A solo virtuoso, Friesen can dazzle....but lately his work has settled into an elegant, melodic simplicity. His compositions flow like the modal music of the '70s, yet they also feel grounded...
Though a major international jazz figure for decades, it wasn't until 2015 that a tour allowed bassist-composer David Friesen the opportunity to visit his mother's ancestral home of Ukraine for the first time. Welcomed by a camera crew and introductions to pivotal musicians and cultural institutions, his journey was first documented on 2020's critically acclaimed Testimony, recorded live at Kyiv's National Philharmonic Hall with the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine. The ensuing pandemic and war put further plans on hold, but Friesen was able to record with the Kyiv Mozart String Quartet in October 2021, and those recordings provide the framework and soul of A Light Shining Through. Adding organic percussion sounds and saxophone to his singing melodies, the album's tuneful vignettes reflect the many emotions exposed through his journey of ancestral discovery.
"...a musical manifestation of the spiritual light that offers forgiveness, hope and purpose."
DownBeat
1 Little Ella Bella 4:08
2 Time Through Light 2:16
3 Dressed in Red 1:32
4 My Prayer 3:59
5 Blue and Red 2:21
6 Children's Song 2:23
7 Staircase 5:11
8 One Last Time 5:45
9 Islands 0:49
10 Passage 5:05
11 Luxury Liner 3:57
12 A Light Shining Through 5:01
13 Festival 1:24
14 Glide 2:15
15 Softly Tells the Story 5:58
16 Forgiveness 2:37
Composed & Arranged by David Friesen (Color Pool Music B.M.I/Bug Music-BMG Chrysalis)
String Quartet arranged by Oleksii Vikulov (1,4,7,8,10,12,15)
TRACKS (2,3,6,9,13)
David Friesen - Hemage bass, percussion, piano (3,9)
TRACKS (5,11,14,16)
David Friesen - Hemage bass, percussion, piano (16)
Joe Manis - soprano sax, clarinet (16)
TRACKS (1,4,7,8,10,12,15)
David Friesen - Hemage bass
Joe Manis - tenor sax
Alex Fantaev - percussion
Charlie Doggett - additional percussion
KYIV MOZART STRING QUARTET:
Olga Sheleshkova - violin
Pavlo Khmara - violin
Andrew Makij - viola
Sergey Kazakov - cello
TRACKS (2,3,5,6,9,11,13,14,16)
Recorded July 2019 by Mike Moore
at Dead Aunt Thelma's Recording Studio, Portland, OR
TRACKS (1,4,7,8,10,12,15)
String Quartet, bass solos & percussion recorded by Miroslav Remeniuk
at the R. Glier Kyiv Institute of Music, Kyiv, Ukraine, October 2021
Sax & add'l percussion recorded by Rob Moore, Alejandro Gordillo & Chance Robson
at Ravenscroft Recording Studio, Scottsdale, AZ, February 2023
Post Production & Mastering by Dana White
at Specialized Mastering, Portland, OR
Paintings by David Friesen
Photographs by Natalie Friesen
Cover Design & Layout by John Bishop
Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
A rich tapestry of ideas both concise and drawn out are delivered by David Friesen, who plays the Hemage bass, piano and percussion with a mix and match team of saxist Joe Manis, percussionists Alex Fantaev & Charlie Doggett and the guest appearances of the Kyiv Mozart String Quartet. The sixteen pieces include a handful of pieces 5-6 minutes with ...