When You Wish Upon a Star is the name of the new album by guitarist, composer and bandleader Bill Frisell, who pays tribute to his favourite compositions from film and television on the new release.
With violist Eyvind Kang, bassist Thomas Morgan, drummer Rudy Royston and vocalist Petra Haden, Frisell is reinterpreting music from popular movies, among which The Godfather, Psycho and To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as music from some of his favourite TV shows from the past, like The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Honeymooners and Bonanza.
“Music is so rich with all the associations that go along with it, whether it’s the words or a memory you get when you hear it”, said Frisell and added “I’m also looking for, maybe, some keys to some mystery about the first time you hear something extraordinary, the first time you hear something new or something amazing. What made that thing work?”
Frisell, whose original compositions can be heard in the movies Finding Forrester and The Million Dollar Hotel is promoting the repertoire of the new album on American tour, which started last week, while dates for the European promotion tour are to be set for autumn.
Watch a short video in which Frisell is introducing the new album When You Wish Upon a Star.
*Bill Frisell at the soundcheck for his concert at 18th Jazz Fest Sarajevo 2014 (Armin Smailović)