On his album devoted to the songs of John Lennon, "All We Are Saying,... " Seattle-based guitarist Bill Frisell really gets the heartbreaking tenderness and pain of the family songs ("Julia," "Mother," "Beautiful Boy") and Lennon's yearning for a better world ("Give Peace a Chance," "Imagine").

The gifted guitarist performs these and more with Tony Scherr (bass), Greg Leisz (steel guitars) and Kenny Wollesen (drums) at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 7:30 p.m. June 17 at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle; $26.50 (206-441-9729 or www.jazzalley.com).

Paul de Barros, Seattle Times jazz critic