This is a (non-profit) attempt at cataloging every recording in which Bill Frisell has been involved in any way, in chronological order, according to the years that the recordings were released. On recordings which are collections of various material, or recordings where Frisell does not play on the whole recording, the specified recording date and the personnel refer only to the track(s) on which Frisell appears. Words in italics are Bill's own, or the words of his producers and / or his fellow musicians, taken from various sources, including correspondence with me. The recording numbers used are most often taken from the spine of the vinyl album, or side of the compact disc or cassette. Please send any corrections or additions, as well as contacting Bryan At bryaaker@yahoo.com All correspondence appreciated! |
| The Bill Frisell Discography |
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| Did you know that Bill Frisell has appeared as a composer and/or performer on 400+ releases?! Click on All Years to see the List! |
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| Bill Frisell Official Site Bill Frisell on ECM Records D'Addario Stringmakers Frisell Page Bill Frisell Links A Page of my Personal Musical Memories New! |
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| Written in my Dreams: A Bill Frisell Bibliography |
| Bill Frisell Photos |
| Pip,Sqeak: Frisell Related Press Kits |
| Tales From the Far Side: All the Latest Bill Frisell News |
| Bill wrote the liner notes for a new 2006 release by BRUCE MOLSKY |
| This Discography is dedicated to it's original author, Martin Lane. He did the lions share of work on this website, and is the proud father of Dylan... Boy Wonder & stellar wife and partner, Cara! Martin has a wonderful webpage full of Bill Frisell transcriptions HERE Since 1999 Bryan Aaker has been it's humble guardian and author. Thanks to all who have contributed to it's content. Please communicate any additions...corrections! |
| "Ry Cooder once said - and it really rang true to me- that you should go into every musical situation like you're a student" GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE "However weird a melody may sound, I'm actually hearing it - not generating it from some intellectual process. If you can hear a major scale in your head, you can quickly begain to hear all the chromatic dissonant notes in between." GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE "When I was 16, 17, I was listening to a lot of surfing music, a lot of English rock. Then I saw Wes Montgomery and somehow that kind of turned me around and fitted it all together. Jim Hall made a big impression on me and I took some lessons with him. I suppose I play the kind of harmonic things Jim Hall would play but with a sound that comes from Jimi Hendrix." WIRE MAGAZINE "I'm basically a pretty shy person and I don't dance or get into fights. But there are all these things inside me that get out when I perform. It's like a real world when I play, where I can do all the things that I can't do in real life." VILLAGE VOICE |
| Released August 9, 2005 |
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| Photo by Daniel Sheehan |
| Want to Know more about Bill's Musical Mates? Click Here |
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| Bryan visits with Bill between sets May 2003 |
| Frisell & Brunning Duet on Guitar Harvest Vol. 1 1-800-649-4745 or online at: www.AcousticMusicResource.com 27 Guitarists on 2 CD's! More info here or at 2003 |
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| Wanna See Some CD Covers? |
| Bill appears in the March 8, 2004 issue of TIME |
| A Little Dog Production Thanks For Visiting |
| Bill Frisell was born in Baltimore and grew up in Denver, Colorado. He discovered the guitar through the omnipresence of pop music on the radio. Soon, a passion grew for Chicago Blues, fed by the likes of Otis Rush, B.B. King, Paul Butterfield and Buddy Guy, which in turn led to an affinity for jazz and the music of Charles Ives and Aaron Copland. Frisell studied at the University of Northern Colorado before enrolling at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with John Damian, Herb Pomeroy and Michael Gibbs. In 1978, he lived and composed in Belgium, then went to New York spending the next ten years with some of the most creative people of the Downtown Scene. Frisell moved to Seattle in 1989 where he is still at home. His expressive virtuosity led to him being much in demand as a guitarist and musician. He has worked with artists as diverse as Ginger Baker, Gavin Bryars, Don Byron, Ron Carter, Elvis Costello, Bono, Jerry Douglas, Marianne Faithfull, Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz, Paul Motian, David Sylvian, Hal Wilner and John Zorn, to name but a few. His recordings of the past decades span a wide area of musical influences. His vast back catalogue also including 15 recordings for Nonesuch was lauded by Downbeat as being the "best recorded product of the decade“. Frisell wrote original music for numerous movies, among which are "The Million Dollar Hotel“ by Wim Wenders, two movies by Gus Van Sant, “Finding Forrester“ and his remake of “Psycho“, “American Hollow“ by Rory Kennedy, an HBO documentary on an Appalachian family, an educational program on the human genome entitled “The DNA files“ for the radio and two animated movies by Gary Larson („Tales from the far side I & II“). Bill continues to amaze audiences into this new century. |
