Just a short post this week to thank you for reading.
That’s you: the person who’s been reading this blog since the earliest weeks.
That’s also you: the person who found this blog a few years ago after a simple Google search for some song lyrics led you down a rabbit hole.
That’s also you: the person who found this blog out of boredom at the onset of the pandemic, and still drops by to check in every few months.
That’s also you: the person who only found this blog a few weeks ago and started binge-reading all the older posts.
That’s also you: the Bill Frisell fan who just got here and isn’t quite sure what they’re reading or why they’re being thanked.
There aren’t many people who read this blog (not being humble, just citing analytics) but I’m grateful to every one of you.
But mostly, you. So thank you.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The opening bars, with their wandering melodies and loose timing, feel very casual, as if Frisell was warming up before the actual recording began.
2. As friendly and easy-going as it sounds, there’s a dark turn towards the end, and the final chords are downright eerie.
3. Bill Frisell is one of those jazz guitarists who isn’t really known outside of the jazz world (or even to most casual jazz fans) but his skill is incredible. After decades as a session player, and with a variety of groups, this 2018 album was his first solo guitar work. Of course, nobody releases a solo guitar record at age 67 with illusions of sudden worldwide fame, but that’s what I love about it: he didn’t do it for anyone but himself.
And you, of course.
Recommended listening activity:
Feeling grateful.