Nels Cline + Bill Frisell in Big Sur

[@howardthrust]

There have been a number of KZbin postings of this performance; but I only just found this one! I was in attendance (out of the camera's view--as were others). There are two distinct camps in music--"Formalist" and "Expressionist". Bill and Nels have spent much time in BOTH; and, can readily "morph" from one to another! That strict "Formalists" clearly don't "get" the wonderful "Expression" displayed here doesn't diminish the content at all!

[@bastiandario1923]

At 28 years old, I just heard this improvisation for the first time while eating. I must say that I cried, it made me transport myself to different times of the day like a sunrise, a sunset, the night, being in different places like a mountain, a lake, in the sea. Incredible how excited I was! Thanks a lot!

[@jamiebo100]

The phrase Nels Cline plays between 1min 52 and 2min 30 is lifted from Don Cherrys trumpet line on the track A.I.R ( All India Radio ) on Carla Bleys magnum opus Escalator Over The Hill ...have been going crazy trying to recognise it.

[@MrAndreaCaso]

Two among my favourite guitarists together. It would be amazing if they could play together more often!

[@Jmp153]

stunning, just stunning

[@lungflogger9]

this is sound sculpture, free form and spontaneous ..... it is art. you get what you get and you get out of it what you put into it as a listener, a participant.

[@frostytoes686]

wow, Bill and Nels playing together. This is huge.

[@kshbjork]

This is extremely calming. If you're stressed out, just sit back and close your eyes and listen to this.

[@wjcolclasure]

This sounds awesome.

[@spencer2112]

Hands down the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard

[@fanomoe]

Fantastic!

[@encohen1]

First time I listen to this kind of music, beautiful! Thanks for posting, greetings from Israel.

[@mrfish4lyfe]

very eno/fripp like i love it! id love for them to do a tour

[@AgimLubonja]

Great! Thanks for sharing.

[@vaibhavjoshi9141]

This is quite good. Open & that drone sound.

[@cadencewyatt]

Great to see, thanks for uploading. Looking at the audience I cant believe there are so few people! Empty seats!! Wish I could of experienced this live.

[@tongbei1]

Wow.....beautiful.......2 of my favorites sounding like one canvas of guitar

[@4felixfelix]

i love this combination!

[@killlalaland]

thank you so much... if you have any more, please please post it!

[@AtmaRising]

That was put so perfectly. Well said.

[@mrtnbrwn]

I keep coming back to this. I get so much inspiration in the experience of these two guitarists as they negotiate the space improvising ECM, or somone..! needs to get these guys to do an album together

[@LinesThatParallel]

I just read pepachet's words and felt very,very happy.There are probably a lot of other great words here,his just happen to be at the top. I come across so much negativity on you tube and elsewhere, but I am also seeing a lot of words like his, and from what I can see in the small pic looks like he is fairly young maybe 20s/30s, providing balance in the scheme of things.You(being whoever is reading this)and I are creating a new earth,whether for good or bad, we are creating.The choice is ours.

[@chperrone]

this is what I've been looking for...

[@sparklesmcgee]

wow i kind of love this

[@yalebellydance]

@ProfessorCalculus wow can't believe a cline/ribot happened and even more that i had just moved to nyc and missed it! that city breaks my heart every other night

[@pepachet]

Haha, thanks! There is plenty of music out there I don't really get into but I see no positive's out of criticising it. Someone likes it so it should be respected for that alone!

[@votemiles]

Please do a record together guys.

[@hawkfan116]

this would be a transcending experience to see live

[@RonCarterBassist]

👍🏾👍🏾

[@stelkins]

Thank you for so many great records @RonCarterBassist. Your music is a gift, and I am grateful for the wellspring of inspiration you have provided so many people.

[@RonCarterBassist]

@@stelkins I'm honored, thank you.

[@marcgregoryneville]

😌

[@nymetsrock]

i am so relaxed

[@vver]

I usually frown upon youtube comments but yours was actually pretty thoughtful while not being extremely cheesy.

[@fraterlucifer888]

this is one of those times when you can add it to your favorites be you even watch it,,,,,,because you just know

[@MrMrjohnkyle]

well said

[@fuzzwarmy]

Heavenly.

[@seanhennessey9869]

when the library had just opened, I stopped in and met the then curator of the Miller museum, Emile White, Henry´s long time friend....he was old, but he let us drink beer and we talked about books and Paris and Miller, etc, he was great....I never had a clue 2 of my favorite guitarists would play there, in fact I did not know who Cline and Frissel were, this was back in the mid 80s

[@jamespuleo3269]

If I heard this in the mid-80's, I would have guessed R.Fripp/B.Eno~~~~~

[@pianostuff2731]

I think the fault is in cline suggesting a polyrhythm which he continues past frissel's ending note and then changes the rhythm by making it a repeating phrase. It took a while for the frissel phrase at the end to fit and so there's a while until they kinda filled the groove out. the beginning was faultless though.