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| Drawing by Bill Frisell |
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| ----PEACE---- |
| Michael Wilson has taken some great photos of Bill and Others |
| Terpstra Design does some of Bill's CD graphics |
| Claude Utley did one of Bill's CD Covers |
| Bill's Wife Carole is a WONDERFUL painter |
| Bill's been playing a new guitar Thanks David! www.davidcooperorton.co.uk |
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| Congratuations To Bill For his 2005 Grammy Win!!! Category 45 Best Contemporary Jazz Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.) Unspeakable Bill Frisell Nonesuch Records |
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| Minneapolis's Walker Art Center's "Behind The 8 Ball" Interview April 2005 What musical/performing/visual artist(s) turned your world upside down as a teenager? Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis What's the last (or favorite) book you read? Bob Dylan's Chronicles Vol. 1 What are you obessing about these days? I worry alot about the war and the whole way things seem to be heading. What a mess. What image best epitomizes the Twin Cities for you? One time I played with my band at the Walker and Chuck Helm (former Walker music programmer) came to meet us at the airport. It was about 4,000 degrees below zero and he was wearing this full-body artic suit thing that made him look like he was from outer space. That was cool. What is your least favorite sound? When I'm doing a sound check before a concert and some incredible, loud, sudden feedback comes blasting out of the monitor speakers and destorys half of your brain cells and what little hearing I have left. I also don't like those announcements on airplanes. What's your favorite recording of all time? There are too many...but Miles Davis My Funny Valentine, 1964 What was you most charactor-building experience? Playing in a marching band from when I was 10 years old...having to show up on time, march in a straight line, wear a really uncomfortable uniform, and play music at the same time. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be? It might be nice to be a tree in a really cool place, if you didn't get cut down. |
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| Bill looking natty at the 2004 sessions with Vic Chesnutt |
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| Bill...1988...NYC |
| Bill is mentioned several times in the new Costello Bio |
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| The Latest Release from Motion/Frisell/Lovano I Have The Room Above Her |
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| Bill Kubeczko is the Executive Director/ Artist Director at The Cedar in Minneapolis. He's the guy who brings Bill Frisell through my hometown, Minneapolis, the most. He's a great guy and a BIG Frisell fan! Thanks Bill! |
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| Bill provided some music on the new Jim Woodring DVD release |
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| Boubacor's Autograph |
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| Here is a great example of what local Northwesterners get to live with. This show didn't even make his official tour calender! |
| Press Kits , Articles and Reviews |
| Bill @ 2004 Paul Motion Sessions |
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| Did you hear Bill in The I WALK THE LINE movie soundtrack? |
| WNYC Guitar Festival Live Show can be heard HERE |
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| The Bill Frisell Related CD of the month features an 11:44 track by Bill, Kenny & Viktor played live at The Cedar here in Mpls., Mn. Please visit www.thecedar.org and order your copy today! |
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| Bill has a feature article penned by Danny Barnes in the Winter 2006 issue of The Fretboard Journal. A must read for all Frisell fans. You can buy a copy here |
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| Released September 12, 2006 |
| A January 2006 NYC Guitar Fest Review |
| Check out this 11 minute video profile of Bill |
| A Fresh 2006 Concert Review From The Kansas City Star HERE |
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| Bill's Bio Courtesy of Songtone & Bill Frisell |
| In Memory of Jon Egbert...a great guy |
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| Special thanks to any photographer represented on this pages. bryaaker@yahoo.com |
| 2007 Tour Dates Updated April 11, 2007 |
| This Webpage is best viewed with the Internet Explorer Web Browser |
| Last Updated February 2008 |
| Frisell Fans...I apologize for the lack of updates to The Bill Frisell Discography. My health has been poor and I find I don't have the stamina it takes to maintain the pages the way they should be maintained. but Thats the bad news... The good news is... help is on the way. The Bill Frisell Discography's original creator, Martin Lane, is assuming the everyday duties of redesigning and updating of the Discography soon. Please keep us bookmarked and look for changes in 2008 Thanks so much, Bryan Aaker |