David Friesen with Orchestra and Quartet

Testimony

82809

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MUSIC REVIEW BY Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys

VIEW THE CD DETAIL PAGE

These recordings were made in December 2018 with the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine in Kiev and the Quartet cuts in 2019 at the Institute of Music in Kiev. All seventeen compositions are by David Friesen. Great to hear Friesen's orchestral and quartet work showcased on the same recording. Compositions range from a couple minutes to his classic "Lament for the Lost/Procession" at six minutes.

"Still Waters" has bold piano chords with Friesen's bass loping in and an orchestral sound developing with drums lightly moving the song. Superb use of the bass in various tones and voices I found impactful. Tenor sax of Mykola Ryshkov opens "Meaningful" slightly blue, and the congas move the tenor and vibraphone of Eugene Dobrovolskyi with flowing warmth. "Distant Shores" features the piano of Friesen opening in lyrical lines developing with the bass accenting ever so quietly. Then the vibes lightly dance. Lots of warm space here. Friesen's bass in a big solo sound opens out front with light vibe chords. A touch of percussion begins to swirl and develop into a whirlpool of diverse sounds as the orchestra fills the depth. The quartet and bass are always out front. I liked the splashing, watery percussion. "Sequence" opens with a ballad solo with some higher end exploration with horn moving the orchestra into a warm, mid-range Stan Kenton-like voicing. They develop rhythmically then release to a full band with low-end voicing producing very find texture. "Another Time" has Friesen bass solo over the the full band sound. His solid solo lines ring forth, varying in complexity and tone. This may be the best cut to hear the full sound of the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine. Next vibes, conga, percussion dance lightly on the tune "Time Never Ends" swinging, warm, and smiling. This is Friesen's happy dance. The vibe solo is so warm and spirit lifting! The bluesy walking "Deep South Blues" has the light bluesy tenor of Ryshkov over a walking bass, warm licks of the Dobrovolskyi vibes that swing and dance through this recording. There is very little vibe shimmer, just warm solo lyricism. Friesen's solo has light warmth mixed with Fantaev's brush work.

Full band opens "My Faith My Life" with piano by Friesen as the rhythm section moves lightly underneath. A warm and interesting arrangement. "Make Believe" has percussion opening and then orchestra moves into the voicing with high-end instruments dominating the arrangement. There is almost walking talk in some places and we get to hear the various horns working well, giving way to the Friesen warm moving solo. The piano by Friesen opens "New Ballad" with just a touch of vibes as the piano develops complexity and the vibes follow. The two are conversational and really drive this duet. "Sailing" has some of the band's horns moving the bass into a vibe solo. This is a warm, lyrical, dancing, and enjoyable composition. Friesen's bass solo is clear, expressive, and carries the tune into the percussion and band work. "Going Forth" has Friesen opening in a sort of sad lyricism. The orchestra quietly begins with precision going forth to a big-bodied full orchestral sound. "Pumpkin" brings back the sax of Ryshkov voicing the melody with light vibes, a touch of bass and percussion to fill the sound. This is warm, lyrical, and swings to the bone. Delightful fun. Friesen opens "New Hope" with a lyrical yet forceful line. The band begins to (again in a Kenton fashion) give voicing to the melody. The bass and percussion begin to underline with a strong rhythmic pulse. Again, interesting arrangements and voicing. One of Friesen's stellar pieces, "Lament for the Lost Procession," closes this recording. High sounding reeds and touches of percussion lead to a quiet but strange place. The orchestra is somber underneath. Friesen's bass touches the soul as the percussive and reed sounds escort us. Complex music leading to a special headspace. Superb rendering of one of Friesen's most interesting works.








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