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A remarkable bassist, David Friesen has long created music that cannot be easily classified. While containing the improvisation of jazz, Friesen's music has themes that could easily fit into both classical and folk music. Blue notes are largely avoided as is standard swinging, yet the music does swing in its own way. The results are thoughtful, impressionistic, a bit cinematic, and quite intriguing.
Dave Friesen did not actually focus exclusively on the string bass until he was 22 since he was originally a guitarist, but he made up for lost time by practicing for ten hours a day. While he has since worked with the likes of Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, Sam Rivers and Dexter Gordon to name a few, his most important contributions to jazz can be heard when he performs his own music.
On Waterfall Rainbow, recorded in 1977, Friesent is joined on various selections by classical guitarist Ralph Towner, electric guitarist John Stowell, Paul McCandless on oboe, English horn and bass clarinet, Nick Brignola on flute, drummer Bobby Moses and percussionist Jim Saporito. The personnel changes from track to track.
Ralph Towner and Paul McCandless are founders of Oregon, the folk/jazz quartet that they have performed with since 1970. Towner's beautiful playing on the classical and 12-string guitars blend perfectly with Friesen on this CD, particularly on “Song Of Switzerland.” McCandless, who has mastered a wide variety of wind instruments that are not immediately associated with jazz, is a wonder. His playing adds a great deal to the atmosphere of Waterfall Rainbow. John Stowell, who is equally skilled on electric and acoustic guitars, has been working with Friesen fairly regularly ever since 1976, often as a duo. The late Nick Brignola, who was best known as a powerful baritone-saxophonist, plays a very effective and hard-driving flute solo on “Waterfall Rainbow.” Bob Moses and Jim Saporito add taste, color and quiet rhythms to some of the selections.
Review
"But the main star is David Friesen. His huge tone, virtuosity, and endless stream of creative ideas make him one of the few bassists who can hold onto everyone's attention while playing an unaccompanied (or overdubbed) bass piece; there are four on this set. In his music and his playing, one can hear the serenity and occasional rumblings of Mother Nature herself. :-Scott Yanow
"Bassist David Friesen always creates stimulating music that is impossible to classify, an original idiom that is impressionistic, a bit cinematic, and sometimes as close to classical and folk music as to jazz. Waterfall Rainbow, recorded in 1977, has Friesen joined by such open-minded and versatile musicians as acoustic guitarist Ralph Towner, electric guitarist John Stowell, Paul McCandless on oboe, English horn and bass clarinet, Nick Brignola on flute, drummer Bobby Moses and percussionist Jim Saporito. The musicians perform in a variety of combinations and there are four pieces performed solely by Friesen. The colorful and subtle music always holds one’s interest, making this one of the highpoints of David Friesen’s career." -Scott Yanow
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