Harold Ashby Quartet - Harold Ashby Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:34
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Candy
(4:26)  2. Quickie
(5:02)  3. There Is No Greater Love
(3:59)  4. Dainty
(5:08)  5. Over the Rainbow
(4:31)  6. Pleading
(4:00)  7. Days of Wine and Roses
(3:49)  8. Cous Cous
(5:00)  9. There Is No Greater Love - Alt-Take 9
(4:04) 10. Days of Wine and Roses - Alt-Take 3
(6:19) 11. Pleading - Alt-Take 1
(3:47) 12. Dainty - Alt-Take 1

An excellent Ben Webster-inspired tenor saxophonist, Harold Ashby fit right in during his period with Duke Ellington. He had played in Kansas City (starting in 1946) and, in the early '50s, in Chicago. While most of his previous work was in R&B and blues bands, he was always a fine swing-based improviser. In 1957, Ashby moved to New York, met Ben Webster, and through the elder tenor was introduced to Duke Ellington. During the next decade he was on the periphery of Duke's world, playing with Mercer Ellington's short-lived band, recording with Ellington stars, and appearing in Duke's My People show. Ashby was more than ready when he joined Ellington in 1968, and he was a major asset to the band up until the leader's death. Ashby continued with Mercer Ellington into 1975, gigged with Benny Goodman and Sy Oliver, and performed often in Europe and led occasional record dates, including 1991's What Am I Here For? and 1999's Just For You, thus keeping the Ellington swing tenor legacy alive. After suffering a heart attack in May of 2003, Harold Ashby was hospitalized in his adopted home of New York. He passed away June 13, 2003 at the age of 78. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/harold-ashby-mn0000667414/biography

Personnel: Harold Ashby (ts); Don Friedman (p); George Mraz (b); Ronnie Bedford (d)

Harold Ashby Quartet

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Lew Tabackin - Dual Nature

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:30)  1. Euterpe
(5:53)  2. Yellow Is Mellow
(9:44)  3. Out Of This World
(9:28)  4. No Dues Blues
(6:56)  5. My Ideal
(5:50)  6. Russian Lullaby

The dual nature of Lew Tabackin as an otherworldly flutist and straight-ahead post-bop tenor saxophonist does merge into a common ground that can be simply spelled out as brilliant. Transcending his influences while also remaining true to them, Tabackin devotes three tracks apiece to his main instruments, alternating originals and standards with an outstanding quartet featuring the equally extraordinary pianist Don Friedman, reliable drummer Shelly Manne, and his favored bassist, Bob Daugherty. Hardly a split personality, it's more two sides of a coin in theory, as any jazz musician as extraordinary as Tabackin must explore his inner and outer soul. The flute side of his persona is more pronounced, exotic, atmospheric, and tinged with vibrato-drenched Asian flourishes. The impressionist Greek-based theme of pianist Bill Mays' "Euterpe" (goddess of music and poetry) sets the tone for this multicultural stance, a statuesque, somewhat busy, Rodin-type mysterious bronzed melody suggesting more than it states. Wife Toshiko Akiyoshi's big-band chart "Yellow Is Mellow" strips away the horns, leaving Tabackin's flute to muse lightheartedly in an easy swinging mood. Then "Out of This World" ramps up into a furious bop with some unusual off-minor vamps from Daugherty, with harmonies quickly sweetened over nearly ten minutes. The tenor side of Tabackin is easily identifiable on his original "No Dues Blues," a showstopping hard bopper with the influence of Sonny Rollins as the focal point, starting with a drum/sax duet, then rambling on. The ballad "My Ideal" offers ultimate tenderness, as Tabackin expresses the lineage between Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and especially Lester Young. Again like Rollins, Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" has that "Airegin" swagger of Rollins down pat fluid, warm, and effusive hard bop at its best. There's no need to overemphasize the impressive qualities Tabackin and his band possess, as it's all here for appreciative listeners to enjoy on this marvelous recording that has been issued on CD by Inner City one of two excellent efforts from this time period. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/dual-nature-mw0000875878

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Alto Flute – Lew Tabackin; Bass – Bob Daugherty; Drums, Bells, Waterphone – Shelly Manne; Piano – Don Friedman

Dual Nature

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Don Friedman Trio - The Days Of Wine And Roses

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:50
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Days Of Wine And Roses
(6:23)  2. Hi Low Fast Low Hi
(9:26)  3. Body And Soul
(7:09)  4. I Don't Know Yet
(6:29)  5. You Got To My Head
(7:40)  6. Free At Last
(6:33)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(9:48)  8. New Dawn
(7:02)  9. It Could Happen To You

