Bill Frisell - The Sweetest Punch (1999)

The recent rainy weather has put me in the mood to listen to this CD. It features instrumental versions of the songs written by Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello for their 1998 CD, Painted From Memory. Bacharach's songwriting ability can't be questioned, so all the material here is strong as are Frisell's arrangements. The track order is different on the 2 CDs, but both sequences serve the material well. The two releases were worked on simultaneously. From Frisell's liner notes: "This recording was done in New York while Burt and Elvis were working in Los Angeles on Painted From Memory. None of us heard what the others were doing until we all finished." Amazing. While it is human nature to compare the two releases, I enjoy them both on their own terms - there's no need for me to declare one better than the other.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "one of the most unique and adventurous collaborative projects in recent years"
• Entertainment Weekly: "Frisell turns an intriguing concept into a lovely and mostly instrumental project."
• JazzTimes: "This is brainy music, on some levels, but always with beauty in mind, which makes the like-minded closet romantic Frisell a perfect match."

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Peak on Billboard Jazz Album chart: #15

Tracks: I like most cuts, but the standouts for me are The Sweetest Punch & Such Unlikely Lovers. Vocals are added by Elvis Costello on Toledo, by Cassandra Wilson on Painted From Memory (not my favorite track); the two duet on I Still Have That Other Girl. There's one original piece on here titled Vamp Dolce, which is an interesting piece that weaves thematic material from other songs on the CD into an original work (it's no Bacharach piece, though).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I remember letting my friend James borrow my Painted From Memory CD because his wife was a big Elvis Costello fan. However, I forced this CD on him as well, telling him that he'd probably enjoy these versions as well. I think he ended up buying copies of both CDs for himself.