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Theoretically

1984 studio album by Tim Berne & Bill Frisell

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Source updated May 31, 2025
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Theoretically is an album by alto saxophonist Tim Berne and electric guitarist Bill Frisell, released on the Empire label in 1984, and again on Minor Music in 1986 with a bonus track recorded at the original sessions. The original features three compositions by Berne, two by Frisell, and one joint composition; the bonus track on the 1986 edition is a composition by Berne.

01Reception

The AllMusic review by Daniel Gioffre stated: "The overall feel of this record puts it almost into ambient territory, as Frisell's volume swells and Berne's upper register squeals blend into a single fabric of weighty yet spacious sound. It is a place where melody emerges almost as a surprise from a strangely menacing backdrop of pure atmosphere... It all works, no doubt about it, but there is room to question the quality of the source material. Overall, this is a good, if not particularly great, album from two musicians at the top of their game."

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic

02Track listing

Original Release

  1. "M" (Frisell, Berne), 6:04
  2. "Inside the Brain" (Berne), 8:30
  3. "Preview" (Berne), 4:06
  4. "Caroline" (Frisell), 3:32
  5. "2011" (Berne), 16:17
  6. "Perky Figure" (Frisell), 2:42

1986 Reissue

  1. "M" (Frisell, Berne), 6:04
  2. "Inside the Brain" (Berne), 8:30
  3. "Preview" (Berne), 4:06
  4. "Caroline" (Frisell), 3:32
  5. "Ground Floor" (Berne), 7:37
  6. "2011" (Berne), 16:17
  7. "Perky Figure" (Frisell), 2:42

03Personnel

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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Theoretically”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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