One of the most difficult things about being a jazz musician is learning to accept the the sheer arbitrariness of fame (there is no fortune in jazz). Why is one player enormously famous and another obscure, when to the naked ear they sound equally as compelling? That's a subject for another day, but it's the first thing one may think of when picking up an album by a lesser-known yet enormously talented musician like Don Friedman. Friedman is a tremendously versatile and creative jazz pianist. Few jazz musicians of any stripe are as conversant with both the bop vocabulary and free music techniques. Friedman is utterly convincing in both genres. On this, Friedman and his rhythm section play standards and free improvisations on alternate tracks. The styles are markedly different: The standards swing gently if insistently within the framework of the tunes; the free improvs surge and subside, going in and out of time and touching on tonalities at random. The high degree of invention and sophistication of the players ties the tracks together. Friedman is a powerful pianist with the creamiest of touches; although he's as percussive as he needs to be, at times it seems as if there's a pillow underneath each key. And while he plays it straight on the standards, Friedman possesses a rhythmic elasticity on these tunes that could remind a younger jazz listener of Keith Jarrett. Friedman's free playing is considerably more elegant and polished than that of many full-time avant-garde pianists, but no less creative. The rhythm section and Friedman had never played together before this date; it says something about the nature of improvised music that the music suffers not a whit. In the hands of players as sensitive and gifted as these, a first encounter is just another opportunity for discovery. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-days-of-wine-and-roses-mw0000022303

Personnel:  Don Friedman ( Piano ); Giampiero Prina ( Drums ); Marco Ricci (Bass).

The Days Of Wine And Roses

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Booker Little - Out Front

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:03
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. We Speak
(6:17)  2. Strength And Sanity
(8:10)  3. Quiet Please
(5:44)  4. Moods In Free Time
(4:51)  5. Man Of Words
(6:41)  6. Hazy Blues
(5:31)  7. A New Day

Booker Little was the first trumpet soloist to emerge in jazz after the death of Clifford Brown to have his own sound. His tragically brief life (he died at age 23 later in 1961) cut short what would have certainly been a major career. Little, on this sextet date with multi-reedist Eric Dolphy, trombonist Julian Priester, and drummer Max Roach, shows that his playing was really beyond bebop. His seven now-obscure originals (several of which deserve to be revived) are challenging for the soloists and there are many strong moments during these consistently challenging and satisfying performances. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/out-front-mw0000197893

Personnel: Booker Little - trumpet; Julian Priester - trombone; Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute; Don Friedman - piano; Art Davis (tracks 1, 3 & 7), Ron Carter (tracks 2 & 4-6) - bass; Max Roach - drums, timpani, vibraphone

Out Front

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Lee Konitz, Don Friedman - Lee Konitz Meets Don Friedman

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:54
Size: 165,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:53)  1. Alone Together
(10:11)  2. In Your Own Sweet Way
( 7:45)  3. Huntington Street
( 9:41)  4. Opus D'amour
( 7:52)  5. It's You
( 8:28)  6. My Old Flame
( 8:57)  7. Almost Everything
( 7:04)  8. Lew 'N' Shu

Lee Konitz is one of a few alto saxophonists in jazz who avoided succumbing to copying Charlie Parker's approach, instead developing a dry, very lyrical style and an adventurous spirit in his musical instruments that rivals almost any other instrumentalist of his era. Matching him with the superb pianist Don Friedman was an inspired decision, as the two men soar in their musical explorations together, along with bassist Tsutomu Okada and drummer Jeff Williams. Their reworking of Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" finds them moving further away from its famous theme (compared to its composer's performances) in a lengthy, but never dull interpretation. Konitz plays soprano sax on several tracks, including the drummer's driving "Huntington Street" and the leader's tricky "Lew 'N' Shu." Beautifully recorded in front of a respectful audience, this Japanese release is worth acquiring. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/lee-konitz-meets-don-friedman-mw0000912707

Personnel:  Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz; Bass – Tsutomu Okada; Drums – Jeff Williams; Piano – Don Friedman

Lee Konitz Meets Don Friedman

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Herbie Mann - Our Mann Flute

