Lookout for Hope

Amazon.com
Jerry Douglas, who's most often heard adding lustrous Dobro lines to Alison Krauss's Union Station and umpteen country and pop records, uses his periodic solo albums to stretch the stylistic boundaries of steel strings and a slide bar. Lookout for Hope begins on a sweetly familiar note with a multitracked Dobro arrangement of Duane Allman's ever-popular "Little Martha," then ventures toward bluegrass, bebop, and points between and beyond. On many tracks, drums and even a dash of saxophone enhance the core acoustic string sounds, and low-key vocal cameos from Maura O'Connell ("Footsteps Fall") and James Taylor ("The Suit") offer a nice changeup from the high-powered instrumental action. Most intriguing is the title track (written by jazz guitarist Bill Frisell), in which the interlocking mandolin chops of Sam Bush and Nickel Creek's Chris Thile create a hypnotic groove that Douglas, guitarist Bryan Sutton, and Phish's Trey Anastasio ride into a 10-minute space jam. --Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers

Tracks:

Little Martha
Patrick Meets the Brickbats
Footsteps Fall
Monkey Let the Hogs Out
Lookout for Hope
Cave Bop
Senia's Lament
The Wild Rumpus
The Sinking Ship
In the Sweet By & By
The Suit

Amazon.com

Jerry Douglas, who's most often heard adding lustrous Dobro lines to Alison Krauss's Union Station and umpteen country and pop records, uses his periodic solo albums to stretch the stylistic boundaries of steel strings and a slide bar. Lookout for Hope begins on a sweetly familiar note with a multitracked Dobro arrangement of Duane Allman's ever-popular "Little Martha," then ventures toward bluegrass, bebop, and points between and beyond. On many tracks, drums and even a dash of saxophone enhance the core acoustic string sounds, and low-key vocal cameos from Maura O'Connell ("Footsteps Fall") and James Taylor ("The Suit") offer a nice changeup from the high-powered instrumental action. Most intriguing is the title track (written by jazz guitarist Bill Frisell), in which the interlocking mandolin chops of Sam Bush and Nickel Creek's Chris Thile create a hypnotic groove that Douglas, guitarist Bryan Sutton, and Phish's Trey Anastasio ride into a 10-minute space jam. --Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers

Customer Reviews:

Terrific music and very fun.......2007-03-11

It's hard to find fault with this eclectic recording which touches on many styles ranging from bluegrass (of course) to jazz.

If you're a bluegrass fan, you probably have this. But, if you're a fan of jazz, or improvised music in general, I highly recommend this.

Jerry Douglas is one of the most musical players around on any instrument. He can play very moving lyrical lines, and cook like no ones business. On this disc, you'll get to hear plenty of both.

Shawn

Hottest Dobro on the Planet!.......2007-01-20

Jerry Douglas--awesome!

This CD is so hot that it is worth the purchase if only for the sake of two songs--"Little Martha," the Allman Brothers classic tune, here done by Jerry's overdubbing playing harmony to himself; and "Senia's Lament," one of the most gorgeous dobro melodies I have ever heard.

Enjoy!

yawn - avoid this dull solo effort.......2006-05-30

I feel really bad about this review. Jerry Douglas is a talented musician who has brought joy to the ears of countless listeners. When it comes to the 'A' list of dobro players, it's short -he's the only guy on it (since Cal Harris is still undiscovered). Douglas' twelve Grammys confirm this greatness. Almost all of the happiness that he has spread has been in the capacity as an accompanist. That written, he should stick to being an accompanist since his own musical vision is not worth sharing. As with his live shows, "Lookout for Hope" is bland and uninspiring. You'll be sadly disappointed if you're looking for the quality of music that Douglas plays with the likes of Sam Bush and Tony Rice. I came to this disc as an Americana enthusiast and a Frisellian; 'Lookout for Hope' is after all a Bill Frisell song. Jerry Douglas played on "Nashville," one of Bill's greatest albums. Even though Douglas jams out the title track, it somehow manages to get old quickly. The song writing is mediocre and with the exception of the title track, the song selection is unrewarding. Appreciate Douglas' incredible contributions as an accompanist but avoid this dull solo effort.

