China Town

John Zorn (alto sax), Bill Frisell (electric guitar), Wayne Horvitz (piano), Fred Frith (bass) and Joey Bron (drums). From the album Naked City (1990).

Bill Frisell is an American guitarist, arranger and composer. Among jazz guitarists, Frisell is a master at using a great variety of timbres. His sound resembles that of a saxophonist. Although his music has its origins in jazz, it also includes elements of rock, country, bluegrass and other styles. This open-mindedness allows him to expand his tonal palette beyond that of the usual jazz guitarists. Some of them measure themselves by the number of notes they can play, but Frisell is distinguished by his sound. His ability as a lyrical and original melodic interpreter is combined with a distinct sound, making him one of the most unique musicians of his generation.

As a child he studied clarinet at the Denver Synphony Orchestra and played in school concerts and music bands. As a teenager he played guitar in rhythm and blues and rock bands. He was introduced to jazz by listening to Wes Montgomery records and studied music at the University of Northern Colorado before going to the Berklee School of Music in Boston in 1971, where he met other like-minded classmates and received lessons from Jim Hall.

First you hear some very strange sounds produced by Frisell’s guitar, as if they came from a world beyond the grave. Then the rest of the group enters softly and Zorn plays a sweet and sensual melody. Frisell also contributes with some phrases and Zorn remains alone for a few moments until the group briefly returns, but let Frisell to conclude with an enigmatic sound.