A Light Shining Through

Recorded in 2021 in Kyiv Ukraine with the Kyiv Mozart String Quartet and later adding in some percussion and saxophone brings Friesen's work to yet another level. This is personal for him. Ukraine is his mother's ancestral home, and Friesen made many trips there before the pandemic then the war made returning impossible. Some of those past trips included John Stowell, and both have toured extensively throughout Europe. Friesen heads back to Germany in early 2025. The percussion and saxophone are added in and mixed up front and, I expect weaving the dynamic of the original Kyiv String Quartet into a wonderful new fabric. I first discovered Friesen's work decades ago when I was looking for baritone sax recordings and Friesen was on an Inner City Jazz LP, and I have stayed a fan to date through 80 more albums under his name individually or as co-author. "Little Ella Bella" walks with horns in a strong front, then the releases to Friesen and quartet with Friesen walking and the percussion following. The strong quartet is like a band voice. Percussion and bass open "Time Through Light;" the sound alike, and both move in rhythmic pattern. The bass is the lead solo, and they talk their way out quietly. "Dressed in Red" features Friesen on percussion, bass and piano in a very dancing romp. "My Prayer" has Joe Manis on sax, Friesen on bass, and the string quartet mixed behind. This is a walk, positive and full. "Blue and Red" has Friesen's percussion dancing and upbeat as the soprano talks over this dance. "Children's Song" opens with Friesen's bass big, bold, rhythmic, and lyrical at the same time, a Friesen trait. See the kids dancing! "Staircase" strolls with drums, sax, percussion, then the String Quartet talks with Friesen creating textures and warm movement. "One Last Time" opens with Friesen on bass, and about a minute in, the String quartet delicately moves the landscape while Friesen and drums pick up in an easy slumber. The tenor warmly moves over in counterpoint to the strings. "Islands" is a quick dance of percussion and soprano. "Passage" highlights the String Quartet with the percussion and bass dancing, even strutting a bit, so clean and joyful. Sax and string quartet are deep in the back, reminiscent of an R&B backup group, just involved slightly. Manis's tenor drives and dances, darting high and back into the middle register. Solo gets more complex, releases and builds even more with lovely rhythmic movement. "Luxury Liner" is from the Portland recording with Manis on high-end crying soprano. Friesen's bass comes in warm midrange. They exchange, they build and release here. "A Light Shining Through" continues in Kyiv with a slow waltz-like entry with low-end bass and horn and the supportive string quartet, a band-horn sound almost, a very solid and interesting movement. "Festival" opens with light percussion and Friesen's warm bass dancing lightly and using some high-end notes. "Glide" has shakers, soprano sax dancing into the circle; Manis is warmer and freer on this dance piece. The overdub or multiple mouthpiece blowing works as Manis moves, drops out, and returns to duo and solo. Nice effect. "Softly Tells the Story" features horn and String Quartet in unison playing with light percussion and bass assisting way back in the mix. Best use of the string quartet and perfectly set up for Friesen's tight, pulsing, slow solo lines. Probably in reaction to the terrible Ukraine destruction is "Forgiveness," and this all closes with Friesen on piano and Manis on clarinet. Friesen solos with touches of Manis in this quiet selection to close another amazing recording. Packaging includes original painting by David Friesen, like the floral arrangement on the cover, and his name and title and date; second panel has picture of Friesen and how this album happened; then the invasion and now today. Panel three is five pictures of the players. Panel four has credits and players. Panel five is another Friesen painting, and sixth panel back cover has songs, times, players, and contacts. CD has paint strokes in a cross with title and a song list. He is a major multidisciplinary artist, writing, playing on a bass he designed and helped make, painting continually, and his house is filled with his art.