Don Friedman Appreciation Thread

[Joe]

Been listening again, and quite a bit, to Friedman's rather remarkable (IMO) 60s recordings: all the Riversides through the lone Prestige date (METAMORPHOSIS) and the collaborations with Giuffre and A. Zoller.

Quite a journey; quite an arc (if the LPs made a movie).

It seems to me that Friedman embraced "freedom" like no other pianist of his time. I wish I had the technical musical know-how (and vocabulary) to describe what I mean. But what I *think* is that Friedman is ultimately really Evans-like (the pianist to whom he is most frequently compared... though isn't that true of most Caucasian pianists who show even the slightest lyrical tendency?) by virtue of his grounding in Tristano, and that, as the decade progresses, there's more and more Coltrane in his approach -- I keep coming back to his rendition of "I Hear a Rhapsody", from CIRCLE WALTZ -- though in a Larry Young rather than McCoy Tyner kind of way. But there's much else there to hear as well.

And he's still playing at a high, high level. Witness this recent recording, a reunion of the trio with Chuck Israels and Joe Hunt that recorded his DAY IN THE CITY suite nearly 50 years previous (!)

http://www.cdbaby.co...donfriedmantrio

If you don't know his work, more info can be found here: http://www.donfriedman.net/

And, if you do, please share your thoughts, reflections, stories, etc.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Joe

[brownie]

Oh yesss;;; an appreciation thread for this superb pianist was long overdue!

Great fan of him! One of those pianists who grow better by the years. Some favorite albums include his Maybeck Recital on Concord and the outstanding 'From A to Z' from the Piano Works series on ACT.

A 1957 of him (yes he is on piano at left!) with Ben Tucker, Billy Higgins, Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman (Wally Lightbody image)

[John Tapscott]

I have several Don Friedman CD's. I think this is my favorite.

I notice a seller is asking nearly $600 for a used CD on Amazon marketplace. It's good, but not that good. I'll sell mine for a couple hundred less.

[kh1958]

I was lucky to see him live a few years ago in a trio; it was a very excellent set.

[JSngry]

That Prestige side is an unsung gem.

[Joe]

A 1957 of him (yes he is on piano at left!) with Ben Tucker, Billy Higgins, Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman (Wally Lightbody image)

WOW! Thanks!

I have several Don Friedman CD's. I think this is my favorite.

I notice a seller is asking nearly $600 for a used CD on Amazon marketplace. It's good, but not that good. I'll sell mine for a couple hundred less.

Not familiar with that one... looks excellent!

That Prestige side is an unsung gem.

Indeed. Joe Chambers, Richard Davis and Attila Zoller complete the quartet. Any fans of the HAAG BNs should know this recording.

[Clunky]

I think I've seen him live just once. He appeared here in Edinburgh with Clark Terry's band some time in the early nineties. Must see if I can find my negs as I took a number of B&W shots.. Of his recorded output I think I'd rate his various appearances with Lee Konitz.

[Joe]

Rare, rare, rare, but Zoller's HORIZON BEYOND is worth tracking down (especially for fans of METAMORPHOSIS).

http://www.discogs.com/Attila-Zoller-Quartet-The-Horizon-Beyond/release/2206202

Agreed re: Friedman and Konitz. I'm particularly find on their interplay on this one:

THINGIN' (Hat)

[Ted O'Reilly]

I have several Don Friedman CD's. I think this is my favorite.

I notice a seller is asking nearly $600 for a used CD on Amazon marketplace. It's good, but not that good. I'll sell mine for a couple hundred less.

Geez, I recorded that, more than 20 years ago! Two concerts in two cities, two consecutive evenings... Both great performances. (I wonder how much eBay would value the master tapes?) I have lots of solo Friedman from Toronto gigs, too. He's an under-recognized artist, comfortable in any setting, modest and easy to deal with.

