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The storm was heavy last night as I went to go see the man who the NY Times called "the most significant and widely imitated jazz guitarist of the late 20th century." Yes, that's right: Bill Frisell. Fortunately, we only had a 5 block walk down sixth ave to the Blue Note, but even with the high winds and heavy downpours, after seeing/hearing what we did, I would have walked thirty blocks.
For those of you who haven't been, The Blue Note is a super cheezed out version of the Village Vanguard. The decor is reminiscient of a "classy" topless bar with mostly black and mirrored walls with scattered neon signs depicted the city skyline. The 6 waitresses are dressed like they are straight outta that 80's tv show It's A Living and were gossiping near the coat room just the same. Everything in the place is over priced (including the entrance fee), and there is even a gift shop near the bathrooms. The place is basically a tourist trap. With all this said, the music which was played last night transcended the environment was well worth the admission and much more.
Bill Frisell took the stage first and introduced Ron Carter. The duo played a mellow set which lasted almost an hour and played tunes that were unrecognizable to me. Standing at the bar was brutal for this part of the show as the music was very low and any move by the bartender echoed over the guitar/bass combo. Nevertheless, the music was unlike anything I had heard before in it's tone and beauty. At the time, I wanted to hire them to play next to my bed every night as Frisell's guitar could have been my pillow. After about 4 tunes, Frisell said that they would take a short break and some other people would join him soon.
The break was indeed short (about 10 minutes) and the Bill Frisell Quartet (sans Ron Carter) emerged on stage. The first notes of "Egg Radio" slid through the smoky air and a chill filled the room. This moment alone was worth the price of admission. After a smooth beginning which had us fully swaying back and forth, the song's midsection absolutely raged. At this point no one could hear the glasses at the bar clanking anymore, it was a f$%^ing rock concert! The stunned crowd seemed like they didnt know what to do, Frisell was screaming with his guitar over the steady bellowing of Greg Leisz's pedal steel. This segued into a couple of minutes of avant garde noises which then went into a song which was the highlight of the night for me.
I dont know the name of the tune, but Frisell was going back and forth between a funky rhythm and slick picking and the rest of the band was certainly not paying jazz. It was closer to something you would hear 20 minutes into a "Down with Disease" jam than anything you might hear at a jazz club (disregarding Thursdays at 55 Bar). It was some of the deepest jamming I have ever heard and it truly overpowered me.
Next was a simple tune which featured Leisz on the pedal steel, and was clearly the worst of the set. Not in the musicianship, but solely due to the simplicity of the song. The next and final tune of the set was an incredible rendition of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." This started slow and after an incredible ascent, it built into a sped up funk tune. Just as the the jam climaxed, the band hit the refrain and glided to a finish.
I was truly overwhelmed and although my legs and lower back were killing me from standing for 2+ hours, I could have stood for the rest of the night and listened to more of the quartet. As it was though, it was time to get our coats and head home. It was a great night of music and I recommend catching this crew sometime before they leave on Sunday. For those of you who have never seen Frisell, get there...TONIGHT! For those of you who have, the quartet will never fail you, and the chance to see Frisell with a legend like Ron Carter is one that should not be passed up.
Bob Rack
JamBase NYC Correspondent
Go See Live Music!
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