bill Frisell - guitars


    Robin Holcomb
    The Big Time, Nonesuch 2002

    Robin Holcomb - vocals, piano
    Tim Young, - acoustic & electric guitars
    Bill Frisell - acoustic & electric guitars
    Danny Barnes - electric guitar, banjo, background vocals
    Eyvind Kang - viola
    Doug Wieselman - clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
    Dave Carter - trumpet
    Steve Moore - trombone
    Wayne Horvitz - Hammond B-3 organ
    Keith Lowe - acoustic & electric basses
    Andy Roth - drums
    Tucker Martine - tambourine
    Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle, Julie Wolf - background vocals


    Norah Jones
    Come Away With Me
    , Parlophone 2002

    Bill plays on track 13 `The Long Day Is Over', credited as
    Bill Frisell - guitar


    Living Daylights
    electric rosary, LiquidCity 2000

    Jessica Lurie - saxophones, flutes
    Arne Livingston - basses
    Dale Fanning - drums, percussion
    with:

    Bill Frisell - electric guitar on tracks 1, 5, 6, & 8


    Ashley Maher
    hi, Virgin 1990

    Bill plays on track 5 `tick tock', credited as
    Bill Frisell - solo guitar


    Mike Metheny
    Blue Jay Sessions, Headfirst Records 1981

    Mike Metheny - flugelhorn
    Dick Odgren - acoustic & electric piano
    Rufus Reid - acoustic bass
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    Jim Odgren - alto saxophone (on Games)
    John Riley - drums
    as told to me by Marc Morvan, April 2000


    Ron Miles
    Woman's Day, Gramavision 1997

    Ron Miles - trumpet
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Artie Moore - bass
    Rudy Royston - drums
    with:
    Todd Ayers - guitar
    Kent McLagen - bass
    Mark Harris - bass clarinet
    Eric Gunnison - piano


    Paul Motian Trio
    trio i sm, JMT 1994

    Paul Motian - drums
    Joe Lovano - tenor saxophone
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    with:
    Dewey Redman - tenor sax


    Paul Motian Trio
    At the Village Vanguard, JMT 1995

    Paul Motian - drums
    Joe Lovano - tenor saxophone
    Bill Frisell - guitar & guitar synthesizer


    Paul Motian Trio
    Sound Of Love, Winter & Winter 1997

    Paul Motian - drums
    Joe Lovano - tenor saxophone
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar


    Paul Motian
    The Windmills of Your Mind, Winter & Winter 2011

    Paul Motian - drums
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    Petra Haden - vocals
    Thomas Morgan - bass


    Karen Pernick
    Apartment 12, Shanachie 1996

    Bill appears on two songs: `love's a house' and `salty stones'
    Karen Pernick - guitar, vocals
    David Keenan - electric guitar, banjo
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    Dan Tyak - pedal dobro, pedal steel
    Eyvind Kang - violin
    Jami Sieber - electric cello, background vocals
    Wayne Horvitz - Hammond B3, piano
    Jeff Leonard - bass
    Andy Roth - drums
    John Bush - percussion
    Robin Holcomb, Laura Love, Julie Wolf - background vocals


    Holly Palmer
    Holly Palmer, Warners/Reprise 1996

    Bill appears on two songs: `five little birds' and `oxblood 2x4s'
    Holly Palmer - vocals
    and about 15 others including:
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar


    Kelly Joe Phelps
    Slingshot Professionals, Rykodisc 2003

    Bill appears on two songs: `Not so far to go' and `Cardboard box of batteries'
    Kelly Joe Phelps - vocals, acoustic guitar
    and a bunch of fine folk, including:
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar, loop


    Hank Roberts
    Black Pastels, Winter & Winter 2002 [originally JMT 1988]

    Ray Anderson - Trombone
    Tim Berne - Sax (Alto)
    Mark Dresser - Bass
    Robin Eubanks - Trombone
    Hank Roberts - Fiddle, Cello, Guitar (Bass), Vocals
    Joey Baron - Percussion, Drums
    Bill Frisell - Banjo, Guitar, Guitar (12 String)


    David Sanborn
    Inside, Warners/Reprise 1996

    Bill appears on one song: `aint no sunshine'
    David Sanborn - alto sax
    Bill Frisell - electric guitar
    and who knows how many others others, including:
    Sting - vocals


    The Mathilde Santing Ensemble
    Out of this dream, Megadisc(?) 1987

    Mathilde Santing - vocals
    Bill Frisell - guitar [tracks 1-3-4-5-6-7-8-10-11-12]
    Rolf Hermsen - guitar
    Fernando Saunders and Simon Planting - bass
    Peter Meuris - keyboards
    Michael Vatcher - percussion
    plus
    Sebastiaan Koolhoven - Michael Moore - Greg Moore - Sharon Freeman - et al on miscellaneous percussion, woodwinds, horns etc.

    My thanks to Hans van de Waterwater for infoming me of this, which includes two tracks arranged by Bill:
    Todd Rundgren's Love of the common man; and Tom Waits' Broken bicycles
    There is also a related out-takes release called Out Of This Dream: A Third Side, on which Bill reputedly appears.


    Douglas September
    Ten Bulls, Samson 1998

    Douglas September - vocals
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Wayne Horvitz - keyboards
    Michael Rhodes - bass
    Michael Shrieve - drums & percussion
    David Torn - long distance loops and textures [5 tracks]


    Sarah Siskind
    Covered, Infrasound Collective 2002

    Bill plays on most of this CD, particularly the closing instrumental [Lonesome Prospect] with Sarah's father on violin
    Bill Frisell - electric and papoose guitars


    Triode
    Triode, Baba Records 1978-79?

    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Kermit Driscoll - bass
    Vinnie Johnson - drums
    Somewhat obscure and 3rd hand from Craig Bishop via Martin Lane.
    A Belgian lp, released as #BR001j (and possibly not called Triode, which is the name of the group, I think, and quite possibly Bill's earliest appearance on record.


    Various
    Burt Bacharach: Great Jewish Music,Tzadik 1997 (2 cd set)

    Bill Frisell - guitar: What The World Needs Now Is Love


    Various
    Guitarmusic, JMT 1995

    Track 9 - Don't Explain, performed by
    Paul Motian - drums
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Joe Lovano - tenor saxophone
    "Previously Not Released", recorded at the same sessionsas Paul Motian Trio, At the Village Vanguard, JMT 1995


    Kenny Wheeler
    Angel Song, ECM 1997

    Kenny Wheeler - trumpet, flugelhorn
    Lee Konitz - alto saxophone
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Dave Holland - double-bass


    Michael White
    Motion Pictures, Intuition 1997

    Michael White - violin
    Bill Frisell - guitar


    Kenny Wheeler
    Angel Song, ECM 1997

    Kenny Wheeler - trumpet, flugelhorn
    Lee Konitz - alto saxophone
    Bill Frisell - guitar
    Dave Holland - double-bass


    John Zorn
    Masada Guitars, Tzadik 2003

    Bill Frisell - guitar (tracks 1,4,7,10,14,17,20)
    Marc Ribot - guitar (tracks 3,6,9,12,13,16,18,19,21)
    Tim Sparks - guitar (tracks 2,5,8,11,15)


    most recently revised 24-vi-13

    all contents (apart from that which isn't mine) copyright david cooper orton 1998-2013