Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Don Friedman: Live at JazzBaltica

300

Don Friedman: Live at JazzBaltica

By

Sign in to view read count
Don Friedman: Live at JazzBaltica
This group featured on this album, yet another in the happy slew of recordings coming out from Don Friedman in the last few years, is billed as the Salzau Trio. What this means is that on the occasion of Friedman's invitation to the 14th Annual JazzBaltica Festival in Salzau, Germany, he convened a trio with regular bassist Martin Wind and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington for a first-time appearance. The result, a set from July 3, 2004, was recorded and released by the German Skip Records label.

Friedman turned seventy last May and occupies a singular place in today's piano realm. During a career that began in the '50s, he witnessed and led some of the most innovative piano trios in jazz history; during the '60s, he participated in some very progressive small group sessions with guitarist Attila Zoller that still resonate today; and he has had the longevity to continue his career with a steady stream of originals and tasteful interpretations of standards.

Live at JazzBaltica is the best of the current Friedman. The first four of seven tracks are standards of a sort: "I Hear a Rhapsody and "Alone Together are warhorses, but Friedman tweaks them enough to make them unpredictable. "You Must Believe in Spring (Legrand) and "Bud Powell (Corea) came after Friedman had established himself, but he plays them with the same elegance as the older pieces. The rhythm section plays along nicely, especially Carrington, who is not often this refined.

The set ends with three new Friedman originals from his last couple of records. "Memory of Scotty is a tribute to Scott LaFaro which gets a little maudlin (and sounds eerily like Lionel Richie's "Endless Love in parts). "35 W. 4th Street is a new song that could have been a standard from forty years ago—it's that classic. The closer is "Half & Half, the fastest tune on the disc and a good opportunity for Friedman, Wind, and Carrington to leave the German audience buzzing with excitement.

Track Listing

I Hear A Rhapsody; You Must Believe In Spring; Bud Powell; Alone Together; Memory Of Scotty; 35 W 4th Street; Half And Half.

Personnel

Don Friedman: piano; Terri Lyne Carrington: drums; Martin Wind: bass.

Album information

Title: Live at JazzBaltica | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Skip Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.