BILL FRISELL / THOMAS MORGAN - Small Town
ECM 574 6341
Bill Frisell: guitar; Thomas Morgan: double-bass
Recorded Live at the Village Vanguard, New York; March 2016
Guitarist Bill Frisell has had a busy year in appearing on “Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs” (Rare Noise, 2017) by the Cuong Vu 4 Tet and his own “When You Wish Upon A Star” (oKeh, 2017) lending his memorable, unforgettable sound to both occasions. Frisell first appeared on ECM in 1983 with “In Line”, and most recently appeared last year on drummer Andrew Cyrille’s excellent “A Declaration of Musical Independence” (ECM, 2016). “Small Town” co-lead with bassist Thomas Morgan recorded live last year at the Village Vanguard is a wonderfully relaxed duo conversation with absolutely no ego involved, purely music.
Frisell became enchanted with Morgan’s playing on a session that was lead by drummer Kenny Wolleson, and the two continued to play together thereafter in different situations. There is a natural simpatico here that recalls other great guitar and bass duos like Jim Hall and Ron Carter,or Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny, where listening and interaction is at a high premium. The guitarist with his signature tone that timbrally is bright with the distinctive pitch shift dip as the note decays, and Morgan’s rich, resonant double bass work together like hand and glove on a set of eight tunes. Frisell and drummer Paul Motian had a deep musical association for many years, and “It Should Have Happened A Long Time Ago” the title track from Motian’s 1985 ECM offering, is the perfect way that he and Morgan show off their strengths to begin proceedings. Motian’s line, built around a single chord, which Frisell enhances through the use of a drone, and subtle use of other effects as well, is rather open and allows both musicians to explore as freely as they like. Frisell’s solo has a noticeable Middle Eastern-Moorish character and Morgan’s bass supports the guitarist through very smart note choices. Frisell swings mightily on alto saxophonist Lee Konitz’s classic cool jazz contrafact “Subconscious Lee” based on the chord changes to Cole Porter’s standard“What Is This Thing Called Love”, with Morgan also taking a solid swinging solo, both clearly making reference to Porter’s classic melody. Frisell’s heavy debt and inspiration for country music and the influence of Maybelle Carter is featured on the 1860 folk song “Wildwood Flower”, that The Carter Family performed and of course the title track which is lovely and dream like. Dream like is also a good adjective to describe Thomas Morgan’s original piece the “Poet-Pearl” which like the opening Motian track, explores a vast musical terrain, a wide canvas seeming limitless.
“Small Town” is an exceptional album featuring two players finely attuned to each other that despite being recorded in the bustling setting of New York City, that maintains an unhurried atmosphere. The music frequently recalls the country and wide open spaces of the American midwest, and is also perhaps one of the finest sounding recordings made at the Village Vanguard, surely audiophile reference quality. The sound of the room and spirits of the legendary musicians like John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, and so many others that recorded there is palpable. A strong effort.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
ECM 574 6341
Bill Frisell: guitar; Thomas Morgan: double-bass
Recorded Live at the Village Vanguard, New York; March 2016
Guitarist Bill Frisell has had a busy year in appearing on “Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs” (Rare Noise, 2017) by the Cuong Vu 4 Tet and his own “When You Wish Upon A Star” (oKeh, 2017) lending his memorable, unforgettable sound to both occasions. Frisell first appeared on ECM in 1983 with “In Line”, and most recently appeared last year on drummer Andrew Cyrille’s excellent “A Declaration of Musical Independence” (ECM, 2016). “Small Town” co-lead with bassist Thomas Morgan recorded live last year at the Village Vanguard is a wonderfully relaxed duo conversation with absolutely no ego involved, purely music.
Frisell became enchanted with Morgan’s playing on a session that was lead by drummer Kenny Wolleson, and the two continued to play together thereafter in different situations. There is a natural simpatico here that recalls other great guitar and bass duos like Jim Hall and Ron Carter,or Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny, where listening and interaction is at a high premium. The guitarist with his signature tone that timbrally is bright with the distinctive pitch shift dip as the note decays, and Morgan’s rich, resonant double bass work together like hand and glove on a set of eight tunes. Frisell and drummer Paul Motian had a deep musical association for many years, and “It Should Have Happened A Long Time Ago” the title track from Motian’s 1985 ECM offering, is the perfect way that he and Morgan show off their strengths to begin proceedings. Motian’s line, built around a single chord, which Frisell enhances through the use of a drone, and subtle use of other effects as well, is rather open and allows both musicians to explore as freely as they like. Frisell’s solo has a noticeable Middle Eastern-Moorish character and Morgan’s bass supports the guitarist through very smart note choices. Frisell swings mightily on alto saxophonist Lee Konitz’s classic cool jazz contrafact “Subconscious Lee” based on the chord changes to Cole Porter’s standard“What Is This Thing Called Love”, with Morgan also taking a solid swinging solo, both clearly making reference to Porter’s classic melody. Frisell’s heavy debt and inspiration for country music and the influence of Maybelle Carter is featured on the 1860 folk song “Wildwood Flower”, that The Carter Family performed and of course the title track which is lovely and dream like. Dream like is also a good adjective to describe Thomas Morgan’s original piece the “Poet-Pearl” which like the opening Motian track, explores a vast musical terrain, a wide canvas seeming limitless.
“Small Town” is an exceptional album featuring two players finely attuned to each other that despite being recorded in the bustling setting of New York City, that maintains an unhurried atmosphere. The music frequently recalls the country and wide open spaces of the American midwest, and is also perhaps one of the finest sounding recordings made at the Village Vanguard, surely audiophile reference quality. The sound of the room and spirits of the legendary musicians like John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, and so many others that recorded there is palpable. A strong effort.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
