Fred Frith: The Process of Discovery

Fred Frith is a composer, guitarist, violinist, improviser, band leader, educator, and an influential innovator across musical genres. He has formed or collaborated in bands and ensembles including Henry Cow, Art Bears, Massacre, Skeleton Crew, John Zorn’s Naked City, Cosa Brava, and Keep The Dog. He has also worked extensively in scoring for film, dance, and theater and was a professor at Mills College from 1997-2018. In this edition Frith discusses his guitar techniques and philosophy of improvisation illustrated with excerpts from memorable appearances at Roulette such as his 1988 duo with bassist Joëlle Léandre, solos and collaborations with Danish saxophonist Lotte Anker and instrument builder Sudhu Tewari from 2024, and a 2013 ensemble presentation of his seminal 1980 album, Gravity. He appears on over 600 recordings.