Guitar_NN1 Hero_NN1 The_AT fearless_JJ and_CC adaptable_JJ guitarist_NN1 Bill_NP1 Frisell_NP1 ,_, whose_DDQGE varied_JJ endeavors_NN2 have_VH0 drawn_VVN him_PPHO1 into_II free-form_JJ extemporizations_NN2 ,_, symphonic_JJ collaborations_NN2 ,_, hard_JJ and_CC soft_JJ rock_NN1 ,_, country_NN1 ,_, and_CC accompaniments_NN2 for_IF Buster_NP1 Keaton_NP1 silent_JJ films_NN2 ,_, is_VBZ primarily_RR associated_VVN with_IW two_MC of_IO jazz_NN1 's_GE border_NN1 towns_NN2 ,_, each_DD1 of_IO which_DDQ he_PPHS1 helped_VVD put_VVN on_II the_AT map_NN1 ._. 
The_AT first_MD might_VM be_VBI called_VVN Jazz_NN1 Americana_NP1 ,_, and_CC Frisell_NP1 is_VBZ at_II home_NN1 there_RL thanks_NN2 to_II his_APPGE uncanny_JJ knack_NN1 for_IF writing_VVG music_NN1 that_CST sounds_VVZ a_RR21@ lot_RR22 older_JJR than_CSN his_APPGE fifty-seven_MC years_NNT2 ._. 
"_" History_NN1 ,_, Mystery_NN1 "_" (_( Nonesuch_NP1 )_) ,_, one_MC1 of_IO two_MC recently_RR released_VVN disks_NN2 ,_, features_VVZ standard_JJ jazz_NN1 instrumentation_NN1 augmented_VVN by_II strings_NN2 ,_, and_CC suggests_VVZ a_AT1 carrousel_NN1 ride_NN1 from_II which_DDQ the_AT view_NN1 is_VBZ blurrily_RR familiar_JJ ._. 
Much_DA1 of_IO the_AT album_NN1 is_VBZ in_II waltz_NN1 time_NNT1 ,_, including_II one_MC1 of_IO three_MC versions_NN2 of_IO an_AT1 older_JJR Frisell_NN1 composition_NN1 ,_, "_" Monroe_NP1 "_" (_( as_CSA in_II Bill_NP1 ,_, the_AT father_NN1 of_IO bluegrass_NN1 )_) ._. 
Another_DD1 version_NN1 of_IO "_" Monroe_NP1 ,_, "_" for_IF guitar_NN1 and_CC cello_NN1 ,_, sounds_VVZ a_RR21 bit_RR22 like_II the_AT kind_NN1 of_IO tune_NN1 Ken_NP1 Burns_NP1 might_VM cue_NN1 for_IF the_AT aftermath_NN1 of_IO Antietam_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB as_CSA one_PN1 listens_VVZ it_PPH1 becomes_VVZ clear_JJ that_CST there_EX is_VBZ something_PN1 else_RR going_VVG on_RP ._. 
The_AT mood_NN1 of_IO nostalgic_JJ pastiche_NN1 is_VBZ repeatedly_RR broken_JJ --_NN1 by_II two_MC knotty_JJ jazz_NN1 classics_NN2 ,_, Lee_NP1 Konitz_NP1 's_GE "_" Sub-Conscious_NN1 Lee_NP1 "_" and_CC Thelonious_NP1 Monk_NP1 's_GE "_" Jackie-ing_NN1 ,_, "_" and_CC by_II some_DD quizzical_JJ micro-compositions_NN2 ,_, some_DD less_DAR than_CSN forty_MC seconds_NNT2 long_RR ,_, which_DDQ Frisell_NP1 sprinkles_VVZ through_II the_AT album_NN1 ,_, with_IW names_NN2 like_II "_" Question_NN1 ,_, "_" "_" Answer_VV0 ,_, "_" and_CC "_" A_ZZ1 Momentary_JJ Suspension_NN1 of_IO Doubt_NN1 ._. "_" 
Such_DA moments_NN2 are_VBR telegrams_NN2 from_II Frisell_NP1 's_GE other_JJ border-town_JJ residence_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ we_PPIS2 might_VM call_VVI Minefield_NN1 America_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 forbidding_JJ territory_NN1 of_IO ascetic_JJ ,_, chesslike_JJ improvisations_NN2 --_JJ multidirectional_JJ interactions_NN2 in_II which_DDQ every_AT1 note_NN1 counts_NN2 ,_, every_AT1 modulation_NN1 is_VBZ eventful_JJ ,_, and_CC intense_JJ concentration_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 prerequisite_NN1 for_IF player_NN1 and_CC listener_NN1 alike_RR ._. 
Monk_NP1 is_VBZ the_AT patron_NN1 saint_NN1 of_IO this_DD1 kind_NN1 of_IO playing_VVG ;_; even_RR his_APPGE simplest-sounding_JJT themes_NN2 were_VBDR often_RR fraught_JJ with_IW structural_JJ and_CC harmonic_JJ snares_NN2 ._. 
As_CSA John_NP1 Coltrane_NP1 memorably_RR recalled_VVN ,_, "_" If_CS you_PPY did_VDD n't_XX keep_VVI aware_JJ all_DB the_AT time_NNT1 of_IO what_DDQ was_VBDZ going_VVG on_RP ,_, you_PPY 'd_VM suddenly_RR feel_VVI as_CS21 if_CS22 you_PPY 'd_VHD stepped_VVN into_II an_AT1 empty_JJ elevator_NN1 shaft_NN1 ._. "_" 
Frisell_NN1 has_VHZ made_VVN many_DA2 recordings_NN2 in_II this_DD1 vein_NN1 ,_, and_CC ,_, given_VVN his_APPGE interest_NN1 in_II jazz_NN1 traditions_NN2 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ fitting_VVG that_CST he_PPHS1 has_VHZ often_RR undertaken_VVN these_DD2 explorations_NN2 with_IW players_NN2 a_AT1 generation_NN1 older_JJR ._. 