[@lazur1]

Chops in the positive sense: Freedom to create without technical limitation. (No one ever accused Wes Montgomery or Johnny Smith of ego problems!) Bill has chops when needed, as do subtle jazzers Jim Hall & Ed Bickert. As I hear it, Bill's playing down to Nels' level. As far as lack of ego, yes, that can be applauded; but the results, nonetheless, are indeed "new age banana head" fare.That doesn't make it a bad thing: There's no arguing taste ;-)

[@pepachet]

Ok , it wasn't a 12 bar blues or something you might be used to. What it was, defied the laws of musical arrangement. Pure emotion in the shape of a soundscape from two players who are as much artists as they are musicians. If you didn't get it, thats not your fault, but a lot of people got a spiritual experience out of this and its not to be denied. Music is not sport, there are no scoreboards or champions so enjoy the music you prefer to listen and no-one can deny you and yours!

[@buddyhagan]

I don't understand why there are only thirty some-odd people at this show.

[@snakestrecher]

amen brother.

[@sharonlee4773]

I was at this show- they did Johnny B Goode next...........

[@goldencatpants]

no

[@mohomoho1]

Evening Star

[@bubsadoozy]

It's all about texture. Some get it some don't.

[@atarirob]

Why are people upset about how this sounds in the comments? It's blissful, I don't get how people can say Nels 'doesn't get' what Bill's throwing at him, that thought is the complete antithesis of what the music was trying to convey I think. Sit back, close your eyes and get washed away in the sea of sound.

[@OwlAtHome0]

Well said. I thought they meshed beautifully.

[@bentackett6299]

Nels' Jazzmaster with Couch strap though...🤤

[@elmobrother]

Reading the comments on this video is kind of strange. We have two masters of their craft experimenting. When it comes to playing with other people and improvising there are so many factors, why not let this wash over you the way that the musicians seem to be. Take it for what it is and don't try to super analyze it. It is folly.

[@Lokakuunmaa]

There are no wrong notes in jazz: only notes in the wrong places. -Miles Davis

[@christoguichard4311]

Well...that's the tuning-up done.

[@elijahhiga]

かっこいいデゥオですね。Two Men are speaking like a echo...

[@pajaroinflamable]

2 tipos con la mejor onda dialogando, grosso.

[@thedanalcantara]

I can't believe they aren't getting in each others way.

[@bslz65]

whats overbearing about his playing? i think they fit perfectly

[@lazur1]

If -this- isn't "NWBH" music, what is?

[@mrfish4lyfe]

@mohomoho1 oh wow ur so right

[@chauntzu]

I wonder how many of these new age banana heads are really able to appreciate these 2 really amazing players????

[@Antho54123]

sweet i got the same last name as bill.

[@MrMrjohnkyle]

only with fender can this be

[@unclejunglebass]

loves bill's axe

[@bslz65]

hahahaha well actually man, if you look at his stuff with wilco as well as his group the nels cline singers, you realize hes actually an incredible jazz musician who can play any style of music. you should check some of those out and get back to me because he is in no way a slouch guitar player. plus his playing in this with the fuzz reminds me of robert fripp's stuff with brian eno. and i listen to my fair share of free form jazz and improvised music man. dont be so quick to say things! cheers

[@Bruchag]

Esoteric....nuff said...

[@gianlucapaul]

You can tell Nils thought it was "wrong" he missed the note he was going for and corrected quickly. Why did this get so many down-votes? My main prof in college talked about conviction a lot. And how you could play anything you want as long as you made it sound like it belonged and a lot of that has to do with phrasing regardless of the harmonic structure.

[@PoetryHound]

In the groups I was in, noodling meant thoughtless screwing around on your instrument before the piece (or rehearsal) began.

[@rydubz7]

This music wasn't created for all of us to judge and decide if we like it or not . What does like or dislike even mean . Read about John Cage's philosophy. There is no thing as silence so everything is music. You don't have a right to your opinion because you don't exist as buddhists know. Self=illusion. Haha. Marketing folks want us to be likeing and hating machines so they can control us . We are human and this type of art reminds us of that. I wish this was longer.

[@OttoVeblin]

Usually it's people who look at painting that say that sort of thing. 'looks like a child drew that' etc. I just hope you make a some time to listen to a Nels Cline or Bill Frisell album, but I'm not holding out much hope.

[@enterBJ40]

i die and went to heaven...yes, 'i'm in heaven....

[@pepachet]

The title can be whatever the person wants it to be. Nobody really cares! You either enjoyed it or you didn't. If you didn't then fine, find something you like and enjoy!

