''History, Mystery'' is the 20th album by

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist. He first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts, notably as a participant ...

to be released on the

Elektra Nonesuch Nonesuch Records is an American record company and label owned by Warner Music Group, distributed by Warner Records (formerly Warner Bros. Records), and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, Nonesuch ...

label. It was released in 2008.Nonesuch Records album info
accessed 5 May 2010.

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 awarded the album 4½ stars, stating, "Frisell's inherent love of formal lyricism, expansive harmonics, and divergent musical histories reflects his tireless passion for tracing sources. In composing his own material, he also interprets and arranges his sources. On ''History, Mystery'' he achieves musical alchemy; he creates something new from familiar, exotic, and even forgotten forms, providing listeners with a magical aural experience".Jurek, T
Allmusic Review
accessed August 4, 2011.

Track listing

All compositions by Bill Frisell except as indicated. ;Disc 1 # "Imagination" – 1:51 # "Probability Cloud" – 4:45 # "Probability Cloud Part 2" – 1:01 # "Out of Body" – 2:27 # "Struggle" – 5:32 # "A Momentary Suspension of Doubt" – 0:38 # "Onward" – 1:38 # "Baba Drame" (

Boubacar Traoré Boubacar Traoré may refer to: *Boubacar Traoré (musician) (born 1942), Malian guitarist and singer *Boubacar Traore (runner) (born 1971), Guinean marathon runner and political activist *Boubacar Traoré (basketball) (born 1946), Senegalese baske ...

) – 6:09 # "What We Need" – 1:37 # "

A Change Is Gonna Come "A Change Is Gonna Come" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke. It initially appeared on Cooke's album '' Ain't That Good News'', released mid-February 1964 by RCA Victor; a slightly edited version of the recording was released as a s ...

" (

Sam Cooke Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...

) – 8:49 # "Jackie-ing" (

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Jazz standard, standard jazz repertoire, includ ...

) – 2:55 # "Show Me" – 3:16 # "Boo and Scout" – 2:28 # "Struggle Part 2" – 6:25 # "Heal" – 1:41 # "Another Momentary Suspension of Doubt" – 0:37 # "Probability Cloud (Reprise)" – 1:36 ;Disc 2 # "Monroe" – 4:18 # "Lazy Robinson" – 2:18 # "Question #1" – 1:14 # "Answer #1" – 0:40 # "Faces" – 1:52 # "Sub-Conscious 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 ...

) – 5:39 # "Monroe Part 2" – 1:52 # "Question #2" – 0:56 # "Lazy Robinson Part 2" – 3:18 # "What We Need Part 2" – 1:16 # "Waltz for Baltimore" – 8:47 # "Answer #2" – 1:50 # "Monroe Part 3" – 2:58

Personnel

– guitars *

Ron Miles Ronald Glen Miles (May 9, 1963 – March 8, 2022) was an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, and composer. He recorded for the labels Prolific (1986), Capri Records (Jazz record label), Capri (1990), and Rykodisc, Gramavision. His final album, ...

– cornet * Greg Tardy – tenor saxophone, clarinet *

Jenny Scheinman Jenny Scheinman is a jazz violinist. She has produced several critically acclaimed solo albums, including ''12 Songs'', named one of the Top Ten Albums of 2005 by ''The New York Times''. She has played with Linda Perry, Norah Jones, Nels Cline, ...

– violin *

Eyvind Kang Eyvindur Y. Kang (born 23 June 1971) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. His primary instrument is viola, but has also performed on violin, tuba, keyboard instruments, keyboards and others. In addition to his solo work, Kang has w ...

– viola *

Hank Roberts Hank Roberts (born March 24, 1954, Terre Haute, Indiana) is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant-garde, folk, and classical influences. He emerged with the downtown Ne ...

– cello *

Tony Scherr Tony Scherr is an American jazz and folk rock bassist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Biography Scherr was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and is a graduate of the Hammonasset School. He played with Woody Herman as a teenage ...

– bass *

Kenny Wollesen Kenny Wollesen (born 1966) is an American drummer and percussionist. Wollesen has recorded and toured with Tom Waits, Sean Lennon, Ron Sexsmith, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, John Lurie, Myra Melford, Steven Bernstein, and John Zorn. He is a fou ...

– drums

References

{{Authority control 2008 albums Bill Frisell albums Nonesuch Records albums