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:47
Size: 75,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:34)  1. Scratch
(2:28)  2. Philly Dog
(2:09)  3. Happy Brass
(2:51)  4. Good Lovin'
(5:07)  5. Theme from "This Is My Beloved"
(2:15)  6. Frere Jacques
(2:44)  7. Our Mann Flint
(2:22)  8. Fiddler on the Roof
(2:17)  9. Theme from "Malamondo"
(2:34) 10. Down by the Riverside
(2:58) 11. Monday, Monday
(2:22) 12. Skip to My Lou

Herbie Mann played a wide variety of music throughout his career. He became quite popular in the 1960s, but in the '70s became so immersed in pop and various types of world music that he seemed lost to jazz. However, Mann never lost his ability to improvise creatively as his later recordings attest. Herbie Mann began on clarinet when he was nine but was soon also playing flute and tenor. After serving in the Army, he was with Mat Mathews' Quintet (1953-1954) and then started working and recording as a leader. During 1954-1958 Mann stuck mostly to playing bop, sometimes collaborating with such players as Phil Woods, Buddy Collette, Sam Most, Bobby Jaspar, and Charlie Rouse. He doubled on cool-toned tenor and was one of the few jazz musicians in the '50s who recorded on bass clarinet; he also recorded a full album in 1957 (for Savoy) of unaccompanied flute. After spending time playing and writing music for television, Mann formed his Afro-Jazz Sextet, in 1959, a group using several percussionists, vibes (either Johnny Rae, Hagood Hardy, or Dave Pike) and the leader's flute. He toured Africa (1960) and Brazil (1961), had a hit with "Comin' Home Baby," and recorded with Bill Evans. The most popular jazz flutist during the era, Mann explored bossa nova (even recording in Brazil in 1962), incorporated music from many cultures (plus current pop tunes) into his repertoire, and had among his sidemen such top young musicians as Willie Bobo, Chick Corea (1965), Attila Zoller, and Roy Ayers; at the 1972 Newport Festival his sextet included David Newman and Sonny Sharrock. By then Mann had been a producer at Embroyo (a subsidiary of Atlantic) for three years and was frequently stretching his music outside of jazz. As the '70s advanced, Mann became much more involved in rock, pop, reggae, and even disco. After leaving Atlantic at the end of the '70s, Mann had his own label for awhile and gradually came back to jazz. He recorded for Chesky, made a record with Dave Valentin, and in the '90s founded the Kokopelli label on which before breaking away in 1996, he was free to pursue his wide range of musical interests. Through the years, he recorded as a leader for Bethlehem, Prestige, Epic, Riverside, Savoy, Mode, New Jazz, Chesky, Kokopelli, and most significantly Atlantic. He passed away on July 1, 2003, following an extended battle with prostate cancer. His last record was 2004's posthumously released Beyond Brooklyn for Telarc. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/our-mann-flute/76152839

Personnel:  Herbie Mann - flute, alto flute, arranger, conductor, writer;  Leo Ball, Doc Cheatham, Al DeRisi, Jerome Kail, Marky Markowitz, Joe Newman, Jimmy Owens, Ernie Royal, Ziggy Schatz, Clark Terry, Snooky Young - trumpet;  Bob Alexander, Quentin Jackson, Jimmy Knepper, Joe Orange, Santo Russo, Chauncey Welsch - trombone;  Tony Studd - bass trombone;  Jerry Dodgion - flute, clarinet, alto saxophone;  Richie Kamuca - clarinet, tenor saxophone;  King Curtis - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone;  Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone;  Dave Pike, Johnny Rae - vibraphone;  Don Friedman, Jimmy Wisner - piano;  Al Gorgoni, Mundell Lowe, Charles Macey, Attila Zoller - guitar;  Milt Hinton, Jack Six, Knobby Totah, Reggie Workman - bass;  Joe Mack - electric bass;  Bruno Carr, Rudy Collins, Bernard Purdie, Bobby Thomas - drums;  Willie Bobo, Gary Chester - timbales, percussion;  Ray Barretto, Warren Smith, Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas;  Ray Mantilla - bongos;  Michael Olatunji - percussion, vocals;  George Devens - percussion;  Maya Angela, Dolores Parker - vocals;  Anthony Bambino, Hinda Barnett, Emanuel Green, Harry Katzman, Leo Kruczek, Gene Orloff, Paul Winter - violin;  Charles McCracken, Kermit Moore - cello;  Arif Mardin, Oliver Nelson, Richard Wess, Jimmy Wisner - arranger, conductor

Our Mann Flute

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Don Friedman Trio - Flashback