A_AT1 few_DA2 months_NNT2 after_II "_" History_NN1 ,_, Mystery_NN1 "_" came_VVD the_AT release_NN1 of_IO "_" Jim_NP1 Hall_NN1 &;_NULL Bill_NP1 Frisell_NP1 :_: Hemispheres_NN2 "_" (_( ArtistShare_NP1 )_) ,_, in_II which_DDQ Frisell_VV0 duets_NN2 with_IW his_APPGE former_DA teacher_NN1 ,_, who_PNQS has_VHZ long_RR since_CS graduated_VVN to_II living-legend_JJ status_NN1 ._. 
And_CC the_AT other_JJ week_NNT1 ,_, at_II the_AT Blue_JJ Note_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 appeared_VVD with_IW the_AT bassist_NN1 Ron_NP1 Carter_NP1 and_CC the_AT drummer_NN1 Paul_NP1 Motian_JJ --_JJ alumni_NN2 of_IO Miles_NP1 Davis_NP1 and_CC Bill_NP1 Evans_NP1 groups_NN2 ,_, respectively_RR --_JJ in_II a_AT1 set_NN1 that_CST retooled_VVD the_AT repertory_NN1 ,_, and_CC rekindled_VVD the_AT charm_NN1 ,_, of_IO an_AT1 album_NN1 that_CST the_AT trio_NN1 made_VVN in_II 2006_MC ._. 
Frisell_NP1 's_GE work_NN1 with_IW musicians_NN2 he_PPHS1 grew_VVD up_RP admiring_JJ reveals_VVZ contradictory_JJ impulses_NN2 ._. 
As_II an_AT1 instrumentalist_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 has_VHZ enormous_JJ ambition_NN1 ,_, and_CC is_VBZ devoted_JJ to_II the_AT idea_NN1 that_CST the_AT guitar_NN1 can_VM be_VBI orchestral_JJ in_II reach_NN1 ._. 
Manipulating_VVG his_APPGE sound_NN1 with_IW an_AT1 array_NN1 of_IO digital_JJ effects_NN2 ,_, to_TO produce_VVI real-time_JJ ostinato_NN1 loops_NN2 or_CC to_TO simulate_VVI the_AT delicate_JJ chimes_NN2 of_IO a_AT1 celesta_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 creates_VVZ expansive_JJ ,_, echoing_VVG canvases_NN2 for_IF his_APPGE collaborators_NN2 to_TO work_VVI on_RP ._. 
But_CCB ,_, as_CSA a_AT1 guy_NN1 on_II the_AT bandstand_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 is_VBZ deferential_JJ ,_, perpetually_RR stuck_VVN in_II the_AT mode_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 eager_JJ youngster_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT boy_NN1 who_PNQS grew_VVD up_RP in_II Denver_NP1 playing_VVG clarinet_NN1 and_CC guitar_NN1 ,_, and_CC haunted_JJ Walgreens_NN2 to_TO buy_VVI every_AT1 record_NN1 he_PPHS1 could_VM afford_VVI ._. 
Frisell_NP1 's_GE diffidence_NN1 may_VM have_VHI been_VBN enforced_VVN by_II a_AT1 long_JJ apprenticeship_NN1 ._. 
Born_VVN in_II 1951_MC ,_, he_PPHS1 did_VDD n't_XX gain_VVI a_AT1 foothold_NN1 in_II jazz_NN1 until_CS the_AT late_JJ seventies_MC2 ,_, when_CS he_PPHS1 became_VVD a_AT1 session_NNT1 guitarist_NN1 for_IF the_AT ECM_NP1 label_NN1 ._. 
During_II the_AT next_MD decade_NNT1 ,_, he_PPHS1 became_VVD a_AT1 Zelig_NN1 figure_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 quiet_JJ ,_, bespectacled_JJ ,_, but_CCB musically_RR charged_VVN presence_NN1 on_II every_AT1 kind_NN1 of_IO session_NNT1 ,_, absorbing_VVG the_AT styles_NN2 of_IO Motian_JJ ,_, Joey_NP1 Baron_NN1 ,_, Julius_NP1 Hemphill_NP1 ,_, John_NP1 Zorn_NP1 ,_, Joe_NP1 Lovano_NP1 ,_, Ronald_NP1 Shannon_NP1 Jackson_NP1 ,_, Tim_NP1 Berne_NP1 ,_, John_NP1 Scofield_NP1 ,_, Don_NP1 Byron_NP1 ,_, Dave_NP1 Holland_NP1 ,_, and_CC other_JJ players_NN2 who_PNQS have_VH0 little_DA1 in_RR21 common_RR22 beyond_II their_APPGE conspicuous_JJ individualism_NN1 ._. 
His_APPGE style_NN1 --_NN1 a_AT1 confident_JJ ,_, spare_JJ attack_NN1 that_CST suggests_VVZ both_RR modesty_NN1 and_CC calculation_NN1 --_NN1 reflects_VVZ his_APPGE appreciation_NN1 of_IO Hall_NN1 ,_, Wes_NP1 Montgomery_NP1 ,_, John_NP1 McLaughlin_NP1 ,_, and_CC Jimi_NP1 Hendrix_NP1 ._. 