More than suits this Alison Krauss fan..........2005-08-29

For the fans of Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas will be very familiar,
and his dobro sound will have grown on you to the point that you
will enjoy this album containing several instrumental songs. I've been
surprised, though, how many artists Jerry has backed, all the
way back to Emmylou Harris' "Roses in the Snow" album of 25 years ago.

I particularly enjoy the last song of this album, "The Suit", which has lead vocals by James Taylor. Enjoy!

A superlative effort from a Dobro virtuoso........2004-11-19

Perhaps Jerry Douglas is best reviewed by someone who plays the Dobro rather than relying on the opinion of those who relegate the instrument to providing backup for a singer. This offering showcases Jerry's prodigious abilities on everything from traditional to jazz with a little Eastern flavor to season the mix. With the James Taylor rendered closing song, "The Suit", being one of my favorite. This is probably not a CD for everyone, most certainly not for someone who doesn't appreciate the sound of the lap-style resonator guitar. Those of us who have a genuine interest in this genre will be more than satisfied.

Average customer rating:

Another Fantastic Bill Frisell Album

Lookout for Hope
Bill Frisell
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Bill Frisell Quartet

ASIN: B00000DTFH
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Lookout For Hope
Little Brother Bobby
Hangdog
Remedios The Beauty
Lonesome
Melody For Jack
Hackensack
Little Bigger
Animal Race, The
Alien Prints - (for D. Sharpe)

Amazon.com

The emphasis on this 1987 session is Bill Frisell's broadening range as a composer and his increasing use of strange elisions between materials, adding the darkest clouds to greeting-card-perfect sunny days. "Little Brother Bobby" is a good example, mixing bright, country-simple parts with a dissonant countertheme that suggests a darkened cabaret. Even the very pretty "Lonesome," with its mix of near pedal-steel and acoustic guitar textures, resonates with a strange undercurrent from the reverberant bass. The band is Frisell's working quartet of the time, with cellist Hank Roberts, bassist Kermit Driscoll, and drummer Joey Baron, but the sonic resource can suggest a much larger group, the sustained tones and pitch-bending of Frisell and Roberts magnifying the sound. The title tune has Frisell's guitar line soaring over a backdrop of almost orchestral density, thanks largely to Roberts's cello. Driscoll often uses the lower register of his electric bass to add tremendous gravity, and Baron employs highly varied percussion. The only non-Frisell piece is Thelonious Monk's "Hackensack," a playfully bouncing version that makes the most of the unusual instrumentation. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Another Fantastic Bill Frisell Album.......2005-07-14

Bill Frisell, for those who don't know, is a guitarist whose music is hard to pin down or categorize. One minute he's playing jazz, then the next he's playing country. You will find his music in your local music store's jazz section and if they don't know who Bill Frisell is, then I don't know if that person deserves to be working in a music store, because Mr. Frisell is one of the most original guitarist of the past 20 years. He got his start playing on ECM records in the mid to late 70s and has since then had a rollercoaster ride of a musical career. Not that this is going to mean anything, but he won a Grammy this year for the album "Unspeakable." His first Grammy award (it's about time the masses and the music buying public take notice). He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and of Berklee College of Music. He even studied with Jim Hall for a little while in the mid-70s. Anyway, Bill Frisell is very unique and NOBODY will ever sound or play like him.

"Lookout For Hope" is one of my favorite Bill Frisell albums. Many of the songs like the title song have alot of dissonance in them, but its the way he uses this dissonance that makes it an enjoyable song to listen to. On this album, he has really found a way of taking a musical phrase that is dissonant and turning it into something accessible. The more I talk about this album, the more I give away all of the naunces that one who appreciates good music will find in this. You're just going to have to pick up this album and soak in the sonic tapestry that Bill and Co. weave.

Musicians-

Bill Frisell - electric and acoustic guitar, loops
Kermit Driscoll - bass
Joey Baron - drums
Hank Roberts - cello