In his forty-year career, Bill Frisell (b. 1951) released 40 albums, most on the Nonesuch, ECM, and OKeh labels, with the other four albums on the famed Blue Note jazz label. He also has a Grammy Award to his credit, plus six other nominations. Despite the fact that Frisell has been in the absolute top league for four decades, his first ever concert in Bratislava will be at this year's Jazzaks!

Bil Frisell will come to our festival with a repertoire based on the fantastic double album "Four", which was released two years ago on the Blue Note label. The album features new interpretations of previously recorded Frisell originals as well as nine new compositions. The project introduced a new lineup of musical friends- Blue Note's Gerald Clayton on piano, Johnathan Blake on drums, and longtime collaborator Greg Tardy on saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet. The album's atmosphere reflects Frisell's affection for Americana and blues, but the recording only serves as a foundation - live, the spontaneous, collaborative orchestration is important, and the depth of the music's character is determined by the subtle choices made onstage.

"Frisell has had a lot of practice in how to squeeze a top concept into a modest package. He has long been hailed as one of the most distinctive and original improvising guitarists of our time, but he has also earned a reputation for bringing out the thematic connections in his music..." wrote the New York Times.