Petra Haden And Bill Frisell CD

New Bill Frisell/Petra Haden CD Set For Release January 11th, 2005 On Sovereign ArtistsLos Angeles, California. "Petra Haden and Bill Frisell," the new self-titled CD from artists extraordinaire Bill Frisell and Petra Haden, is set for release on Sovereign Artists January 11th. Featuring the astonishing vocal harmonies of singer-songwriter-violinist Petra Haden and the critically-acclaimed passionate guitar-playing of Bill Frisell, "Petra Haden and Bill Frisell" contains twelve tracks - an eclectic mix of lushly arranged standards and new songs from artists and composers Elliot Smith, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, George Gershwin, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Henry Mancini just to name a few - unlike anything you've heard before. Bill and Petra first joined forces to record the CD after Bill was captivated by one of Petra's live performances. Bill describes this discovery: "I have known and played with Petra's father Charlie since the early 80s so I knew of her for quite awhile, but never had a chance to meet her until she came to play in Seattle at the OK Hotel with Miss Murgatroid a few years ago. This was the first time I'd heard her sing and play and I was completely knocked out. We became big fans of each other, started talking on the phone every so often, hoping that someday we'd get to play together. Eventually we did a gig at the the Knitting Factory in LA and one song ("Single Girl" by the Carter Family) at UCLA for Hal Willner's tribute concert for Harry Smith. Soon after this we got together to record our album."A stalwart on the music scene, Bill Frisell is celebrated for his singularly original approach to the guitar which blends rock and country with jazz, blues and electronic loops. Over the years he has released numerous solo album to widespread critical acclaim and has contributed to the work of such collaborators as Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bono, Brian Eno, and Daniel Lanois (just to name a few), as well as scoring a variety of film projects. The daughter of jazz legend Charlie Haden, Petra Haden grew-up surrounded by music, and as one of triplets constantly sang with her sisters and began playing the violin at age eight. Petra was a member of Los Angeles indie-pop rock group that dog and has collaborated with artists ranging from Sean Lennon to Victoria Williams to Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto. "Petra Haden and Bill Frisell" was produced by Lee Townsend and Engineered by Tucker Martine. It was recorded and mixed at Trillium Lane Studios on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York City.

Personnel: Petra Haden (vocals, violin); Bill Frisell (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, loops).
It's safe to say that most albums don't include renditions of tunes by Foo Fighters, George Gershwin, and Stevie Wonder, along with traditional Tuvan folk songs, together on the same track list. Unless, of course, you're referring to the 2005 disc by the duo of Bill Frisell and Petra Haden. One of the foremost guitarists in contemporary jazz, Frisell is renowned for his signature guitarscapes, heard through a galaxy of effects and loops. Haden is an eclectic vocalist/violinist formerly of the indie-pop group That Dog (and, incidentally, the daughter of jazz bass great Charlie Haden), whose singing is guileless, experimental, and endearing all at once.
Together, Haden and Frisell create an unexpected magic, with Frisell's shimmering chords and electronically embellished atmospheres providing the perfect pillow for Haden's sleepy, breathy voice (which she layers in harmonies to excellent effect). The songs--also including Coldplay's "Yellow," Henry Mancini's "Moon River," Tom Waits's "I Don't Want to Grow Up," and the Disney classic "When You Wish Upon a Star"--are incongruous only in theory. The lush, lullaby-like quality of the duo's sound gives the album a remarkably cohesive feel, highlightiDown Beat (p.70) - "Haden's crystal-clear voice acts as a musical lens of sorts, bringing diverse genres into a crisp and singular focus that never fails to please the era with its delicateness and deliberateness."