Richter 858 at the Vancouver Playhouse

Guitarist Bill Frisell’s recent Vancouver shows have trended toward the conservative side of the Seattle-based musician’s repertoire, focusing on pedal-steel–drenched Americana or the songs of John Lennon. But Richter 858, at the Vancouver Playhouse on Saturday (November 24), is something else altogether. Inspired by the bright, splashy, abstract canvases of German painter Gerhard Richter, Frisell penned some of the fiercest music of his career, then assembled an all-star “string quartet” to play it. Joining him will be violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank Roberts, all extremely accomplished players and bandleaders in their own right. This should be a concert to remember—and don’t forget to get there early for Frisell’s 7:15 p.m. artist’s talk.