Off The Tracks

Off The Tracks
  • Blog
    • Interviews
    • Miscellany
    • Special Guests
    • Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • The Vinyl Countdown
  • Back Catalogue
  • About
    • About
    • About the banner image
    • On Song
    • Advertise
April 9, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Bill Frisell /Thomas Morgan: Small Town

downloadBill Frisell /Thomas Morgan

Small Town

ECM

Thomas Morgan was nearly the star of a recent Bill Frisell show I saw and he was an important part of Frisell’s tribute to movie soundtracks – here the pair step out as a duo, with this live outing that returns Frisell to ECM, though he’s hardly been away as such – as frequent guest appearances on ECM outings will attest.

Small Town is just Frisell and a semi-acoustic, Morgan and his upright bass. There’s a crowd that appreciates what they hear. And it’s a lovely set of tunes.

This is close to hearing Frisell solo at times – so empathic, warm, slippery and subtle is Morgan’s playing. But it’s also about the interplay, and about the appreciation, and about the way that Morgan plays through. Here’s there, under, inside, always a part of it – even if it seems like, more often than not, it’s his role to let Frisell shine.

Well, these two have such a fine act honed – and in that regard the 11-minute opener, Paul Motian’s gorgeous It Should Have Happened Along Time Ago, tells you all you need to know about this album, gives you the clues and warns you of what’s to come.

But there are several rich moments to follow of course, Song For Andrew No. 1 (one of Frisell’s originals) plays out in a wonderful seep, its richness, again, the ooze of melody and rhythm, the space between Frisell’s lines and the deep anchor that Morgan offers.

The Carter Family’s Wildwood Flower is a showcase for the country sonic that’s always been interpolated in Frisell’s version of jazz – here it dances along on Morgan’s bassline; reminding us, again, that he fills the void left by Charlie Haden’s passing, at least in terms of the way Haden and Frisell worked together.

It’s a sprawling set – eight songs reaching towards 70 minutes – and we close with Goldfinger, a nod to the film tributes that brought Morgan and Frisell together. Here, without the drum flourishes, it’s simply about how much harmony and melody Bill Frisell can coax – and we know from so many of his explorations that his subtle-dazzle is always a remarkable, if nonchalantly served-up feat.

Small Town is a lovely listen, a gentle, calm, but exploratory album; these extrapolations should work to ease you in – or out – of any day.
maxresdefaultYou can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron

Posted in Blog, Reviews and tagged with Album Review, Bill Frisell, Bill Frisell /Thomas Morgan, Bill Frisell /Thomas Morgan: Small Town, Duo, ECM, Live, Small Town, Thomas Morgan, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron. RSS 2.0 feed.
« Rick Estrin & The Nightcats: Groovin’ In Greaseland
I Wrote The Liner Notes For Darren Watson’s New Album – Too Many Millionaires »

Popular

  • XTC – This Is Pop: Film
  • David Long: Beyond The Edge [OST]
  • Sexy Animals: Deluded By Vagina (2011-12)
  • Record Store Day 2018: List of Special Releases
  • Janna Lapidus Leblanc: Four Years In Pictures
  • Jonny Greenwood: Phantom Thread [OST]
  • The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 204 The Set List
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 11 – Lindsey Buckingham
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 8 – Mark Knopfler
  • R.I.P. Bob Dorough
  • Poem: Nights In Armour
  • Documentary Edge Festival 2018: Programme Announced
  • Blue: DVD
  • The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 201 Tora Tora Tora 2018
  • Stubs: # 220 – A Musical Menagerie, Wellington, 2018
  • The 1001 Albums Challenge # 48: The Temptations – “All Directions”
  • Switzerland: Theatre
  • Poem: Everyone
  • The Vinyl Countdown # 417
  • Five Of The Worst NZ Songs You’ve Had To Hear Way Too Often
  • Wellington Film Society: Preview – The Adventures of Prince Achmed (April 9)
  • Sweetman Podcast: Episode 110 – Jeremy Taylor of Slow Boat Records talks Record Store Day

Archives

Tags

2016) Album Review Art Auckland Book Book Review Compilation DJ DJ Set DVD DVD Review EP Film Film Review Gig Gig Review Guest Blog Interview Jazz Jon Mcleary Live Live Gig LP Movie Music NZ Phantom Billstickers Poem Record Records Short Story Soundtrack Spines Stub Stubs The Ghost of Electricity The Spines V/A Vinyl War Stories Wellington Wgtn Writing You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron [OST]

Categories

  • Back Catalogue
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • Miscellany
  • Mixtapes
  • Playlists
  • Podcasts
  • Reviews
  • Scene Of The Day
  • Special Guests
  • The Vinyl Countdown

Off The Tracks is the home of Sweetman Podcast, a weekly interview/chat-based pod. It's also home to my reviews across film, TV, music and books and some creative writing as well.

Off The Tracks aims to provide quality reviews and essays, regular blog updates about the shows, albums, books and movies you should be experiencing.

It's a passion project. Your support will help to keep Off The Tracks online.

All content © 2018 by Off The Tracks. WordPress Themes by Graph Paper Press