Bill Frisell, History, Mystery

Though guitarist Bill Frisell can seem indecisive in person, he has the surest touch as a musician. That is true for his playing, where he can invest a single note with meaning, and it's true in the way he organises his music and musicians. That slow response denotes a genuine thoughtfulness. And Frisell has rethought his ensemble lineup - a kind of roots-jazz-classical chamber hybrid, though with none of the hang-ups that might imply. The octet, recorded mainly live here, are particularly good at ultra-slow tempos on numbers such as Sam Cooke's smouldering A Change Is Gonna Come, and the drawling groove of Struggle, which foregrounds the string trio of Hank Roberts (cello), Jenny Scheinman (violin) and Eyvind Kang (viola). The 30-track, double CD is studded with gems such as Baba Drame (by Boubacar Traoré), Waltz for Baltimore and Monroe, appropriately reminiscent of Ornette Coleman's Lonely Woman.