Bill Frisell

When Coloradans talk about great musical artists with local roots, they seldom mention jazz guitarist Bill Frisell. Frankly, the omission is mystifying. Frisell has been releasing albums under his own name since 1984, and there's not a single embarrassment in his extensive catalog, despite the variety of stylistic options he's...

By Michael Roberts

July 31, 2008

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When Coloradans talk about great musical artists with local roots, they seldom mention jazz guitarist Bill Frisell. Frankly, the omission is mystifying. Frisell has been releasing albums under his own name since 1984, and there's not a single embarrassment in his extensive catalog, despite the variety of stylistic options he's explored. The musical breadth is vast between 2003's The Intercontinentals, a celebration of assorted roots and indigenous genres, and 2004's Unspeakable, a collaboration with adventurous producer Hal Willner that's soulful and string-laden. Even so, the recordings have at least one thing in common: high quality. No matter where he's going, he'll undoubtedly do Colorado proud.

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Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently oversees Westword's news blog.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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