Sign of Life (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

Guitarist Bill Frisell has been mining Americana for years now, building on jazz, blues, country, classical, folk, and other traditions. 2011’s Sign of Life presents 17 originals for the 858 Quartet, a group that includes violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank Roberts. The pieces here display the refinement of chamber music, the warmth of folk, and the pleasures of focused improvisation. “It’s a Long Story, Pt. 1” brings to mind a meeting of Curtis Mayfield and country music on a warm summer evening. The title track is a modernist composition that leans toward the mellow rather than the astringent. (One is reminded that the group’s instrumentation is that of a string quartet, with guitar replacing one of the violins.) The jaunty “Suitcase In My Hand” chugs along with guitar and fiddle tossing in blues and bluegrass licks. “Sixty Four” evokes minimalism without the sense of urgency associated with that propulsive style. A pair of miniatures works nicely: “Painter” creates a sense of mystery with a handful of notes while “Teacher” bristles with agitated energy.