Bill Frisell's Big Sur Quintet
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UPCOMING EVENT wexner center for the arts THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ERIK FRIEDLANDER PRESENTS AND MITCH EPSTEIN American Power Bill Frisell’s SAT, FEB 22 | 8 pm PERFORMANCE SPACE Big Sur Quintet “An ingenious cellist who makes an art of soulful rusticity” —NY Times Cellist Friedlander’s haunting and probing score illuminates Epstein’s compelling photographs and stories about how we coexist with our sources of power—and their environmental impact. “I have tried to convey in these pictures the beauty and terror of early 21st-century America, as it clings to past comforts and gropes for a more sensible future. These pictures question the human conquest of nature at any cost.” —Mitch Epstein on American Power CHESHIRE, OHIO 2004 OHIO CHESHIRE, TUE, DEC 3 | 8 pm PERFORMANCE SPACE PHOTO: MITCH EPSTEIN 2013–14 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON PROGRAM BIOGRAPHIES Bill Frisell has been described as being “at the Eyvind Kang, American composer and Bill Frisell’s Big Sur Quintet very epicenter of modern American music” violist, has worked extensively with Bill (BBC) . His career as a guitarist and composer Frisell and Laurie Anderson and has written has spanned more than 35 years and over 250 arrangements for acts such as Sunn O))) recordings, including 40 albums of his own . and Blonde Redhead . He has also released Frisell has collaborated with a wide range of Bill Frisell . guitar many acclaimed albums of original music, artists, filmmakers, and legendary musicians, including the choral piece Athlantis (2007), The Hank Roberts . cello but it is his work as a leader that has garnered Yelm Sessions (2007), and Virginal Co-ordinates increasing attention and accolades . (2004) . His teachers have included legendary Eyvind Kang . viola Frisell’s latest recording, Big Sur, is his first jazz violinist Michael White, Dr . N . Rajam, and Jenny Scheinman . violin release on OKeh/Sony Masterworks and Dr . Hossein Omoumi . features music commissioned by the Monterey Rudy Royston . drums Jazz Festival . Frisell composed the songs while Jenny Scheinman is a singer, violin player, on a retreat in the spectacular and mysterious composer, and arranger . She grew up on a environment of Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur, homestead in Northern California in a family of CA . As Downbeat’s Frank Alkyer put it, “Big Sur is folk musicians, studied at Oberlin Conservatory, more than just a musical recording . It’s a sonic graduated with a degree in English literature BILL FRISELL ON HIS BIG SUR QUINTET novel—instrumental storytelling of the highest from UC Berkeley, and has been performing caliber delivered by an amazing storyteller . It’s since she was a teenager . She has taken the Bill Frisell at his best .” #1 Rising Star Violinist title in the Downbeat I chose my 858 Quartet (violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank Roberts) Cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output magazine Critics Poll and has been listed as because I’ve known them for decades . They’re close friends . It’s about these particular people and of the decade,” Frisell’s recording catalog one of their Top Ten Overall Violinists for a the chemical and human interaction . We’ve been together for about 10 years . but I wanted to have includes his recent album with the 858 Quartet, decade . She has garnered numerous high-profile drums . So we added Rudy Royston, the drummer who also plays in my Beautiful Dreamers trio—so Sign of Life; his trio recording Beautiful Dreamers; arranging credits with Lucinda Williams, Bono, I’m calling this project the Big Sur Quintet . Royston, another of my closest musical brothers, always and All We Are Saying, a tribute to the music of Lou Reed, Metallica, and Sean Lennon, and has knows exactly what to do to lift things up and surprise me . I am so excited to have him be a part of John Lennon, all on Savoy Records . Previously toured and recorded with Bill Frisell, Norah Frisell released a series of acclaimed recordings this . It’s only five of us, but the music is either super intimate, or very huge and orchestral . Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Nels Cline, Vinicius for Nonesuch Records and ECM . Recognized as Cantuária, and Marc Ribot among others . She The possibilities are gigantic . one of America’s 21 most vital and productive has seven records of original music to date performing artists, Frisell received an inaugural including Mischief & Mayhem, Jenny Scheinman, Mr . Frisell is represented by Songline/Tone Field Productions . songtone.com Doris Duke Artist Award in April 2012 . He is also Crossing the Field, and 12 Songs . a recipient of grants from United States Artists, Meet the Composer, and National Performance Rudy Royston studied classical percussion Network . Frisell is currently the guest curator for at the University of Denver, where he began the Roots of Americana series at Jazz at Lincoln playing with trumpeter Ron Miles, whom Rudy Center and resident artistic director at San deems his greatest teacher and music mentor . It Francisco Jazz: he recently joined the University was on Ron Miles’s recording Woman’s Day that of Washington’s School of Music as an affiliate Rudy first played with Bill Frisell . A major figure Taking photographs, filming, or operating recording devices Please turn off mobile phones and other electronic devices during the performances is strictly prohibited. until the end of the performances. professor . in the Denver music scene, Rudy performed Hank Roberts has created a unique voice with such artists as Dotsero, Leslie Drayton, Joe on the cello, both through an extensive body Keel, and Nelson Rangell . In 2006, he moved to Major support for the Wexner Center’s 2013–14 performing The Wexner Center receives general operating support New Jersey to pursue graduate studies in music arts season is generously provided by the Doris Duke from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, The Columbus of original music and as a performer and Charitable Foundation . Foundation, Nationwide Foundation, and the Ohio recording artist . He has performed and recorded at Rutgers University, studying jazz percussion Arts Council . Generous support is also provided by with Victor Lewis . Since moving, Rudy has Accommodations are provided by The Blackwell Inn . throughout the world with a host of celebrated the Corporate Annual Fund of the Wexner Center musicians . With 10 albums on the Munich-based performed steadily with Bill Frisell in quartet Foundation and Wexner Center members . label Winter and Winter, his album Green won and trio settings . He quickly integrated into the the 2008 German Recording Critics’ Award in New York music scene, performing with Javon MAJOR SEASON SUPPORT ACCOMMODATIONS GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR PERFORMING ARTS FOR THE WEXNER CENTER the jazz category . Roberts also tours regularly Jackson, Dr . Lonnie Smith, Don Byron, Jason with guitarist Bill Frisell’s 858 Quartet and has Moran, and Jenny Scheinman, among others . appeared on Bill’s Grammy Award–winning album Unspeakable, the Grammy–nominated History, Mystery, and Sign of Life. COVER PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MONICA FRISELL.