Don Friedman
American jazz pianist
Don Friedman
Don Friedman at the Kitano Jazz Lounge, September 2009
Birth name Donald Ernest Friedman Born (1935-05-04 ) May 4, 1935 San Francisco, California, U.S.Died June 30, 2016(2016-06-30) (aged 81) The Bronx, New York Genres Jazz Occupation(s) Musician, composer, bandleader Instrument Piano Website www .donfriedman .net
Musical artist
Donald Ernest Friedman (May 4, 1935 – June 30, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. He began playing in Los Angeles and moved to New York in 1958. In the 1960s, he played with both modern stylists and more traditional musicians.
Early life
Friedman was born on May 4, 1935, in San Francisco.[ 1] Both of his parents immigrated to the United States: his father, Edward Friedman, was from Lithuania, and his mother, Alma Loew, was from Germany.[ 1] He began playing the piano at the age of four, switching from classical music to jazz after his family moved to Los Angeles when he was fifteen.[ 1] His early jazz piano influence was Bud Powell .[ 1] Friedman briefly studied composition at Los Angeles City College.[ 1]
Later life and career
On the West Coast, Friedman performed with Dexter Gordon , Chet Baker , Buddy DeFranco , and Ornette Coleman . He was also a member of Clark Terry 's big band.
Friedman moved to New York permanently in 1958.[ 1] In the 1960s, Friedman played with both modern jazz and more traditionally orientated musicians.[ 1] The former included Coleman, Eric Dolphy , Jimmy Giuffre , Booker Little , and Attila Zoller ; the latter included Bobby Hackett and Herbie Mann .[ 1] Friedman's first album as a leader was A Day in the City , in 1961.[ 1] Some of his early albums received top ratings from DownBeat , which also gave him its critics' poll New Star award.[ 1] He was also an educator in New York.[ 2] He had many fans in Japan.[ 3] [ 4]
Friedman married three times; the first two ended in divorce.[ 1] He died of pancreatic cancer, at home in the Bronx on June 30, 2016.[ 1] Survivors were one daughter, actress/writer, Lynn Adrianna Freedman, and a granddaughter.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
Recording date
Title
Label
Year released
Personnel
1961-06-12
A Day in the City
Riverside
1961
Trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums)
1962-05-14
Circle Waltz
Riverside
1962
One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums)
1963-05-16
Flashback
Riverside
1963
Trio, with Dick Kniss (bass), Dick Berk (drums)
1964
Dreams and Explorations
Riverside
1964
Quartet, with Attila Zoller (guitar), Dick Kniss (bass), Dick Berk (drums)
1966-02-22
Metamorphosis
Prestige
1966
Quartet, with Attila Zoller (guitar), Richard Davis (bass), Joe Chambers (drums)
1975-07-08, -09
Hope for Tomorrow
East Wind
1975
Trio, with Lyn Christie (bass, electric bass), Bill Goodwin (drums)
1977-09-17
Jazz Dancing
Progressive
2015
Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums)
1978-02-26, -27
Later Circle
RCA
1978
Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums)
1978-03-21
The Progressive
Progressive
1978
Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1978-06-26
Hot Knepper and Pepper
Progressive
1994
Co-leader with Pepper Adams (baritone sax); with Jimmy Knepper (trombone), George Mraz (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1978-08-30
Invitation
Progressive
1993
Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums)
1978-09
The Way We Were
Progressive
1981
Trio 1, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums). Trio 2, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums).
1978-09-09
The Don Friedman Trio also released as Love Music (2018)
Progressive
1979
Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1979-05-20
Themes and Variations
EGO
1979
Solo piano
1979-07-22
Don Friedman
Swedisc
1980
Trio, Marc Johnson (bass), Heinz Lied (drums)
1979-11-08
Half & Half
Insights
1997
Duo, with Red Mitchell (bass)
1979-11-12
Avenue of The Americas
Owl
1980
Solo piano
1984-09-22
I Hear a Rhapsody
Stash
1985
Solo piano
1961, 1985-10-31
Memories for Scotty
Insights
1988
Trio 1, with Scott LaFaro (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums). Trio 2, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums). Solo piano in 1985. Trio 1 tracks were reissued by Resonance Records in 2009 on Pieces of Jade .