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 93.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1963/1997
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Alone Together
[6:26] 2. Ballade In C-Sharp Minor
[4:18] 3. Wait 'til You See Her
[5:02] 4. News Blues
[5:48] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
[7:48] 6. Ochre
[6:58] 7. Flashback

Pianist Don Friedman's debt to Bill Evans was obvious in the early '60s, particularly on standards, but he also had his own creative spirit to offer. This 1997 CD reissue brings out Friedman's third of four Riverside dates, teaming him with the obscure bassist Dick Kniss and drummer Dick Berk. The pianist shows that he was developing an original voice and was familiar with the avant-garde of the period on such originals as "Ohcre" and "Flashback." In contrast, he swings conventionally but with subtle creativity on "Alone Together," "News Blues" and "How Deep Is the Ocean." A fine, well-rounded set from the underrated pianist. ~Scott Yanow

Flashback

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Joe Henderson - Tetragon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:01
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Invitation
(5:38)  2. R.J.
(8:39)  3. The Bead Game
(5:40)  4. Tetragon
(4:29)  5. Waltz for Zweetie
(5:15)  6. First Trip
(4:59)  7. I've Got You Under My Skin

Joe Henderson's second Milestone recording (which, as with all the others, is currently available on his massive "complete" eight-CD box set) features the great tenor with two separate rhythm sections: Kenny Barron or Don Friedman on piano, bassist Ron Carter and either Louis Hayes or Jack DeJohnette on drums. Highlights of this album include the title track, "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Invitation."~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/tetragon-mw0000177166

Personnel:  Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone;  Kenny Barron – piano;  Ron Carter – bass;  Louis Hayes – drums;  Don Friedman: piano;  Jack DeJohnette: drums

Tetragon

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Don Friedman Trio - Flashback

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 93.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1963/1997
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Alone Together
[6:26] 2. Ballade In C-Sharp Minor
[4:18] 3. Wait 'til You See Her
[5:02] 4. News Blues
[5:48] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
[7:48] 6. Ochre
[6:58] 7. Flashback

Pianist Don Friedman's debt to Bill Evans was obvious in the early '60s, particularly on standards, but he also had his own creative spirit to offer. This 1997 CD reissue brings out Friedman's third of four Riverside dates, teaming him with the obscure bassist Dick Kniss and drummer Dick Berk. The pianist shows that he was developing an original voice and was familiar with the avant-garde of the period on such originals as "Ohcre" and "Flashback." In contrast, he swings conventionally but with subtle creativity on "Alone Together," "News Blues" and "How Deep Is the Ocean." A fine, well-rounded set from the underrated pianist. ~Scott Yanow

Flashback

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The Don Friedman Trio - I'd Like To Tell You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:38
Size: 125.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[8:49] 1. Delayed Gratification
[4:33] 2. I'd Like To Tell You
[7:49] 3. Song For Abdullah
[4:47] 4. It Could Happen To You
[8:21] 5. Summer's End
[5:59] 6. You Go To My Head
[6:34] 7. Donsong
[7:42] 8. All Or Nothing At All

An excellent if underrated pianist, Don Friedman started off playing on the West Coast in 1956 with Dexter Gordon, Shorty Rogers, Buddy Collette, Buddy DeFranco (1956-1957), Chet Baker, and even the then-unknown altoist Ornette Coleman. After moving to New York in 1958, Friedman played in many settings, including with his own trio, Pepper Adams, Booker Little (recording with him in 1961), the Jimmy Giuffre Three (1964), a quartet with Attila Zoller, Chuck Wayne's trio (1966-1967), and, by the end of the decade, Clark Terry's big band. He continued working in New York as both a jazz educator and a pianist with wide musical interests, and was featured on Concord's Maybeck Recital Hall series (1993). Friedman also recorded for Riverside, Prestige, Progressive, Owl, Empathy, and several Japanese labels, and continued doing sessions in New York throughout the '90s and 2000s. Friedman died on June 30, 2016. He was 81 years old. ~bio by Scott Yanow

I'd Like To Tell You 

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Bruno De Filippi - In New York With Don Friedman Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 140.9 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:08] 1. Blue Skies
[6:17] 2. New Dawn
[6:31] 3. As Long As Therès Music
[5:01] 4. Rap Your Troubles In Drums
[5:46] 5. Soft Drink
[8:46] 6. Ma L'amore No
[6:24] 7. Stardust
[5:13] 8. It's You Or No One
[6:08] 9. Serenade In Blue
[5:14] 10. Nice Sky

Bruno De Filippi started playing guitar in the recordings of the most famous italian singers: Mina, Caterina Valente, Johnny Dorelli and Ornella Vanoni. During his forty-year career he also worked with the most important jazz musicians on the international scene (Louis Armstrong, Bud Shank, Lionel Hampton, Bill Russo, Gerry Mulligan, Astor Piazzolla, Barney Kessel, Lee Koonitz) and italians (Franco Cerri, Enrico Intra, Tullio De Piscopo, Guido Manusardi, Renato Sellani). During the seventies he started playing chromatic harmonica with Mina, Pino Daniele, Toquino, Rossana Casale, Caterina Valente, Gino Paoli. From 1986 onwards he recorded in his own name the albums Harmonica, Sweet Jazz From Italy, Portrait in black and white and Different moods, that has the special feature of containing the jazz suite "Metamorfosi", composed by Bruno for harmonica and string quartet. The CD Bruno De Filippi in New York with Don Friedman Trio (1992) shows the talent that Bruno developed with the chromatic harmonica. The partnership with the american pianist Don Friedman leads in 1994 to the album You and the night and the music and numerous concerts through Europe and the United States. Bruno De Filippi played in New York at the "Town Hall", "Birdland" and the prestigeous "Blue Note", considered the most important jazz club in the world, and also at "the Green Mill" in Chicago, "Pier House" in Key West (Florida) and a number of jazz circuits in Germany and Indonesia. Among the jazz festivals, his attendings at the "Jazz at the Tropics" in Miami, "Django Reinhardt Festival" in Fontainbleau (France) and "Jakarta Jazz 95" (Indonesia) are worthy of note. His cd YOU MY LOVE, dedicated to his wife Mimi, was recorded also in New York, on December 9 1997 with Don Friedman, Billy Hart and Jeff Fuller, on the "Giants of Jazz" label. "I Love Paris", a collection of famous French songs rearranged with jazz charm, was recorded in Paris with Pierre Michelot on bass, George Arvanitas on piano and Philippe Combelle on drums. "Senti che lune" sees De Filippi in company with the accordeonist Gianni Coscia; the theme of the record is the moon and therefore the cd includes songs such as "Moonlight Serenade" and "Guarda che Luna". His last efford, "Alone togheter", is a two-voice work with his long-time friend Don Friedman. Bruno De Filippi died January 17, 2010.

In New York With Don Friedman Trio

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Don Friedman - My Foolish Heart

Size: 131,3 MB
Time: 56:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Positivity (7:41)
02. My Foolish Heart (7:58)
03. Desafinado (6:40)
04. Memory Of Scotty (8:34)
05. Bye, Bye Blackbird (7:24)
06. Petite Fleur (6:21)
07. Swans (6:31)
08. Almost Everything (5:37)

Many modern jazz fans consider the 1960s as the creative apogee of the music. The abundance of top-flight musicians, coupled with a near continuous stream of boundary breaking innovations, made for a creatively explosive combination. The downside to this artistic boon was that many high caliber conceptualists got lost in the deluge.

A case could easily be made for counting Don Friedman among this number, as his early '60s albums for Riverside offered some of the most ingenious variations on the piano trio format of the era. Sadly, they were largely overshadowed by more overtly provocative offerings of artists like Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk and Dave Brubeck. Careful listening to Friedman’s early albums reveals that his relegation to the fringes was completely undeserved. Rather than compromise his creativity, he teamed up with guitarist Atilla Zoller and decided to go even further out. The decision ultimately didn’t help his career, but it did result in some of the most adventurous piano-driven jazz of the decade.

Over the years Friedman’s remained active, and while his fame hasn’t risen much beyond the niche community that is creative improvised music, he’s sustained a remarkably high standard of quality in his music. Uniting with a crew of younger players for this latest outing, Friedman’s form sounds undiminished by nearly five decades in the jazz life. The quartet balances four originals with four thoughtfully chosen standards making for a program ripe with both the fresh and familiar. Levy’s “Positivity” gorgeously reflects the sentiment of its title in musical terms. Ferguson has an early shot at the spotlight and his strings practically sing in the crystalline sonics of the studio. Friedman adds delicate accents, eventually regaining the lead in a sparkling outpouring of chords. Ferguson’s fluid breaks beat a soothing path to an elegant recapitulation of the theme by Levy’s effervescent tenor.

