The Letters Edit Just Bill

The Letters Edit Just Bill

There’s a Guitar Craft saying that goes ‘the work of one supports the work of all.’

In the cut and thrust of live performance, it’s perfectly possible to have one’s attention pulled in many different directions and therefore miss out on some of the subtleties that fly by.

In a piece like The Letters, where silence plays a key role in the drama, Bill’s fairy dusting was clearly evident at the start of the song.

However, during the melee of the blowing section, his delicate additions to mood and colour could be overlooked. Cynics can say that what he’s playing ‘doesn’t matter’ or that it ‘isn’t important.’ But King Crimson never was a place for cynicism and this isolated track, with its haunting, understated bittersweet beauty, easily demonstrates the elegant truth that lies at the heart of that aphorism.

AUDIO SOURCE: Multi-Track Tapes

DGM AUDIO QUALITY

AVERAGE CUSTOMER RATING

TRACK
TIME
01
The Letters Edit Just Bill
04:04

PURCHASE
DOWNLOAD
Written by Brian Wilson
Farewell, Bill
I had the opportunity to meet Mr Rieflin only once after a Crafty Guitarists event in 2014. This was a few weeks after the incredible Humans/Slow Music shows at the Triple Door (and a few months before witnessing the 7-headed Krim for the first time in October of that year). He was kind enough to take a moment acknowledging my praise, and my comparisons of his recent work with the Slow Music show back in 2006. I felt bad as I had pulled him away from another group of friends and well-wishers, but he was generous with his time and thoughts. He seemed to have a sharp wit and insight that suggested a unique lifeview. Thank you, Bill, for your contributions to music in so many forms. Fly well as you take wing from this world.
Written by Jure Humar
The richness of Bill Rieflin
There are no words to describe this simple, yet amazingly powerful track. It goes to show what an important part Bill has been to King Crimson. Ethereal, melancholic, surreal, dreamy, are the first four words that come to mind when listening to this isolated track. Thank you Bill, for all you have done for King Crimson. It's because of isolated tracks such as this, that make me a fan of King Crimson. It's music fills me like that of no other artist. It satisfies my almost every need when it comes to music, and that is thanks to the artists that put their hearts and souls to it. Even though Bill was with the band for a relatively "short time" (time is relative), his presence was absolutely essential. To have solid proof of this, one needs only to listen to this simple, yet unspeakably majestic isolated track. Again, thank you Bill.
Written by Roderich von Detten
remarkable musicianship and learning opportunity
one of the most impressive dgm-downloads so far, imho : not only an opportunity to understand what "fairy dusting" means (as mr quiroga gomez pointed out above), but also what remarkable musicianship means: the use of space & silence, timing, the unexpected use of harmonics & tone colours, subtlety, "admirable restraint" ... - everybody who is familiar with "the letters", silently complementing the tune in his/her head while listening to mr rieflin's dusting, can notice the effect. thank you very much!
Written by Bernardo Quiroga Gomez
Irreplaceable Billness: Fairy dusting at its finest
Only with this beautiful piece, I was finally able to understand in full what the concept of "fairy dusting" really meant when Robert referred to Bill's keyboard contributions to Jeremy-Stacey-era Crimson. Here, we truly can listen to Bill dusting magic on the piece. Ethereal, but also very concrete and real. As I commented to my friends: Bill is the gift that keeps on giving. The more one listens, the more one finds, and the more solace one feels. Thank you, WillyFred II, Prince of fairy dusters. <3

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