(1949-02-17) 17 February 1949 (age 75) Heathfield, Sussex, England[1]
Genres
Avant-rock
experimental
free improvisation
contemporary classical
Occupation(s)
Musician
composer
educator
Instrument(s)
Guitar
bass guitar
violin
keyboards
Years active
1968–present
Labels
Caroline
Moers
Ralph
RecRec
Recommended
Fred
Tzadik
Winter & Winter
Intakt
Website
fredfrith.com
Musical artist
Frith at the Moers Festival, 2010
Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949)[1][2][3] is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser.
Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. He was also a member of the groups Art Bears, Massacre, and Skeleton Crew. He has collaborated with a number of prominent musicians, including Robert Wyatt, Derek Bailey, the Residents, Lol Coxhill, John Zorn, Brian Eno, Mike Patton, Lars Hollmer, Bill Laswell, Iva Bittová, Jad Fair, Kramer, the ARTE Quartett, and Bob Ostertag. He has also composed several long works, including Traffic Continues (1996, performed 1998 by Frith and Ensemble Modern) and Freedom in Fragments (1993, performed 1999 by Rova Saxophone Quartet). Frith produces most of his own music, and has also produced many albums by other musicians, including Curlew, the Muffins, Etron Fou Leloublan, and Orthotonics.
He is the subject of Nicolas Humbert and Werner Penzel's 1990 documentary Step Across the Border. Frith also appears in the Canadian documentary Act of God, which is about the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning. He has contributed to a number of music publications, including New Musical Express and Trouser Press, and has conducted improvising workshops across the world. His career spans over four decades and he appears on over 400 albums, and he still performs actively throughout the world.[4]
Frith was awarded the 2008 Demetrio Stratos Prize for his career achievements in experimental music. The prize was established in 2005 in honour of experimental vocalist Demetrio Stratos, of the Italian group Area, who died in 1979.[5][6][7] In 2010 Frith received an honorary doctorate from the University of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England, in recognition of his contribution to music.[8] Frith was Professor of Composition in the Music Department at Mills College in Oakland, California, until his retirement in 2018. He is the brother of Simon Frith, a music critic and sociologist, and Chris Frith, a psychologist at University College London.
^ abCite error: The named reference Larkin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Piekut 2019, p. 33.
^Rizzi, Cesare (1998). Enciclopedia della musica rock: 1970–1979 (in Italian). Giunti Editore. p. 263. ISBN 978-88-09-21523-8.
^"Current concert schedule". FredFrith.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2006.
^"Fred Frith Biography". Mills Music Festival 2009. Oakland, CA: MILLS. 21 January 2009. Archived from the original (PHP) on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"THE MUSIC OF FRED FRITH" (PDF). Oakland, CA: MILLS. 21 January 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^Andrew Gilbert (12 December 2008). "Every which way". The Boston Globe. Boston, MA. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"The University of Huddersfield's 2010 Honorary Award recipients". The University of Huddersfield. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
"Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first...
FredFrith appears on over 400 recordings. This is a selection from bands he was/is a member of, collaborations with other bands and musicians, and his...
and common office supplies in playing the guitar. Another pioneer was FredFrith who in 1974 released a solo album called Guitar Solos. The album comprises...
Laswell, Sonny Sharrock, FredFrith, Derek Bailey, Charles K. Noyes & John Zorn, 1992) The Art of Memory (by John Zorn & FredFrith, 1994 - reissued in 1999)...
Gong/Mothergong. He has collaborated with many musicians and groups, including FredFrith, Lindsay Cooper, Zeena Parkins, Peter Blegvad, Telectu and The Residents...
founded at the University of Cambridge in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists FredFrith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade...
Distant Episode with Shrek (Sub Rosa/Subsonic 1994, split album with FredFrith) The Book of Heads (Tzadik, 1995) composed by John Zorn Don't Blame Me...
Stone, Barbès, and the Museum of Modern Art. FredFrith: Eye to Ear II – 2004, Tzadik Records (US) FredFrith: The Happy End Problem – December 2006 Various...
rock band format. Featuring Zorn (saxophone), Bill Frisell (guitars), FredFrith (bass), Wayne Horvitz (keyboards), Joey Baron (drums), and vocalist Yamatsuka...
(ICE), has worked occasionally on projects with Tom Waits, John Zorn, and FredFrith, and recorded numerous albums as a guest or session musician. Kihlstedt...
Germany had notably collaborated on the album, including Robert Wyatt, FredFrith, Phil Manzanera, Paul Rudolph, Andy Fraser, Dave Mattacks, Jaki Liebezeit...
Julie Delpy Cinematography Lee Daniel Edited by Sandra Adair Music by FredFrith Production company Castle Rock Entertainment Distributed by Columbia Pictures...
solo album of English guitarist, composer, and improviser FredFrith. It was recorded while Frith was still a member of the English experimental rock group...
since 1974, as well as for albums by other musicians including Gravity by FredFrith, Alice by Klimperei and Spanish Dance Troupe by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci...
Grammy Award in 1989, collaborates with English experimental musician FredFrith and others, and explains how she perceives sound. The film appeared at...
including former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Bela Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, FredFrith, Mark Knopfler, The King's Singers and Kodō.[citation needed] In 2012...
performed at improvising clubs and venues in New York with John Zorn, FredFrith, Andrea Centazzo, Butch Morris, Wayne Horvitz, David Moss, Toshinori Kondo...
Frith is a word derived from Old English meaning "peace; protection; safety, security, freedom, refuge". Derived from Old English friðu, friþ, it is cognate...
the first downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase Upbeat (album), by the FredFrith Guitar Quartet, 1999 Upbeat (TV program), an American musical show 1964–1971...
magazine about visual culture and design Prints (album), a 2002 album by FredFrith ThePrint, an Indian online newspaper PRINT, the DOS command providing...
Conjunto, recorded in Buenos Aires in 1972. Now composed by Sally Potter & FredFrith, sung by Sally Potter, recorded in Paris 1996. Quejas de bandoneón composed...
more avant-garde group of the same era, Massacre, featured the guitarist FredFrith and the bassist Bill Laswell. With some influence from the rapid-fire...
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