And what a great musician Don Thompson is. Think of the marvelous players he's worked with: Jim Hall, Paul Desmond, Rob McConnell, George Shearing, Moe Koffman, Ed Bickert, John Handy, Jay McShann, Ruby Braff....on and on. As close to a jazz genius as I've ever known. Pianist, bassist, vibist, occasional drummer. Composer, arranger, producer, recording engineer, teacher... Amazing!

[Peter Friedman]

Don Friedman has made a lot of good recordings. The 3 below are among my favorites.

Prism (trio) - ABeat

Circle Waltz : Then And Now (trio) - BRC

Waltz For Marilyn (quartet with Peter Bernstein) - Jazz Excursion

[Simon8]

Thanks for reminding me about Don Friedman ! Listening to his trios yesterday (Circle Waltz & Flashback in particular) made me think of Wolfgang Dauner's "Dream Talk"... who in turn reminded me of Bill Evans & Paul Bley... and now I see that Friedman, like Bley, played with both Ornette and Giuffre around the same time... Another interesting link between the two pianists is Pete LaRoca, who recorded Circle Waltz with Friedman in May '62, then parts of Footloose! with Bley in August of the same year.

But enough about influence and/or coincidence, Friedman is his own man. Love his touch and his way of tackling standards (" I Hear a Rhapsody" is a great interpretation indeed).

[Joe]

[Utevsky]

Friedman is an excellent player who deserves far more attention than he receives. I had the good fortune to hear him in New York a few years ago. Sheer brilliance!

[Joe]

Thanks for reminding me about Don Friedman ! Listening to his trios yesterday (Circle Waltz & Flashback in particular) made me think of Wolfgang Dauner's "Dream Talk"... who in turn reminded me of Bill Evans & Paul Bley... and now I see that Friedman, like Bley, played with both Ornette and Giuffre around the same time... Another interesting link between the two pianists is Pete LaRoca, who recorded Circle Waltz with Friedman in May '62, then parts of Footloose! with Bley in August of the same year.

But enough about influence and/or coincidence, Friedman is his own man. Love his touch and his way of tackling standards (" I Hear a Rhapsody" is a great interpretation indeed).

Walter Norris should also be part of this conversation, I feel, not just because of the Coleman connection, and because both players started their careers on the West Coast, or for their propensity to work closely with guitarists (Hal Gaylor in Norris' case) but also / more so in how both pianists, when they do venture "outward", do so from a similar position of technical accomplishment. They aren't dissimilar in touch, either.

[king ubu]

Love Friedman's touch and sound - very lyrical yet somehow still probing, disclosing an exploring mind.

Not that fond of his early trios (I remember them as having a bit much of Bill Evans' influence? I might be wrong and he was already having his own thing going on?), but the albums with Zoller are indeed mighty fine!

"Horizon's Beyond" btw is out on CD, it was reissued by Act and there are a few copies floating around:

http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0000252WF/

The solo one on Act that brownie mentions - it's dedicated to Attila Zoller (From A to Z) - is indeed wonderful!

[Joe]

Love Friedman's touch and sound - very lyrical yet somehow still probing, disclosing an exploring mind.

Not that fond of his early trios (I remember them as having a bit much of Bill Evans' influence? I might be wrong and he was already having his own thing going on?), but the albums with Zoller are indeed mighty fine!

"Horizon's Beyond" btw is out on CD, it was reissued by Act and there are a few copies floating around:

http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0000252WF/

The solo one on Act that brownie mentions - it's dedicated to Attila Zoller (From A to Z) - is indeed wonderful!

Good to know HORIZON BEYOND is more readily available than I thought.

And I third the recommendation for FROM A TO Z.

As to the Evans connection... I wonder how much of that is attributable to the common influence / factor of Scott LaFaro. IIRC, Friedman's association with the bassist predates Evans, i.e., goes back to a time when both men were working on the West Coast.

Some of the earliest Friedman on record can be heard on Buddy Collette's A NICE DAY from 1957.