The saxophonist sits out on “My Foolish Heart,” and his absence allows for even more intimate interplay between Friedman and his rhythm section mates. After peeling off lush scalar runs down his keyboard, the pianist lays out, leaving room for another contemplative pizzicato foray from Ferguson. Jobim’s “Desafinado” gains a minor harmonic facelift, but still retains its signature beat. Levy sails breezily through the changes, sounding at first slightly like Desmond might have if he had embraced the tenor horn. His tone later hardens, but his melodically infused lines retain relaxed buoyancy in phrasing above the counterpoint of his partners.

Friedman’s “Memory of Scotty,” dedicated his long departed colleague Scott LaFaro, pays balladic tribute to the bassist and acts as a cleverly conceived vehicle for Ferguson’s own strings, both arco and plucked. Bechet’s “Petite Fleur” finds Levy on uncredited soprano, in deference to the composer. His translucent tone on the straight horn fits snugly into the Latinized structures of the arrangement. Friedman’s graceful accompaniment and eventual solo further contributes to a feeling of reposeful calm. The upbeat rhythms of the pianist’s “Almost Everything” presage the session’s impending end, but the quartet still has space for a final stretch through regions of warmly voiced lyricism.

Sweeping accolades and fame may not be in the cards for Friedman, but based on the strengths of this session the situation doesn’t seem to matter much. He’ll keep doing what he does best, whether there’s a widespread audience or not. For that, listeners in the know should be grateful. ~by Derek Taylor

Personnel: Don Friedman-piano; Jed Levy-tenor saxophone; Tim Ferguson-bass; Tony Jefferson-drums. Recorded: April 2000.

My Foolish Heart

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Don Friedman - Hope For Tomorrow

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:07
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:29)  1. Hope For Tomorrow
( 5:50)  2. A Place Within
( 4:28)  3. Paula's Wish
( 5:58)  4. Beedies
( 5:15)  5. Canvas On My Mind
( 6:05)  6. Lullaby For Lynne

A tremendous little album from pianist Don Friedman a trio session, but one that's cut with a mixture of Fender Rhodes and electric bass, which gives the album a majestically soulful groove! Friedman's never sounded better, and the record is easily one of his best with a sound that matches the best CTI sides of the time, colored by the freedoms of the Japanese recording scene of the 70s territory that Don never hit this strongly again, and which makes the record a really unique outing, quite diferent than both his early work and later sides. The group features Lyn Christie on bass and Bill Goodwin on drums and titles include "Paula's Wish", "Canvas On My Mind", "Lullaby For Lynne", "Hope For Tomorrow", and "A Place Within". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/736192

Personnel:  Don Friedman (Piano, Electric, Electric Piano), Lyn Christie (Bass, Electric Bass), Bill Goodwin (Drums)  

Hope For Tomorrow

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Don Friedman - My romance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:20
Size: 145,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. How deep is the ocean
(5:40)  2. These foolish things
(7:13)  3. My foolish heart
(6:33)  4. I can't get started
(6:33)  5. In your own sweet way
(4:55)  6. My romance
(6:29)  7. My funny Valentine
(6:26)  8. Angel eyes
(6:03)  9. Sophisticated Lady
(5:56) 10. Darn that dream

An excellent if underrated pianist, Don Friedman started off playing on the West Coast in 1956 with Dexter Gordon, Shorty Rogers, Buddy Collette, Buddy DeFranco (1956-1957), Chet Baker, and even the then-unknown altoist Ornette Coleman. After moving to New York in 1958, Friedman played in many settings, including with his own trio, Pepper Adams, Booker Little (recording with him in 1961), the Jimmy Giuffre Three (1964), a quartet with Attila Zoller, Chuck Wayne's trio (1966-1967), and, by the end of the decade, Clark Terry's big band. He continued working in New York as both a jazz educator and a pianist with wide musical interests, and was featured on Concord's Maybeck Recital Hall series (1993). 

Friedman also recorded for Riverside, Prestige, Progressive, Owl, Empathy, and several Japanese labels, and continued doing sessions in New York throughout the '90s and 2000s. Friedman died on June 30, 2016. He was 81 years old. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/don-friedman/id2754221#fullText

My romance

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The Don Friedman Trio - Nite Lites

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:04
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[8:01] 1. 5-5-14
[7:36] 2. All Or Nothing At All
[8:19] 3. Nite Lites
[7:37] 4. Un-Ravel-Ed
[4:35] 5. Daahud
[7:31] 6. Chopinesque
[7:19] 7. Spring Can Really Hamg You Up The Most
[6:14] 8. Turn Out The Stars
[4:46] 9. Requiem

Don Friedman (piano), Harvie S (bass), Klemens Marktl (drums). Recorded, mixed & mastered by Tom Tedesco at Tedesco Studios, Paramus, NJ, on April 10, 2015

Don Friedman's journey toward this collection began when he was four years old and clambered onto his parents piano bench for a bit of experimental improvisation. Soon, his first formal piano lesson put him on the road toward a lifelong commitment to the classics.

