Frisell was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but spent most of his youth in the Denver, Colorado, area. He studied clarinet with Richard Joiner of the Denver Symphony Orchestra as a youth, graduated from Denver East High School, and went to the University of Northern Colorado to study music.
His original guitar teacher in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area was Dale Bruning, with whom Frisell released the 2000 duo album Reunion. After graduating from Northern Colorado, where he studied with Johnny Smith, Frisell went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with Jon Damian and Jim Hall.
Frisell's major break came when guitarist Pat Metheny was unable to make a recording session, and recommended Frisell to Paul Motian who was recording Psalm (1982) for ECM Records. Frisell became ECM's in-house guitar player, and worked on several albums, most notably Jan Garbarek's 1981 Paths, Prints. Frisell's first solo release was In Line featured solo guitar and duets with bassist Arild Andersen.
Frisell's first group to receive much acclaim was a quartet with Kermit Driscoll on bass, Joey Baron on drums, and Hank Roberts on cello (later slimmed down to a trio when Roberts left). Many other albums with larger ensembles were recorded with this group as the core.
In the 1980s Frisell lived in New York City and was an active participant in the city's music scene. He forged an early partnership with John Zorn—including as a member of quick-change band Naked City—and performed or recorded with many others. He also became known for his work in drummer Paul Motian's trio, along with saxophonist Joe Lovano.
In 1988 Frisell left New York City and moved to Seattle, Washington. In the early 1990s Frisell made two of his best-reviewed albums: first, Have a Little Faith, an ambitious survey of Americana of all stripes, from Charles Ives and Aaron Copland (the entirety of Billy the Kid) to John Hiatt (the title song), Bob Dylan ("Just Like a Woman") and Madonna (a lengthy, psychedelic rock-tinged version of "Live to Tell"); and second, This Land, a complementary set of originals. During this time he performed with many musicians, including the more up and coming, such as Douglas September on album 10 Bulls. He also branched out by performing soundtracks to silent films of Buster Keaton with his trio, and contributed to Ryuichi Sakamoto's album Heartbeat.
In the mid-1990s, Frisell disbanded his trio. He continued the trend marked by Have a Little Faith by more explicitly incorporating elements of bluegrass and country music into his music. His friendship with Gary Larson led him to provide music for the TV version of The Far Side (released on the album Quartet along with music written for Keaton's Convict 13). Since 2000, Frisell has lived on Bainbridge Island, Washington, near Seattle.
Several of Frisell's songs, including his recording of "Over the Rainbow" and "Coffaro's Theme", were featured in the movie Finding Forrester (2000).
In 1999, Frisell was commissioned by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota to compose Blues Dream, which he premiered on November 15, 1999. He later recorded the work for a 2001 release on Nonesuch.
Also in 1999, he released The Sweetest Punch which featured a seven-piece jazz ensemble reworking the tunes written and recorded by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach on Painted from Memory.
Between 2003 and 2005 Frisell acted as musical director for Century of Song, a series of concerts at the German arts festival RuhrTriennale (produced by Lee Townsend). Frisell invited artists including Rickie Lee Jones, Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Arto Lindsay, Loudon Wainwright III, Vic Chesnutt, Van Dyke Parks, Buddy Miller, Ron Sexsmith and Chip Taylor to perform their favorite songs in new arrangements.
In 2003, Frisell's The Intercontinentals was nominated for a Grammy award; he won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for his album Unspeakable. His 2008 album, History, Mystery was nominated for a 2009 Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group. Frisell was also a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
Frisell has united with Matt Chamberlain, Tucker Martine, and Lee Townsend in the Floratone band, and they have released an album on Blue Note (2007), featuring guest performance of Viktor Krauss, Ron Miles, Eyvind Kang.
In 2008, Frisell performed as a featured guest on Earth's album The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull.
In 2009, Frisell featured in a duet rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with singer-songwriter, Sam Shrieve. The recording was released on Shrieve's debut album Bittersweet Lullabies.
In 2010, Frisell started working with the Savoy Jazz label and released Beautiful Dreamers in August 2010, then a second release of Sign of Life in April 2011. Also, on January 25, 2011, Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuária released Lágrimas Mexicanas on the E1 label.
In June, 2011, Frisell, Lee Townsend, and their frequent collaborator, Vinicius Cantuaria, participated in TEDx GoldenGateED's program, "Teaching Compassion" in Oakland, California. Frisell and Cantuaria performed separately, and Townsend assisted with technical aspects of the event.
In September 2011, Frisell released All We Are Saying, a full-length offering of his interpretations of John Lennon's music. Frisell's quintet includes violinist Jenny Scheinman, pedal steel and acoustic guitarist Greg Leisz, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Kenny Wollesen.
To The Streets
Bill Frisell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down the street before
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before
All at once am I
Several stories high (several stories high)
Knowing I'm (knowing I'm) on the street (on the street)
Where you live
In the heart of town
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
Does enchantment pour
Out of every door?
No, it's just on the street where you live
And oh, the towering feeling
Just to know somehow you are near
The overpowering feeling
That any second you may suddenly appear
People stop and stare
They don't bother me (woo woo woo)
For there's no where else on earth that I would rather be
Let the time go by
I won't care if I
Can be here on the street where you live
Can be here on the street where you live
The lyrics of Bill Frisell's "To The Streets" depict a sense of awe and wonder as the singer navigates the familiar streets in a new light. The opening verse conveys a sense of familiarity and routine ("I have often walked down the street before"), but there is a shift in perspective as the singer suddenly feels elevated and overwhelmed by emotions ("All at once am I several stories high"). The mention of being on the street where someone special lives adds a layer of emotional depth and longing.
The following verse explores the idea of a romanticized cityscape, where the presence of lilac trees and the sound of a lark in the heart of town symbolize a sense of enchantment and beauty. The lyrics question whether this magic extends beyond the street where the object of affection resides, emphasizing the unique and special nature of that particular location. The imagery of enchantment pouring out of doors suggests a sense of magic and beauty confined to this specific street.
The chorus delves into the intense feelings experienced when being close to someone special, capturing the overpowering sensation of their presence. The lyrics convey a sense of anticipation and yearning for the moment when the person might appear, highlighting the impact they have on the singer's emotions and state of mind. The imagery of people stopping and staring reflects the intensity of the singer's emotions and their singular focus on the object of their affection.
The final verse expresses a sense of contentment and bliss in being present on the street where the loved one resides. The singer is unfazed by the passage of time and feels that there is no other place on earth they would rather be. The repetition of the phrase "Can be here on the street where you live" reinforces the central theme of longing and emotional connection, portraying the street as a symbolic space where love and desire converge. Overall, the lyrics of "To The Streets" evoke a sense of love, longing, and the transformative power of a special connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I have often walked
I frequently strolled
Down the street before
along the same path
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before
with the ground supporting me
All at once am I
suddenly I find myself
Several stories high (several stories high)
feeling elevated emotionally
Knowing I'm (knowing I'm) on the street (on the street)
realizing I am in the same place
Where you live
where your residence is
Are there lilac trees (in the heart of town?)
Do lilac trees grow in the town center?
In the heart of town
at the core of the town
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
Is the sound of a lark audible in different areas of town?
Does enchantment pour
Does magic flow
Out of every door?
from each entrance?
No, it's just on the street where you live
No, it's only on your street
And oh, the towering feeling
Oh, the overwhelming sensation
Just to know somehow you are near
Simply being aware of your proximity
The overpowering feeling
The dominating emotion
That any second you may suddenly appear
That you might show up at any moment
People stop and stare
Observers pause and gaze
They don't bother me (woo woo woo)
Their attention doesn't trouble me
For there's no where else on earth that I would rather be
Because there is nowhere else I'd prefer to be
Let the time go by
Allow time to pass
I won't care if I
I won't mind if I
Can be here on the street where you live
Stay on the street where you reside
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind