History, Mystery is among Bill Frisell's most eclectic yet accessible projects.
Produced by longtime ally Lee Townsend, this double-disc, 90-minute, 30-piece suite encompasses the full range of Frisell's musical past and his influences, obsessions, and storylike vision.
It is performed by a star-studded octet that includes trumpeter Ron Miles, saxophonist Greg Tardy, and a string section featuring Eyvind Kang, Jenny Scheinman, and Hank Roberts, with bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen in the rhythm section.
History, Mystery dances across entire musical landscapes: bebop/post-bop, Malian folk music, tangos, Delta blues, modern classical music, vintage soul, and rock.
The source material for this recording was compiled from a multimedia collaboration with artist Jim Woodring called Mysterio Sympatico in 2002 and recorded during a tour.
The rest was recorded for Stories from the Heart of the Land, a 2007 series on National Public Radio.
Frisell composed most of this work, but his own "history" is revealed in his choice of covers: Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," "Jackie-Ing" by Thelonious Monk, "Sub-Conscious Lee" by Lennie Tristano, and "Baba Drame" by Malian guitar legend Boubacar Traoré.
The sense of "mystery" is in just how these various sources are melded in a multi-textured tapestry of sound.
Balance for this work is achieved in the strength of its arrangements, and the glue that binds them together is the string section.
Its role is pivotal: it anchors the listener through its many stylistic and textural changes.
The notion of "history" here is also revealed in the way songs are juxtaposed.
For instance, a soul tune like "A Change Is Gonna Come" actually precedes a knotty yet swinging bop number like "Jackie-Ing."
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baba DrameBoubacar Traoré | Bill Frisell | Play | 05:19 | 12 MB | 0 MB |
| 2 | MonroeBill Frisell | Bill Frisell | Play | 07:02 | 16 MB | 0 MB |
| 12 mins | 28 MB | |||||
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karina Benznicki | Production Supervisor |
| 2 | Adam Blomberg | Production Assistant |
| 3 | Greg Calbi | Mastering |
| 4 | Eli Cane | Production Coordination |
| 5 | Sam Cooke | Composer |
| 6 | Jack Delano | Photography |
| 7 | Claudia Engelhart | Live Sound |
| 8 | Walker Evans | Photography |
| 9 | Cathy Ferrante | Assistant Engineer |
| 10 | Bill Frisell | Composer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Liner Notes, Loop, Loops, Primary Artist |
| 11 | Monica Frisell | Photography |
| 12 | Ronen Givony | Editorial Coordinator |
| 13 | Eyvind Kang | Main Personnel, Viola |
| 14 | Lee Konitz | Composer |
| 15 | Russ Lee | Cover Photo |
| 16 | Ron Miles | Cornet, Main Personnel |
| 17 | Thelonious Monk | Composer |
| 18 | Adam Muñoz | Editing, Mixing |
| 19 | Cameron Nicklaus | Assistant Engineer |
| 20 | Shawn Pierce | Engineer, Mixing |
| 21 | Hank Roberts | Cello, Main Personnel |
| 22 | Jenny Scheinman | Main Personnel, Violin |
| 23 | Tony Scherr | Bass, Bass Instrument, Main Personnel |
| 24 | Austin Sousa | Assistant Engineer |
| 25 | Greg Tardy | Clarinet, Main Personnel, Sax (Tenor) |
| 26 | Lee Townsend | Producer |
| 27 | Boubacar Traoré | Composer |
| 28 | Barbara de Wilde | Design |
| 29 | Kenny Wollesen | Drums, Main Personnel |
| 30 | Jim Woodring | Liner Notes |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |