''Small Town'' is a live album by Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan recorded at the

Village Vanguard The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jaz ...

in March 2016 and released on ECM May the following year—Frisell's first album as leader for the label since 1987's '' Lookout for Hope''. More music from the same recording session was released in 2019 as the follow-up album, ''Epistrophy''.

Reception

The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

review by Thom Jurek states, "Morgan is a deeply intuitive player with a glorious earthy, woody tone. He anchors Frisell's more speculative tendencies, allowing the unexpected (and perhaps previously undiscovered) room to emerge and hold its ground between them with the seams showing. ''Small Town'' is an excellent showcase for this duo; here's hoping it's only a first volley." On

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

, John Kelman noted, "Frisell proves that it's possible to bring together original music, country music, jazz standards and more in an unfettered duet setting ... with ''Small Town'', Frisell has clearly found another ideal musical foil to add to his growing cadre of musicians with whom he collaborates on a regular basis. Intimate, beautiful and deep, while at the same time knotty, witty and curiously skewed, ''Small Town'' delivers, in many ways, on the promise of '' In Line's'' five duo tracks 35 years on, with a live set that proves great music isn't just where you find it; it's everywhere."All About Jazz Review
accessed October 30, 2017 In ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', John Fordham called it an "almost psychically empathic duo set" and observed, "Morgan’s quick anticipations of Frisell’s moves give their conversations a startling buoyancy."The Guardian Review
June 16, 2017 In

Stereophile ''Stereophile'' is a monthly American audiophile magazine which reviews high-end audio equipment, such as loudspeakers and amplifiers, and audio-related news. History ''Stereophile'' was founded in 1962 by J. Gordon Holt. With the August 1 ...

, Robert Baird wrote, "Perhaps a bit too samey in approach for newcomers to his music, this is Frisell adding yet again to his ever growing, ever impressive legacy."Stereophile Review
accessed October 30, 2017

Track listing

# "It Should Have Happened a Long Time Ago" (

Paul Motian Stephen Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer of Armenian descent. He played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties. Motian first came t ...

) – 11:05 # "Subconscious Lee" (

Lee Konitz Leon "Lee" Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist and composer. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's ass ...

) – 7:31 # "Song for Andrew No. 1" ( Bill Frisell) – 9:35 # " Wildwood Flower" ( Joseph Philbrick Webster, Maud Irving) – 5:08 # "Small Town" ( Bill Frisell) – 8:57 # "What a Party" (

Dave Bartholomew David Louis Bartholomew (December 24, 1918 – June 23, 2019) was an American musician, bandleader, composer, arrangement, arranger, and record producer. He was prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century ...

Fats Domino Antoine Caliste Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American singer-songwriter and pianist. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New Orl ...

, Pearl King) – 6:41 # "Poet - Pearl" ( Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan) – 12:04 # " Goldfinger" ( John Barry,

Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse OBE (; 29 January 1931 – 19 October 2021) was a British composer, lyricist, and playwright who worked on theatre musicals and wrote theme music for films. He was best known for writing the music and lyrics for the films '' D ...

Anthony Newley Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, director, comedian, singer, and composer. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. "One of Broadway's greatest ...

) – 7:01

Personnel

* Bill Frisell –

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

* Thomas Morgan –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

References

{{Bill Frisell 2017 live albums 2017 collaborative albums Bill Frisell live albums ECM Records live albums Albums produced by Manfred Eicher Albums recorded at the Village Vanguard