[DDDorian]

...John Scofield meets Bill Frisell - Grace Under Pressure. EGAD.

I've been a huge fan of Bill Frisell for a long time; when I listen to myself play I think I hear more Frisell than anyone else. I've only recently really started listening to Sco, so when I saw he'd recorded with Frisell, I made sure to investigate. This album destroys! Sco on electric, Frisell on electric and acoustic, the awesome Joey Baron on drums and... some guy, on bass, whose playing isn't particularly busy, which I'm happy about. There's a brass section on a few songs too.

Frisell does what he does, and he does it really fucking well, but it's Sco who really surprised me. His playing here is way more angular than I'm used to from him and I'm really digging it. I urge anyone with an interest in either player (or anyone looking for an introduction) to pick up this album immediately. You won't be disappointed.

[distressed_romeo]

Fuck, I need to hear this album!

[jacksonplayer]

I saw Frisell in concert last year. He's very good, but maybe a bit too restrained for my tastes. I tend toward the over-the-top guitarists inspired by Coltrane, such as McLaughlin and Holdsworth.

[DDDorian]

^^Yeah, those players definitely have a lot of appeal to me as well. What I like about Frisell is the way he harmonises chords so as to come up with melodies that are simultaneously ugly and compelling. Even when he's playing something upbeat he can make it sound hideous. He never really rips in the traditional sense, but it isn't beyond his ability and a couple of his recordings feature his take on that style. His more recent output veers a bit to close to folk/country for my liking but is still enjoyable. Check out Lookout For Hope if ever you're curious, and the recordings he's done with Vernon Reid or Henry Kaiser for some shreddier stuff.

[jacksonplayer]

The only Frisell recording I have is the second half of Michael Shrieve's "Two Doors" album, which is definitely some rippin' stuff. The first half of that disc has Shawn Lane and Jonas Hellborg playing with Shrieve, so it's kind of a weird album.