[@kinyabulat]

All India Radio)

[@rafaelsg7964]

very fidgety and loopy (like vampy) but refreshing as well

[@TerjefromPalmface]

This is an improvisation performance by two professional guitar players who make music in a genre, by looking at your the name of your account, I`m sure you don`t fully understand, . Get a grip

[@jt-cosmic-42]

That could have been a major disaster at 3:01 lol

[@emptysresponse]

Totally! I gasped a wee bit.

[@MrBownze]

The people in the Lazy Boy recliners in the audience are prolly stoned off their gourd. Also, needs more cowbell.

[@Thaxton]

you

[@Crashoverall]

Not sure nels is fully aware that bill is also on the stage, throwing awesome ideas at him.

[@shnootch]

seems to me he knows he's being fed. love fris as harmonic cushion, subtle texture provider

[@sambac2053]

Cline doesn't seem to be listening to harmony ideas Frizell keeps throwing at him

[@slimturnpike]

I think he responded well to Frisell's harmonies. Frisell could've tried following Cline a little. Actually each is a bit too much in his own world here. They never quite meet, conceptually/intellectually but it doesn't sound too bad anyway.

[@chauntzu]

Frisell is not really a chops player by the limited definition associated with it...He never really has ever been a chops player. Maybe that's why I like him so much. It's always about the music with him...not his ego! Pretty much like this music.

[@sfcard]

sounds cool-but it seems like frisell is looking to make eye contact thuout and Nels is in his little world-not giving him a glance.

[@thatssomething1]

where da incense?

[@pharmerdavid1432]

I've never seen so many controls manipulated while playing... I just plug straight freaking IN...!

[@rydubz7]

I agree. I'd like to add that all musicians are artists . The mentality that music and art are seperate came from evil minds. I believe it is someones fault if they don't get it. What is musical taste other than what we have been exposed too. When I first got into weird music I hated it .You think this is challenging.Try Webern or Milton Babbit. I had to bust my musical cherry and it hurt. Like developing a palette for fine food. If someone hasnt developed a palette it's their fault. Who Else's?

[@rydubz7]

I have to differ. Nels was studying jazz guitar when he was young . He went through all the jazz playing over changes stuff as almost all experimental guitarists have. Playing standards gets boring after you have mastered it and this kind of music is the next step . Anyone can play a song , but you can you improvise freely while saying something. Byrd did,but that was 70 years ago. That museam idea of jazz is so colleges can put out thousands of jazz players with no originality to make a buck.

[@jynxmeTHREE]

†NELS†

[@lazur1]

sorry "NABH"

[@shasba]

Dave Torn was doing more fully developed things by him self in the mid to late 80's

[@timmygeem398]

Could all be done solo with a good looper...

[@eugene_Manchild]

I'm sure they would agree?

[@eugene_Manchild]

That's not really relevant to what's going on in this video though.... It's two dudes improvising

[@hellakooked]

bill should've smashed his guitar on nels's fx table

[@buddyhagan]

3:03 near disaster.

[@771rules]

ohh put a sock in it

[@chauntzu]

LMAO...Whatever!!!

[@blackdogbite]

Man I love Frisell- but this shite sounds like they are tuning up for fifteen minutes. Not too impressive to me.

[@PoetryHound]

"Ok , it wasn't a 12 bar blues" Right. A 12-bar blues has 3 chords. This has 1 chord. It's like an outtake from an ECM recording session. The title of the piece should be "Guitar Noodling with Effects Boxes."

[@bluesrhythmandroll]

seriously wtf !! ??? This sounds like kids who can't play messing about .. get a grip

[@lazur1]

Really? This sounds pretty much like all the new age BS I've come across: Ambient/atmospheric/'meditative", static, no chord changes, no development; no swing, funk, or rhythm of any kind; and no chops, (Frisell has chops when required, but not here; Cline's a noodler, who, for whatever reason, got over on Jeff Tweedy to give him a paying gig). I can see 'bananaheads' having trouble with a sophisticated player like Wes, but this stuff -is- "new age banana head" music.

[@guitarvideos777]

Kline is a harsh punker that has no concept beyond noise making... He could not play over chord changes on his best day... Sorry but if you cannot hear how he sucks the space and hogs the show then you have yet to hear real organic improv beyond the simple loops w/ delay and verb...... cheers

[@shnootch]

just not true about kline. he might step out the groove to fatten(not necessarily phatten) the rhythmic, harmonic groove, and not everything comes out perfect, but that's improv, and sure punk is part of his pallette. fris lets him ride out front. pretty sweet snippet. btw, what changes? it's nicely static, like excited bees in a bag.

[@slimturnpike]

These are pretty much my two favorite guitarists anywhere. Not a bad improv. Different energy levels, these two, so not an easy mesh but I enjoyed it for what it was, some nice textures.