Bill Frisell
Electric Guitar
73 age
March 18, 1951 Birthday
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. Birthplace
www.billfrisell.com Website
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About
Bill Frisell is a Grammy-winning jazz guitarist and composer whose career spans over four decades and over 40 albums as a leader and contributions to more than 300 recordings. Renowned for his ability to blend diverse musical styles—from jazz and folk to country and classical—Frisell has created a unique sound that transcends traditional genre boundaries. He gained prominence in the late 1970s as ECM Records' in-house guitarist and has worked with a wide array of artists, including Paul Motian, Paul Simon and John Zorn. His innovative approach to music has earned him numerous accolades, including multiple top rankings in the DownBeat Critics Poll, solidifying his status as one of the most important musicians in contemporary American music.
Trivia
Bill Frisell was recognized as an inaugural Doris Duke Artist in 2012. Bill Frisell composed soundtracks for the silent films of Buster Keaton. Bill Frisell's 1992 album "Have a Little Faith" features his interpretations of a variety of American composers including Aaron Copland, Bob Dylan, Madonna, and Sonny Rolllins.
Early Life
Bill Frisell was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1951 but grew up primarily in Denver, Colorado. He started playing the clarinet in fourth grade and continued throughout his school years. In his early teens, he developed a passion for the guitar, quickly becoming involved in rock and R&B bands. Inspired by hearing Wes Montgomery, Frisell turned his attention to jazz and began studying with Denver-based guitarist Dale Bruning. After high school, he briefly attended the University of Northern Colorado before transferring to Berklee College of Music in 1971. At Berklee, he studied under Jim Hall and Michael Gibbs, broadening his focus from traditional jazz to the diverse, genre-blending style for which he is now renowned.
Bill Frisell Solos
2001
Electric Guitar solo - The Long Day Is Over - 2001
3/4 waltz in D♭ major at 84 BPM