Lyrad's Random 10

Bill Frisell is one of my favorite artists of all time. His guitar sounds are uniquely American, but not washed out with commercial style. Every few years, he seems to morph is style into something new and, often, something great. This is a traditional cover from an album that he made with Petra Hayden, the daughter of legendary bass player Charlie Hayden (from Ornette Coleman's band and his own Liberation Music Orchestra). She plays violin and occasionally sings on the album. The album is all covers ranging from the traditional song presented below to Tom Waits to Foo Fighters. It isn't his best album, but there are some very good cuts on it. Were it anybody but the Fris, I'd never had picked the album up but I'm glad I did. It's different from his usual offerings for, if nothing else, the vocals. It sometimes verges the easy listening realm, but Petra has a sweet voice and a good violin sound. In combination with Frisell, who plays a decided supporting role in these cuts, it is not just very listenable, but it's a valuable, relaxing album that I really don't listen to enough.

1. Petra Hayden & Bill Frisell--Bai-La Taigam
2. Dmitri Shostakovich--Ballet Suite No.3 for Orchestra (Moscow CO; Constantine Orbelian, cond.)
3. Blind Willie McTell--Stomp Down Rider
4. Henri Adrien Lous Kling--Characteristic Etudes (40) for French Horn; 5.Allegro (Stephen Hager, fr hn)
5. Merle Haggard--Swinging Doors
6. Francesco DeMasi--7 Winchester per un massacaro [seq. 6] (from the soundtrack to Seven Winchesters for a Massacre)
7. Joe Maphis & Zen Crook--Dueling Banjos
8. Oslo Kammerkor--Uventa Brudlaupssjau
9. General Patton vs. the X-Ecutioners--Get up, Punk! (Joint Special Operations Task Force)
10. Bill Monroe--Shenandoah Breakdown