"The duo date of vocalist/violinist Petra Haden and guitarist
Bill Frisell is a delicate flower with deep roots. Quiet, intimate
and softly floating, this album is an eclectic mix of mild-mannered
pop tunes that matter. There's chemistry between Haden and
Frisell ‹ the former a founder of the hip, now-defunct
'90s Los Angeles pop band that dog and daughter of jazz bassist
Charlie Haden, and the latter a musical omnivore who loves
folk-based tunes, even though he can tastefully shred strings
in the right jazz setting. In addition to noteworthy covers
of Coldplay's "Yellow" and Stevie Wonder's "I
Believe," Haden & Frisell shine on their moody crawl
through "Moon River" and their exploration of the
traditional Tuvan song "Bai-la Taigam." - Dan Ouellette, Billboard
The Washington Post
By Geoffrey Himes
"The dozen tracks on "Petra Haden and Bill Frisell" include
songs from Stevie Wonder, the Foo Fighters, George Gershwin,
Coldplay, Henry Mancini, Tom Waits, Elliot Smith and Jiminy
Cricket, but the guitar-fiddle-and-voice arrangements resemble
chamber-music treatments of old-time country music. Haden's
light soprano offers an admirable blend of intimacy and dignity,
and Frisell's guitar work uncovers surprising musical possibilities
in these familiar songs."
“Petra Haden and Bill Frisell”
Collection of duets beautifully combines 2 artists’ many
talents.
If the two names above aren't familiar to most,
their collaborative effort released nationwide today will make
a perfect introduction to their musical talents. Haden is a
fine singer-songwriter-violinist who had some success as a
member of the indie-pop trio that dog during the mid- to late-'90s.
Her father is the great jazz bassist Charlie Haden, who guitarist
Frisell has known through their common jazz background. Frisell's
fret work has distinguished itself over the years for its filigreed,
textural sound, sensitively blending rock and country with
jazz, blues and electronica loops. Because of that, Frisell
has been known to work with other venturesome artists, such
as Elvis Costello, Rickie Lee Jones, Marianne Faithfull and
U2's Bono. So it's no surprise that he would team up with the
like-minded Haden on this excellent duet project.
With production help from Frisell's longtime producer Lee
Townsend, the 12 tracks collected here all have a quiet musical
intensity, buoyed by Haden's lovely voice and supportive violin
playing.
Two original compositions, the instrumentals "The Quiet
Room" and "Throughout," have a meditative quality.
Much of the album consists of covers, ranging from standards
to some surprising contemporary choices. It says something
of their combined talents that they can take such near-hoary
ol' songs as "Moon River," "When You Wish Upon
a Star" and "I've Got a Crush on You," and polish
them to a sweet and tender glow.
Of the more recent songs, they pay tribute to the late Elliott
Smith with the opening "Satellite," followed by a
languid take on the Foo Fighters' "Floaty," which
emphasizes writer Dave Grohl's strong sense of melody. Two
of the better covers are a good-humored "I Don't Want
to Grow Up" that gives the Tom Waits song an around-the-campfire
quality, and an open-hearted version of Stevie Wonder's "I
Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)."
Haden and Frisell have truly made a gem of an album. - Gary
C.W. Chun, starbulletin.com
An arty singer-songwriter album. And a fine one
at that.
Haden's dark, ethereal alto voice betrays an intimacy with
both pain and joy, without a trace of cynicism or fear. There's
a child-like openness about her as well as a quietly fierce
honesty and intelligence. Her inner resolve in the face of
emotional pain comes though on Ellott Smith's "Satellite".
She shows a dreamy, ecstatic side on the Foo Fighters' "Floaty".
And on her own "The Quiet Room", she creates a child-like
sense of contentment and security.
Haden also know the virtues of simplicity, delivering direct
and unadorned version of Tom Waits' "I Don't Want to Grow
Up" and the traditional folk song "John Hardy was
a Desperate Little Man".
Frisell crafts subtle atmospheric settings of each tune something
he has always excelled at. He wraps Haden's voice in layers
of translucent sound in which colors bleed slowly into one
another; hooks and melodies materialize briefly and fade into
the background; and blues, country and jazz elements coexist
with a jovial familiarity. Haden and Frisell make compelling
music, however you want to label it. - Jazziz
"There is a diverse background and culture
immersed in this music that comes to a full boil. After the
influences, background and training take a back seat, what
you get is a simmering stew of music and personality that makes
up all of these beautiful tracks. This is the essence of two
people playing off each other's strengths.
Haden has an endearing and sweet voice and Frisell's guitar
is just as elegant and persuasive.... it is difficult to tuck
it away in a neat pile and put it on the shelf under jazz,
rock or pop. It's all of that and more done in an original
and definitive way.
This is an opportunity to find something new in the tried and
tested, like some of the standards that this duo explores through
their own unique vision. Have a look for yourself; you never
know what you might find." - Jazzreview.com
"This is a true duet album, not simply a
singer being backed by a stellar accompanist. Petra Haden's
vocals, alone or with some judiciously deployed overdubbed
harmonizing, move with a fluidity that is perfectly mirrored
in Bill Frisell's guitar phrasing and sonorities. Playing covers
(with a pair of originals) further celebrates the common ground
they share. All of the songs are linked by their melodic bearing,
whether originally performed by current bands like Foo Fighters
and Coldplay or such contemporary writers as Tom Waits and
Stevie Wonder. They also looked beyond the realm of the rock
world with twentieth century standard bearers George Gershwin
and Henry Mancini. Drawing from jazz, folk, pop, and rock,
this album bridges them all, tossing aside labels with the
same gentle confidence that informs the music." - Amazon.com Editorial
Review
