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Bill Frisell The former "house guitarist" for pioneering German modern jazz label ECM, Frisell has worked with artists as varied as Elvis Costello, John Zorn and classical composer Gavin Bryars.

Bill Frisell

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Nov. 11

RTJCU4TRO, the Spanish language remix from Run The Jewels, is on our shortlist of the best albums out on Nov. 11. Jonathan Mannion/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jonathan Mannion/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Nov. 11

Our picks for the best albums out this week include the Spanish-language remix of Run The Jewels' RTJ4, Bruce Springsteen's tribute to classic soul, the debut from Memphis rapper GloRilla and more.

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Nov. 11

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Heavy Rotation: The Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

This Is The Kit's "Moonshine Freeze" is a big hit at World Cafe. Florian Duboé/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Florian Duboé/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Heavy Rotation: The Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

This month's mix includes new music from This Is The Kit, Deb Talan, Otis Taylor, Grizzly Bear and more.

Heavy Rotation: The Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

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Charles Lloyd, Lucinda Williams Cover Bob Dylan's 'Masters Of War'

Charles Lloyd (left) and Lucinda Williams recorded a live version of "Masters Of War" at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Nov. 28, 2016. Erik Jacobs, Ebru Yildiz for NPR hide caption

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Erik Jacobs, Ebru Yildiz for NPR

Review

Songs We Love

Charles Lloyd, Lucinda Williams Cover Bob Dylan's 'Masters Of War'

WBGO

Bob Dylan's song is a blunt object, liturgical in its cadence and damning in its censure. The saxophonist and singer tackle it with grace and a small but useful tension.

'What Made That Thing Work?': Bill Frisell Takes On Screen Music

Bill Frisell's new album, When You Wish Upon a Star, comes out Jan. 29. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Music

'What Made That Thing Work?': Bill Frisell Takes On Screen Music

While making his latest album, the inventive guitarist found that covering classic film and TV scores has an existential side effect.

'What Made That Thing Work?': Bill Frisell Takes On Screen Music

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Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

Sam Amidon's new album is titled Lily-O. Piper Ferguson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Piper Ferguson/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Music Reviews

Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

On his new album, Lily-O, the folk musician approaches the genre with a sense of adventure, not reverence. In the process, he makes parts of our musical past viscerally present to us.

Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

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Sam Amidon And Bill Frisell On World Cafe

Sam Amidon (right) & Bill Frisell. Kelsey Stanger/XPN hide caption

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Kelsey Stanger/XPN

World Cafe

Sam Amidon And Bill Frisell On World Cafe

XPN

A London folksinger and a decorated jazz guitarist play songs from their new collaborative album.

Sam Amidon & Bill Frisell On World Cafe

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Bill Frisell On JazzSet

Bill Frisell plays John Lennon songs on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival. Erik Jacobs for NPR hide caption

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Erik Jacobs for NPR

JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater

Bill Frisell On JazzSet

WBGO

Guitarist Bill Frisell shines in three very different settings: with his band reworking John Lennon tunes, in a duo with violinist Jenny Scheinman, and with The Bad Plus playing music of Paul Motian.

Bill Frisell On JazzSet

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Jason Moran's 'Live: Time On The Quilts Of Gee's Bend' Suite On JazzSet

Jason Moran (left), Alicia Hall Moran (center), The Bandwagon and Bill Frisell (right) perform at the KC Jazz Club. Scott Suchman/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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Scott Suchman/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater

Jason Moran's 'Live: Time On The Quilts Of Gee's Bend' Suite On JazzSet

WBGO

Composer and pianist Jason Moran ushers in his era as Artistic Advisor for Jazz at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with this performance, captured by JazzSet in honor of Black History Month.

Jason Moran At The Kennedy Center

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Bill Frisell On Piano Jazz

Bill Frisell. Michael Wilson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Michael Wilson/Courtesy of the artist

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Bill Frisell On Piano Jazz

Frisell has been on the cutting edge of jazz guitar since his arrival on the scene in the early 1980s. With amazing technique and a creative mind, he has incorporated the whole of American music in his work, relying on country, blues, rock and jazz. Hear an interview and performance.

Listen Now

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The Bad Plus With Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

Pianist Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus performs at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival. Erik Jacobs for NPR hide caption

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Erik Jacobs for NPR

Newport Jazz Festival

The Bad Plus With Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

WGBH Radio

A long-running piano trio sui generis meets one of its heroes, a guitarist down for anything involving good musicians. Here, the group pays tribute to the late drummer and composer Paul Motian.

The Bad Plus With Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

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Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

Violinist Jenny Scheinman performs at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival. Erik Jacobs for NPR hide caption

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Erik Jacobs for NPR

Newport Jazz Festival

Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

WBGO

The two long-time bandmates have both developed reputations for flexibility — for being able to collaborate with anyone. Their violin-and-guitar duo performance finds them alone together on stage.

Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

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Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

Bill Frisell performs at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival. Erik Jacobs for NPR hide caption

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Erik Jacobs for NPR

Newport Jazz Festival

Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

He's a soft-spoken guy who does a lot of talking with his guitar. Frisell issued a collection of John Lennon songs, and with steel guitar and violin, he doesn't hide his love away for these classics.

Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

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Highlights From The Jazz Standard On JazzSet

The Mingus Big Band keeps a regular Monday-night gig at the Jazz Standard in New York City. Jimmy Katz hide caption

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Jimmy Katz

Concerts

Highlights From The Jazz Standard On JazzSet

WBGO

One stage, three groups in turn. It's a big, bigger, biggest show with Joanne Brackeen solo, Ron Miles' Quartet and the Mingus Big Band at the Jazz Standard in New York City.

Highlights From The Jazz Standard On JazzSet

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Jazz For The Eyes And Ears: Bill Frisell And More

Guitarist Bill Frisell and his trio soundtracks Buster Keaton's Go West and two more films on a new DVD. Hulton Archive / Getty Images hide caption

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Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Review

Music Reviews

Jazz For The Eyes And Ears: Bill Frisell And More

Fresh Air

There's so much good jazz coming out on DVD now (old stuff, new stuff, TV concerts and documentaries) that it's more than anyone can follow. But Kevin Whitehead says that a few recent releases really caught his eye and ear.

Jazz For The Eyes And Ears: Bill Frisell And More

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Bill Frisell Trio On JazzSet

From left to right: Kenny Wollesen, Bill Frisell and Tony Scherr. Courtesy of Jimmy Katz hide caption

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Courtesy of Jimmy Katz

Concerts

Bill Frisell Trio On JazzSet

WBGO

It's true: Bill Frisell wears glasses, dresses casually and is modest and soft-spoken in person. But instead of stepping into a phone booth to put on a cape, he straps on his trusty Fender Telecaster and strides onstage at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater with his trio.

Bill Frisell Trio On JazzSet

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Review

All Songs Considered

A Folk Rock Dream Team, The Tallest Man On Earth, A Tribute To George Harrison, More

Hear new music from The Monsters of Folk, Jim James, The Tallest Man on Earth, and more.

A Folk Rock Dream Team, The Tallest Man On Earth, A Tribute To George Harrison, More

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Concerts

Ron Miles: Singing Through The Horn

Ron Miles plays a one-of-a-kind, brushed gold trumpet in G, not the conventional B-flat horn used by most players. He says the sound is a little deeper, and while it's more difficult to play, he loves the grace and control: Ron Miles sings through his horn. The jazz trumpeter leads an all-star set with legendary guitarist Bill Frisell.

Web-Only Concert Pick: Hear Ron Miles Quartet perform "Black Beauty."

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