David Friesen -

David Friesen (born May 6, 1942) is an American jazz bassist from Washington State who made nine albums between 1976 and 1981 in solo and collaborative form. In the late 1980s, he cut two collaborative discs with electronic musician Steven Halpern.

Background

David Douglas Friesen was born May 6, 1942, in Tacoma, Washington, and grew up in Spokane and Seattle. His father, Ben Friesen, sang, while his mother, Clara Friesen, played C-melody saxophone as a child. His older sister Diane, later actress Dyan Cannon, played piano with him at home. Friesen started on piano, ukulele, and accordion, then took up western guitar and played club dates by age sixteen. He attended West Seattle High School and joined the U.S. Army in 1961 for service in Germany.

Friesen first tried double bass at an Army service club and made the instrument his primary focus. He played Paris clubs at nineteen with pianist George Arvanitas, saxophonist Johnny Griffin, and drummer Art Taylor. Friesen also worked in Copenhagen with drummer Dick Berk and met trumpeter Ted Curson. He returned to Seattle in 1964 and began lessons with Seattle Symphony bassist Ron Simon.

Friesen played piano and bass for two years at Jerry Heldman’s Seattle coffeehouse Llahngaelhyn, where he jammed with guitarist Larry Coryell and trumpeter Randy Brecker. He also worked in the house band at the Penthouse and toured with pianist-vibraphonist Elmer Gill. Friesen joined Gill and drummer Al Johnson on The Three Sides of Elmer Gill, recorded around 1968 for Vancouver label Aragon.

Friesen followed the Gill period with engagements for saxophonist John Handy in Vancouver and pianist Marian McPartland. Saxophonist Joe Henderson hired him for a nearly two-year association and brought him to Fantasy Studios in Berkeley for an April 26, 1975 session on Black Narcissus. Friesen also opened a Portland coffeehouse in 1973, where he presented Sunday-night jazz.

Billy Harper recruited Friesen for a 1975 European tour and the July Black Saint sessions at Barclay Studios in Paris. Also in 1975, Friesen recorded Color Pool for Muse, which held the album for a 1979 release.

In 1976, Friesen partnered with New York guitarist John Stowell. They linked with producer roducer Irv Kratka and cut an album at Downtown Sound with drummer Steve Gadd and reedist Paul McCandless.

Discography: