“Guitar great Bill Frisell explores the creative freedom of the trio format on his album, Valentine, alongside his longtime trio compadres bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston... this trio performs a wide-ranging program of Frisell compositions old and new as well as classics and standards, showcasing the profound musical relationship they have formed in their years of touring together.”
— JAZZIZ

“With Valentine, Frisell, Royston and Morgan revel in the tight but loose interplay that is a hallmark of the best groups, plying a course as deeply lyrical as it is adventurous. Feels like the beginning of a great adventure.”
— AllAboutJazz

“[‘We Shall Overcome’ is] about as beautiful an instrumental as you’ll ever hear. Frisell’s leads are nothing short of a work of art, letting the powerful melody take up as much space as it needs, all the while wrapping it in silky-smooth jazz touches that’ll leave you shaking your head in wonder.”
— Guitar World

Bill Frisell’s trio featuring bassist Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston on drums is musically nimble enough to go anywhere with Frisell in the most spontaneous manner. They have a command of the sizable ouevre of Frisell compositions, as well as the popular, folk and standard songs that Bill enjoys interpreting on an ongoing basis. The trio’s method is interactive, conversational and ready to groove at any moment, yielding fresh and surprising performances at every stop along the way.

BIO

Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 45 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade”. Frisell’s new album, “In My Dreams” released February ’26 by Blue Note Records to coincide with a series of concerts celebrating his 75th birthday throughout the U.S. and Europe. Produced by Lee Townsend, the album features Frisell’s long-time collaborators - Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind Kang (viola), Hank Roberts (cello), Thomas Morgan (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) - in an ensemble configuration that has never recorded together previously, performing largely original music written or newly arranged, especially for this project. Bill’s excitement for it is palpable. “I’ve been dreaming about this.”, he said. "A family gathering. A reunion. That’s what it feels like getting together with my closest friends. Our history goes back decades. Coming up on a half-century with Hank! I’ve spent so much time with these folks. Traveled many miles. But that doesn’t mean we’re done. There’s still much unfinished business. We’re just getting started." In March 2022, a biography on Frisell, entitled Beautiful Dreamer – The Guitarist Who Changed The Sound of American Music, written by Philip Watson was published by Faber and released in the UK, Europe, South, Central America & Asia. Through unprecedented access, and interviews with his close family, friends and collaborators, Philip Watson tells the story of the innovative and influential guitarist and composer.
Recognized as one of America’s 21 most vital and productive performing artists, Frisell was named an inaugural Doris Duke Artist in 2012. He is also a recipient of grants from United States Artists and Meet the Composer, among others. From 2013 – 2015, Bill was Resident Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center for their Roots of Americana series, and in 2016, he was a beneficiary of the first FreshGrass Composition commission to preserve and support innovative grassroots music. Upon SFJAZZ opening their doors in 2013, he served as one of their Resident Artistic Directors. Bill is also the subject of a documentary film by director Emma Franz, entitled Bill Frisell: A Portrait, which examines hiscreative process in depth. He has also received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music.