This is the eighth installment of this category featuring recordings of outstanding performances by noteworthy guitarists – or – outstanding guitarists giving noteworthy performances.

So, ladies and gentlemen! Let me introduce you to…

“Nowhere Man” by Bill Frisell.

Give a listen. (You’ll be glad you did!)

That recording was released in September, 2011 as part of “All We Are Saying…”, Bill Frisell’s tribute album to the music of John Lennon. The album was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, in June & July of that year.

The musicians collaborating on that epic performance were..

• Bill Frisell – Electric Guitar
• Greg Leisz – Steel Guitar
• Jenny Scheinman – Violin
• Tony Scherr – Upright Bass
• Kenny Wollesen – Drums

I’ve been listening to Bill Frisell quite a bit lately. I find his exquisite tone and especially creative way with a melody to be positively entrancing and completely addictive. I really love the way he keeps the melody of the piece he’s playing – even when he’s playing a simple Folk tune like “Shenandoah” or “Sitting On Top Of The World” (highly recommended recordings, by the way) – constantly recognizable throughout his performance.

William Richard Frisell was born on March 18, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland, but spent most of his youth living near Denver, Colorado.

While the clarinet was his first instrument, Bill started playing guitar as a teenager. He studied with a number of teachers over the years, beginning with Dale Bruning (in the Denver area) and moving on to Johnny Smith (at the University of Northern Colorado) and Jim Hall (at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts). (That explains his penchant for playing the melody!)

His first solo album – In Line – came out in 1983 on ECM Records.

I certainly hope you enjoyed Bill Frisell & Company’s rendering of “Nowhere Man” as much as I do.