1985-10-31
Stella by Starlight
Insights
1994
Solo piano; recorded Kukisaki Kenmin Center in Ibaraki Prefecture
1987-04-16
Sweet View: Live in Japan
Apollon
1988
Co-leader duo, with Eiji Nakayama (bass); in concert
1987-04-21
Far Away Land
Break Time
1987
Co-leader duo, with Eiji Nakayama (bass)
1992-04-12, -13
Opus D'Amour
Sackville
1992
Co-leader duo, with Don Thompson (bass)
1993-09-05
Don Friedman at Maybeck
Concord
1994
Solo piano; in concert
1995-03-13
The Days of Wine and Roses
Soul Note
1996
Trio, with Marco Ricci (bass), Giampiero Prina (drums)
1995-03-30
Thingin'
HatART
1996
Trio, with Lee Konitz (alto sax), Attila Zoller (guitar); in concert
1995-04
Almost Everything
SteepleChase
1995
Trio, with Ron McClure (bass), Matt Wilson (drums)
1996-10-03, -04
Red Sky Waltz
Alfa
1996
Trio, with Santi Debriano (bass), Akira Tana (drums)
1996-11-09
My Romance: Solo Piano
SteepleChase
1997
Solo piano
1997-07
Prism
Abeat
1997
Trio, with Marco Ricci (bass), Stefano Bagnoli (drums)
1998
Match Point
TBR
2000
Most tracks quartet, with Tom Butts (tenor sax), Gary Mazzaroppi (bass), Frank Ferreri (drums); two tracks quintet, with Alyse Levy (vocals) added
1999-01-29
Attila's Dreams
Ephemeris Jazz
2001
Quartet, with Andrew Cheshire (guitar), Ron McClure (bass), Joey Baron (drums)
1999-10-15
Standards in Cagliari
Soul Note
2003
Trio, with Jeff Fuller (bass), Tommy Bradascio (drums); in concert
2000-04
My Foolish Heart
SteepleChase
2003
Quartet, with Jed Levy (tenor sax), Tim Ferguson (bass), Tony Jefferso (drums)
2002-05-28
Waltz for Debby
Eighty-Eight's
2003
One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
2003-05-14, 2003-07-07
Hot House
Chiaroscuro
2004
Quartet, with Tim Armacost (tenor sax), Ron McClure (bass), Tony Jefferson (drums)
2003-10-13
My Favorite Things
Eighty-Eight's
2004
One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
2003-10-14
Timeless
Eighty-Eight's
2004
VIP Trio, with John Patitucci (bass), Omar Hakim (drums)
2004-07-03
Salzau Trio Live at Jazz Baltica
Skip
2005
Trio, with Martin Wind (bass), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums); in concert at Jazz Baltica
2005-03-07
Scarborough Fair
Eighty-Eight's
2005
VIP Trio, with Ron Carter (bass), Omar Hakim (drums)
2005-11
Piano Works VI: From A To Z
ACT
2006
Solo piano
2006-09-08
Moon River: New York Monologue
Eighty-Eight's
2007
Solo piano
2007-03-03, -04
Waltz for Marilyn
Jazz Excursion
2007
Quartet, with Peter Bernstein (guitar), Martin Wind (bass), Tony Jefferson (drums)
2007-07-26
Straight Ahead
No Coast Jazz
2008
Trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums)
2008-07-06
Alone Together
Edition Longplay
2013
Co-leader piano duet with Hank Jones , plus Martin Wind (bass), Matt Wilson (drums)
2008-11-15, -16
I'd Like to Tell You
Music Center
2009
Trio, with Attilio Zanchi (bass), Tommy Bradascio (drums)
2009-07-04
The Composer Live At Jazz Baltica Salzau
Enja
2009
With Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), Martin Wind (bass), Joe LaBarbera (drums), Gerður Gunnarsdóttir and Elfa Run Kristinsdóttir (violin), Martin Stupka (viola), Stephan Braun (cello); in concert
2010-03-31
Circle Waltz 21C
Eighty-Eight's
2010
Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
2011-07-02
Don Friedman Plays Don Friedman
Edition Longplay
2012
Solo piano
2015-04-10
Nite Lites
Fresh Sound
2015
Trio, with Harvie S (bass), Klemens Marktl (drums)
As a member
Reuben Hoch and Time
(with Reuben Hoch and Ed Schuller )
Of Recent Time (Naim, 2006)
As sideman
With Booker Little
With Herbie Mann
With Eiji Nakayama
Conversation (Art Union, 1986)
Sweet View: Eiji Nakayama Don Friedman Live in Japan (Jazz Road, 1987)
Legend of the Lake (Jazz Road, 1988)
With Dave Pike
With Yuko Shigeno
Shiny Stockings (Space Shower Music, 2011)
Circle Waltz with Don Friedman (24 Jazz Japan, 2013)
With Hiromi Shimizu
Waltz Tenderly (Jazz on Top, 2008)
Live at Jazz on Top (Jazz on Top, 2010) – live
With Clark Terry
It's What's Happenin' (Impulse! , 1967)
In Concert: Live (Etoile, 1973) – live rec. 1970
Portraits (Chesky, 1989) – rec. 1988
Live on QE2 (Chiaroscuro, 2001) – live rec. 1999
Friendship (Eighty-Eight's, 2002) – also with Max Roach
With others
Buddy Collette , Nice Day with Buddy Collette (Contemporary , 1957) – rec. 1956–57
Shauli Einav , "Generations" (Posi-Tone, 2013)
Bruno De Filippi, In New York With Don Friedman Trio (Carosello, 1992)
Herb Geller , At The Movies (Hep Jazz, 2007)
Lee Konitz , Lee Konitz Meets Don Friedman (Insights, 1994) – rec. 1992
Hank De Mano, Listen to The Hank De Mano Quartet (Freeway Jazz, 1956)
John Handy , No Coast Jazz (Roulette , 1960)
Joe Henderson , Tetragon (Milestone , 1968) – rec. 1967-68
Elvin Jones , And Then Again (Atlantic , 1965)
Don Lanphere , Into Somewhere (Hep , 1983)
Charles Lloyd , Discovery! (Columbia , 1964)
Nicole Pasternak, In A Word (Garagista Music, 2005)
Sal Salvador Quintet, In Our Own Sweet Way (Stash, 1983)
Grady Tate , She Is My Lady (Janus , 1972)
Attila Zoller , The Horizon Beyond (EmArcy, 1965)
References
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Chinen, Nate (July 7, 2016). "Don Friedman, Versatile Jazz Pianist, Dies at 81" . The New York Times .
^ Yanow, Scott. "Don Friedman" . AllMusic . Retrieved March 31, 2010 .
^ "Don Friedman at All About Jazz" . Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2010 .
^ Don Friedman (1935-2016) Archived July 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
External links
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums Live albums
International National Artists Other