David Friesen brings technical mastery and deep intuition to his work on bass and piano, approaching performance with a spiritual orientation that incorporates contemporary jazz, folk, global traditions, and acoustic post-bop. Active throughout the Pacific Northwest from the late 1960s onward, he first drew notice through atmospheric and grounded recordings made with guitarist John Stowell during the 1970s, later appearing on notable sessions alongside Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Mal Waldron, Denny Zeitlin, and additional leading figures. Friesen maintains an exploratory approach, moving between trio recordings such as 2016’s Triple Exposure, duo projects such as 2017’s Bactrian, and solo performances documented on 2018’s My Faith, My Life.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1942, he was raised in Seattle and began with accordion and ukulele near the age of ten. During his teenage years he took up guitar and developed an interest in jazz after hearing Slim Gaillard at a neighborhood venue. Only after completing high school and entering the Army did he start on bass. While stationed first in Paris and then in Copenhagen, Friesen progressed rapidly and secured performances with Johnny Griffin, Art Taylor, Dick Berk, George Arvanitas, and others. Returning to the United States in 1964, he pursued further jazz work, playing with Randy Brecker, Larry Coryell, and Seattle-area pianist, vibraphonist, and vocalist Elmer Gill. After establishing himself in Portland in the early 1970s, he opened a coffeehouse and performed regularly, soon attracting wider attention that led to shared stages with Joe Henderson, Billy Harper, Stan Getz, Sam Rivers, Dexter Gordon, Mose Allison, and additional artists. He also spent several years in trumpeter Ted Curson’s ensemble, appearing with the group at the 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival.
Friesen made his debut as a leader with 1975’s Color Pool on Muse, which included Jerry Heldman on bamboo flute and David Coleman, Jr., on drums. The atmospheric release, marked by world-music influences, overdubbed bass lines, and reflective passages, established a direction that would recur across much of his later output. He subsequently collaborated with guitarist John Stowell on several acclaimed Inner City albums, among them 1976’s Star Dance, 1978’s Waterfall Rainbow, and 1979’s Other Mansions, highlighting the pair’s detailed fusion of classical and folk-inflected jazz. Throughout the 1970s he also contributed to recordings such as Curson’s Jubilant Power, Duke Jordan’s Duke’s Artistry, and Steve Kindler’s Across a Rainbow Sea.
Over subsequent decades Friesen sustained his hypnotic and reflective jazz approach, issuing albums including 1980’s Paths Beyond Tracing, 1983’s Voices with Joe Henderson and Chick Corea, and 1985’s Dedication with pianist Mal Waldron. His contemplative 1990 release Departure included appearances by Flora Purim and Airto Moreira. He next issued three more direct albums, beginning with 1994’s Two for the Show, recorded in duets with Denny Zeitlin, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, and others, followed by 1994’s Three to Get Ready with Clark Terry and Bud Shank, and 1995’s Four to Go, a quartet session featuring tenor saxophonist John Gross, flügelhorn player Gary Barone, and drummer Alan Jones. He then returned to a more spiritual, contemporary-oriented sound for 1997’s Still Waters, 1998’s Ancient Kings, and 1999’s Castles and Flags, all issued on the Shamrock label.
In 2000 Friesen recorded Made in Berlin with guitarist Uwe Kropinski, and a year later released With You in Mind alongside pianist Gary Versace. Another duo effort, Grace, with pianist Jeff Gardner, appeared in 2002. He alternated trio recordings such as 2004’s Midnight Mood: Live in Stockholm and 2006’s Connection with further projects involving Kropinski, including 2006’s Made in Istanbul and 2008’s Made with Friends. Later he worked with pianist Greg Goebel and drummer Charlie Doggett on introspective albums such as 2012’s Brilliant Heart, 2015’s Bactrian, and 2016’s Triple Exposure. In 2017 he issued Structures on Origin Records and the trio date Another Time Another Place with guitarist Dixon Nacey and drummer Reuben Bradley. The following year he released the solo piano and bass album My Faith, My Life, then rejoined his Circle 3 Trio for 2019’s Interaction.
