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PSA: Bill Frisell – A Portrait

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My friend Emma has made a film about Bill Frisell

The link shows upcoming screenings – eg London Sun 5 November, 3pm at the Curzon Cinema in Soho.

I haven’t seen it myself but I did contribute to the crowdfunding campaign, and in due course will get a dvd. Apparently Bill is very chuffed with it.

And here’s Bill’s first ever recording – on the absolutely brilliant Amarcord Nino Rota – a gorgeous album of Fellini film music produced by Hal Wilner.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bill-frisell-a-portrait#/updates/all

Who is Fellini?

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The other night a musician asked me what I was up to, and I replied that I was working on my arrangements of Italian composer Nino Rota’s scores for Fellini’s films. I rabbited on for a few minutes, and then he said “who’s Fellini?”

Well knock me over with a cold lasagne. I mean, I thought everyone had at least HEARD of Fellini, but obviously not. I suppose it’s a generation thing. Why would a thirty something person have heard of Fellini? Unless they were a student of (Italian) film.

That occasion reminded me of the time at the hairdresser when the guy who was cutting my hair said “how’s your day been?” and I said “great, I’ve just done my Frank Zappa radio show”, and he said “who’s Frank Zappa?”

I rather naively think that the world knows who Fellini and Zappa are, because I grew up with them.

But, while I was growing up with them, I also knew about the heroes of my parents’ generation, like Chaplin, and Ellington.

It seems the current generation doesn’t know about essential people from the past.

I’m not quite sure what my question is here – obviously it’s “has » Continue Reading.

Why do I not post here any more?

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I love this place, or I thought I did.

But somehow recently I have not felt inclined to post anything, either as a comment or starting a post.

It’s partly because I’m 12 hours behind (ie I am in Australia) – there are often wonderful raving loony conversations that I discover first thing in the morning and by the time I think of something vaguely worthwhile to say it’s all over.

But also, I don’t know, something’s gone, and I’d be the first to admit it’s “just me”, maybe I just don’t care enough about debating essential music questions of the moment. Or political or social questions. Or maybe I’m just too busy with having a life, which is not to suggest at all that the regular posters (the clique?) don’t.

That’s all. I don’t expect anyone to make any comment, I’ll quietly be my own thread killer.

I’ll still check in, cos I love you all.

But just wondering if anyone else feels anything similar.

Kate Pierson

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I just listened to a wonderful interview with Kate Pierson from the B52s on Sound Opinions, which is a great weekly podcast from WBEZ Chicago. Occasionally people here ask about podcasts and I can recommend this one, it’s intelligent and even if you don’t necessarily like the people they’re talking about, the presenters are informed and interesting.

Anyway, I just LOVED Kate on this podcast – I always liked the B52s because they’re poppy and trashy and so on – and here she’s just so generous and nice. She’s promoting her solo album “Guitars and Microphones”, but of course she talks about the B52s, openly and honestly and in a familiar and friendly way. She’s lovely.

Also, for me personally, she says that the B52s were going to be called “Fellini’s Children” because they all loved the Fellini soundtracks composed by Nino Rota (even if she mispronounces his name). So that just nailed it for me.

Anyway, check it out. Any rabid B52s fans around this place???….

Also – her new album is a collaboration with SIA for fuck’s sake – how cool is this person?