Interplay Variations

One of the most eminent exponents of the instrument, (Friesen) maintains an astonishing level of virtuosity.
Los Angeles Times

After meeting in a Greenwich Village club exactly 50 years ago, bassist David Friesen and guitarist John Stowell quickly formed a musical bond, spending the next 8 years performing internationally and recording multiple acclaimed albums together, including their 1978 album Through the Looking Glass which was named one of the Top 10 albums of the '70s by The Los Angeles Examiner. With Interplay Variations, that half century of musical friendship returns with their first new recording together in many decades. Built on trust, deep listening, and the freedom of spontaneous creation, their conversations move through a series of musical vignettes, sometimes tender, sometimes searching, but always alive in the moment.

"John Stowell plays jazz, but he doesn't use any of the cliches; he has an incredible originality. John is a master creator." Larry Coryell

Production Info:

Produced by David Friesen & John Stowell
Recorded and mixed by Mike Doolin at House of Doolescu, Portland, OR
July 2026 Portland, Oregon
Mastering by Dana White at Specialized Mastering, Portland, Oregon
Paintings by David Friesen
Photograph by Norm Eder
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of Interplay Variations

Paris Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
4-STARS Some friendships endure for decades, but their true measure lies not simply in the memories they preserve, but in the ability to keep creating together without surrendering to nostalgia. On Interplay Variations, bassist David Friesen and guitarist John Stowell return to a musical conversation that began half a century ago, drawing on both ...

Paris Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
4-STARS Some friendships endure for decades, but their true measure lies not simply in the memories they preserve, but in the ability to keep creating together without surrendering to nostalgia. On Interplay Variations, bassist David Friesen and guitarist John Stowell return to a musical conversation that began half a century ago, drawing on both ...

Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Having toured together for the past two score years in various bands, guitarist John Stowell and hemage bassist David Friesen get together for a collection of duets that capture the depth of conversations that can only come from a long friendship. It all seems just too easy hear, with the mix of easy strokes and picks on "Area Code Sorrow", whimsi ...