Classics? you may ask, isn't he a jazz pianist? He is, indeed, one admired by virtually all of his keyboard contemporaries. The late Lou Levy, a dean of modern jazz pianists, was notably reserved in assigning praise. But Levy told critic Herb Wong, I love to listen to a pianist who practices. Players like Chick Corea and Bill Evans are examples, and Don Friedman is another who has equal strength in his fingers and you can hear it. Mix that with good taste, knowledge, experience and individual soundand you have a helluva player, and I think Don is a great player. Lets agree on what constitutes a classic. Any dictionary definition boils down to something like, Of the first or highest class, quality or rank. By that standard, not only Mr. Friedmans tributes to Ravel and Chopin but every piece that he chose for this collection is a classic. ~Doug Ramsey

Nite Lites

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The Don Friedman Vip Trio - Timeless

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 87,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. Alone Together
(6:26)  2. Star Eyes
(7:34)  3. Body And Soul
(6:20)  4. Emily
(7:01)  5. Turn Out The Stars
(6:29)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:50)  7. Bouncing With Bud
(7:40)  8. 'Round Midnight

The producer of this 2003 studio session decided to mix things up a bit for veteran jazz pianist Don Friedman by inviting a new rhythm section to play with him. Neither bassist John Patitucci nor drummer Omar Hakim had crossed paths with Friedman on a recording date, though they are both accomplished musicians who provide excellent support for him. The leader planned a set mixing standards and time-tested jazz compositions by various greats. The chemistry is readily apparent in the trio's fluid approach to "Star Eyes" and the light bossa nova setting of "Body and Soul." Friedman's lush, lyrical arrangements of the upbeat ballad "Emily" and the bittersweet "Turn Out the Stars" will invite comparisons to Bill Evans' memorable recordings. There's nothing predictable about the group's interpretation of "'Round Midnight," with each musician finding a new facet to explore within this decades-old jazz standard. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/timeless-mw0000210928

Personnel:   Don Friedman (piano); Omar Hakim (drums); John Patitucci (double bass).

Timeless

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Don Friedman - Hot House

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:04
Size: 171.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[7:52] 1. 35 West 4th Street
[7:29] 2. Hot House
[8:33] 3. My Funny Valentine
[5:32] 4. But Beautiful
[5:53] 5. Blues In A Hurry
[7:29] 6. Ana Maria
[7:53] 7. Soul Eyes
[8:15] 8. Sail Away
[6:09] 9. Waltz For Marilyn
[9:55] 10. You Go To My Head

During his long career, Don Friedman has recorded many memorable dates as a leader, though the veteran pianist remains a talent worthy of greater recognition. With seasoned bassist Ron McClure, drummer Tony Jefferson, and tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost, Friedman's adventurous set shows the obvious influence of Bill Evans while also exploring a wide range of material. His harmonically advanced arrangement of "My Funny Valentine" features Armacost on soprano sax. He puts a fresh stamp on "You Go to My Head" in a sparkling duet with McClure. Friedman's lush solo interpretation of "But Beautiful" is also not to be missed. The driving performance of Tadd Dameron's "Hot House" finds the pianist initially taking a backseat to Armacost's blazing tenor before he and McClure make their individual statements with authority. Mal Waldron's well-known "Soul Eyes" is a marvelous duet matching McClure's warm arco bass with Friedman's lush chords. The leader also brought a trio of originals to the sessions, including the upbeat "35 West 4th Street," the frenetic "Blues in a Hurry," and "Waltz for Marilyn," the latter played unaccompanied. ~Ken Dryden

Hot House

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Don Friedman - Standards In Cagliari

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 148.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[12:34] 1. In Your Own Sweet Way
[11:51] 2. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[ 8:49] 3. Solar
[12:33] 4. Stella By Starlight
[10:52] 5. My Foolish Heart
[ 8:09] 6. Confirmation

Double Bass – Jeff Fuller; Drums – Tommy Bradascio; Piano – Don Friedman. Recorded Live on 15th of October in Cagliari at Bastione di Saint Remy during the 17th Sardinia international Jazz Festival.

Donald Ernest Friedman (born May 4, 1935 in San Francisco California), better known as Don Friedman, is a jazz pianist. On the West Coast, he performed with Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker, Buddy DeFranco and Ornette Coleman, among others, before moving to New York. There, he led his own trio in addition to playing in Pepper Adams's, Booker Little's and Jimmy Giuffre's bands in the sixties. He was also a part of Clark Terry's big band. He currently works in New York as a pianist and jazz educator. He has many fans in Japan, and has recently toured in the country. ...

Standards In Cagliari

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Clark Terry & Max Roach - Friendship

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:05
Size: 106,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:47)  1. Statements
(6:35)  2. Let's Cool One
(1:44)  3. Brushes and Brass
(3:11)  4. Simple Waltz
(2:26)  5. I Remember Clifford
(3:37)  6. Lil Max
(6:28)  7. But Beautiful
(2:20)  8. The Profit
(2:07)  9. When I Fall In Love
(3:13) 10. For Dancers Only
(8:14) 11. Makin' Whoopee
(1:51) 12. To Basie With Love
(2:24) 13. The Nearness Of You

On the day this lovely recording was released, co-leaders Clark Terry (trumpet) and Max Roach (drums), legends both, were 82 and 79 years old respectively. Perhaps it would be best to get the clichés out of the way. Yes, it’s important that elder statesmen of jazz keep recording, and no one deserves that title more than these gentlemen. And it’s also great that the "old" guys have still “got it,” as they both most assuredly do. But what about the music? Friendship is a recording of fresh, swinging music with broad but intelligent appeal to committed Terry or Roach fans as well as new listeners just coming to an appreciation of these great musicians. Clark Terry demonstrates the flawless technique, buttery sound, and elegant, good-natured, witty improvisation for which he is famous. Roach offers, as always, a powerful conception of the drums, using a wide and creative sound palette. His approach on this recording is so unassuming that it is easy to lose sight of how complete his playing is in itself. “Lil’ Max,” for example, is a musical whole. It takes a bit of attention to realize that it is also an unaccompanied drum solo.

Both Don Friedman (piano) and the inexplicably under-recognized Marcus McLaurine (bass) have long been associated with Terry. Everyone sounds comfortable with themselves, each other, and the straightforward, but demanding quartet setting. Friendship also has an eclectic side. The album begins with “Statements,” a free jazz duet between the co-leaders. The set includes Monk’s “Let’s Cool One” and the standards “But Beautiful,” "When I Fall in Love,” “Makin’ Whoopee,” “The Nearness of You,” and “I Remember Clifford.” By continuing to perform at this level, Terry and Roach, who for decades have had nothing to prove to anyone, not only enrich us musically yet again they also teach important lessons about artistic integrity. We are lucky to have their example. This review originally appeared in the July 2003 issue of All About Jazz - New York.~Steve Robinson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/friendship-clark-terry-eighty-eights-review-by-steven-robinson.php 
 

Personnel: Don Friedman - Piano, Max Roach - Drums, Clark Terry - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Marcus McLaurine - Bass.

Friendship

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Herbie Mann - Live At Newport

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:40)  1. Soft Winds
( 7:39)  2. Desafinado
( 6:09)  3. Samba De Orfeu
(10:49)  4. Don't You Know
( 8:05)  5. Garota De Ipanema

Most of Herbie Mann's Atlantic sessions of the 1960s are among the flutist's best and most popular work. Mann and his regular group of 1963 (which includes vibraphonist Dave Pike, pianist Don Friedman, guitarist Attila Zoller, bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Bob Thomas with added percussionists Willie Bobo and Potato Valdez) are heard in spirited form on this set from the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival. There are two surprises, both having to do with Antonio Carlos Jobim tunes. The bossa nova hit "Desafinado" is taken in straight 4/4 time without the percussionists, which makes it sound like a new song. And three months after Stan Getz, Jobim and the Gilbertos recorded "The Girl From Ipanema" (but before it was even released), Mann can be heard playing an instrumental version of the song, here listed as "Garota De Ipanema." A catchy rendition of "Soft Winds," the bossa nova "Samba De Orfeu," and Ben Tucker's "Don't You Know" round out the well-played program.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-newport-mw0000011986

Personnel: Herbie Mann (flute); Attila Zoller (guitar); Don Friedman (piano); Dave Pike (vibraphone, background vocals);  Bobby Thomas (drums); Willie Bobo, Carlos "Patato" Valdes (percussion).

Live At Newport

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