Throughout: The Music of Bill Frisell

On his solo piano debut, JP Schlegelmilch explores the musical universe of the iconic composer/guitarist Bill Frisell. Throughout encompasses the incredible range of Frisell's music, including earthy Americana, complex abstraction, and moody minimalist textures. Released in March 2013 on SteepleChase LookOut Records. 

Throughout is available on Amazon and ITunes. 

 "A warm and elegant new solo effort" - Time Out NY

"Throughout separates the songs from the guitar, presenting them in a new light. The playing here reveals not just some new aspects to a set of songs but showcases Schlegelmilch as a thoughtful pianist with fresh and exciting ideas." - Paul Acquaro, Free Jazz Blog

 

 

 

JP’s Notes on Throughout:

When I first started considering the musical material for a solo piano project, I found myself drawn to the idea of focusing on the work of one composer. The bands that I play with perform mostly original music, so interpreting another composer's work inspired me as an interesting challenge. Also, I thought that choosing a composer who played an instrument other than the piano would leave more room for me to re­imagine the music on the keyboard.

Bill Frisell's music has been a big inspiration to me for a long time, mostly because of the direct simplicity of expression in his playing and writing. There is a starkness and economy in his compositions that recall the music of Thelonious Monk, where a simple motive might form the basis for an entire piece. Frisell's writing also references a wide range of American music, including blues, country and folk music, classical composers like Aaron Copland and Charles Ives, rock and roll, minimalism, experimental music, and of course, jazz.

The pieces that I chose for the recording all struck me as having a distinct character or mood that captured my musical imagination. Some pieces are played very faithfully to Frisell's written score, and some are more abstracted. My goal was to remain true to the spirit of the music as well as offering my own personal interpretation.