Watch: The animated music video for Bill Frisell’s We Shall Overcome

Well-respected jazz guitarist Bill Frisell has released a new animated music video to accompany his rendition of We Shall Overcome, the gospel-turned-protest song which original lyrics derive the hymn I’ll Overcome Some Day written by Charles Albert Tindley. Take a look above.

In a statement, Frisell spoke of the protest tune We Shall Overcome, which has been a regular part of his repertoire. “I’ve been playing the song for years, and I’m going to keep playing it ’til there is no need anymore,” he said. “I can’t help but hope that day will come.”

The song’s accompanying music video was animated by Frisell’s own daughter, artist Monica Jane Frisell, who had previously designed the artwork of several of her father’s albums, including Have A Little Faith and East / West.

We Shall Overcome will serve as the album closer on Frisell’s forthcoming Valentine, released through Blue Note. The 13-track album will be the debut of Frisell’s trio, formed alongside bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. This first musical outing aims to explore the creative freedom of the trio format, as well as the musical relationship between the three veteran musicians.

Said Frisell on the trio’s dynamic: “The music is about everyone trusting each other to the point where everybody’s in the state of mind where you don’t know what’s going to happen next, and you feel safe enough to try anything. It’s like when you’re dreaming and you’re on the edge of a cliff, and you know on a certain level that it’s a dream, so you can just jump off. With this music, we could do that. All three of us could take big chances, and we’d always be rescued. It’s about the trust that makes risks possible.”

Valentine releases on 14 August. Learn more about it, here.

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