David Friesen - Other Times - Other Places (1989) [CD]

This album is a much-overlooked album by the master bassist David Friesen; featuring Denny Zeitlin, Phil Dwyer, Alan Jones, Airto and Flora Purim. The interplay between Denny Zeitlin is quite magical, highlighted on both "Song For My Family" and "Years Though Time". In many ways the album showcases the amazing saxophone skills of Phil Dwyer. It is an exploration of his ability to work seamlessly alongside Friesen and add depth of scale to Friesen’s variant and elusive compositions. Listen to "Tyrone's Dedication", "Father's Delight", "Our 25th Year", "Childhood Walk" and "Above And Beyond" for clarification. Both Alan Jones’ and Airto’s contributions render a solid backing to the majority of the tracks and Flora Purim’s vocals add a distinctive fusion-styled interest to "Festival Dance" and "Song For My Daughter". As always Friesen's bass sets the mood. His dynamically ranging sound is heard across a broad range of self-penned tunes, sharing one with Alan Jones. This album requires a few listens to truly appreciate its value, enjoy! 

Global Pacific Records, R2 79300, 1989
Bellaphon Records, 660·52·001, 1989
Recorded 1989 At Ark Studios, Tigard, Oregon 

Musicians:
David Friesen - Bass [Oregon Bass], Acoustic Bass, Synthesizers
[Emulator I I, Roland Jupiter - 6, Yamaha K X 88 Midi Keyboard Controller]
Phil Dwyer - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Denny Zeitlin - Piano [Acoustic] (#5,8)
Alan Jones - Drums, Electronic Drums [Roland Octapad And Synth Bass] (#2)
Airto Moreira - Percussion
Flora Purim - Vocals (#1,3) 

Tracks:
01. Festival Dance {David Friesen} (4:07)
02. Tyrone's Dedication {Alan Jones, David Friesen} (3:43)
03. Song For My Daughter {David Friesen} (2:04)
04. Father's Delight {David Friesen} (3:15)
05. Song For My Family {David Friesen} (6:33)
06. Our 25th Year {David Friesen} (3:58)
07. Childhood Walk {David Friesen} (4:04)
08. Years Though Time {David Friesen} (4:18)
09. Above And Beyound {David Friesen} (4:27)
10. Song For My Sons {David Friesen} (3:04) 

Total Time: 39:33 

Credits:
Producer, Mixing - David Friesen
Producer, Engineer, Mixing - Jeff Johnson
Executive-Producer - Barklie Henry, Howard Morris, Howard Sapper
Mastering [Digital] - David Mitson, Joe Gastwirt
Photography - Hiroshi Iwaya

Denny Zeitlin with George Marsh and Mel Graves - Expansion (1973) [vinyl]

Haven't stopped listening since I bought. An eternal peek at what’s to come. Everything about it sounds fresh. Something new with each flip. Denny is a new name to me but now I’m hooked his compositions are amazing and he plays like god knows what (listen to the sesame street jazzy spies’ segment of you need further convincing. No joke). He’s a wizard with effects. And of course, you’ve got George and Mel with top tier talent to match What I would've paid to have been in the eye of this storm. Definitely worth a listen. AND this pressing is heavenly to boot. ~ okwiiderfly, discogs.com.

1750 Arch Records, 1758, 1975
Recorded 1973 At 1750 Arch Studios, Berkeley, California 

Musicians:
Denny Zeitlin - Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Organ, Melodica, Synthesizer [ARP], Electronics, Idiophone [African Thumb Pianos], Tambourine
Mel Graves - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
George Marsh - Percussion, Synthesizer [Prepared Buchla Synthesizer] (#B3) 

Tracks:
A1. El Fuego De Las Montañas (13:40)
A2. The Wheel {Denny Zeitlin, George Marsh, Mel Graves} (2:67)
A3. Déjà Vu {Denny Zeitlin} (7:40)
A4. On Air {Denny Zeitlin} (3:20)
B1. A Scarf In The Air {Denny Zeitlin} (15:29)
B2. Vertical Horizons {Mel Graves} (6:02)
B3. Wind-Borne {Denny Zeitlin, George Marsh, Mel Graves} (8:21) 

Total Time: 57:29

Credits:
Producer - Double Helix Music, Inc.
Engineer - Phil Sawyer
Cover, Design - Jacques Bouthoorn
Photography - Josephine Zeitlin
Liner Notes - Denny Zeitlin 

Notes:
This is the second issue released in 1975 by Thomas Buckners' 1750 Arch records.
The 1st press was released by Denny Zeitlin in 1973 on Double Helix Records.
Mastered At The Lacquer Channel, Sausalito, California. 

Super awesome listen, this man right here giving us almost 60 minutes of one of the most heated jazz sessions of the 70s no doubt. Cheap heat! ~ zkkptrk, discogs.com.

David Grisman, Denny Zeitlin - New River (2001)

This set features two eclectic Californians, mandolinist David Grisman and pianist Denny Zeitlin, in a lively and unusual duo setting. The contrast between mandolin and piano couldn't be greater, of course. Zeitlin's orchestral playing, with its expansive timbral range and resonating low end, does most of the heavy lifting. Grisman's instrument has its inherent limitations - tiny neck, circumscribed harmonic capacity, somewhat tinny sound. But Grisman is a master at wringing the unexpected from those eight strings. Not only does he display unparalleled virtuosity and melodic resourcefulness; he also responds to Zeitlin with just the right sonic touches, comping jazz-style on "Blue Midnite" and creating ethereal pick-slide effects on the mini-epic "On the March." The program is evenly split between Zeitlin’s originals and Grisman’s; the loose minor-key "DG/DZ Blues" is co-written. Following the invigorating, Gershwin-meets-bluegrass finale, "Fourteen Miles to Barstow," Grisman and Zeitlin keep the tape rolling for some brief free-improv, a hidden track. Throughout the session, Grisman brings out the new-acoustic, Americana side of Zeitlin, while Zeitlin brings out the jazz in Grisman. The result is music that is refreshingly beyond category. ~ by David Adler, AAJ.

Acoustic Disc, ACD-45, 2001
Recorded At Dawg Studios, Mill Valley, California 

Musicians:
David Grisman - Mandolin
Denny Zeitlin - Piano 

Tracks:
1. Brazilian Street Dance {Denny Zeitlin} (7:10)
2. Dawg Funk {David Grisman} (5:47)
3. Moving Parts {Denny Zeitlin} (4:53)
4. Blue Midnite {David Grisman} (4:57)
5. New River {Denny Zeitlin} (5:45)
6. Waltz For Gigi {David Grisman} (4:28)
7. DG/DZ Blues {David Grisman, Denny Zeitlin} (8:48)
8. On The March {Denny Zeitlin} (10:31)
9. Fourtheen Miles To Barstow {David Grisman} (7:25) 

Total Time: 59:44

Credits:
Producer [Dawg Productions] - David Grisman, Denny Zeitlin
Executive Producer - Craig Miller

Denny Zeitlin Trio feat. Buster Williams, Matt Wilson - In Concert (2009)

Jazz has always had renaissance men: Duke Ellington and Miles Davis were visual artists of universal renown. Milt Hinton was a spectacular photographer. And Billy Taylor is an accomplished author. Pianist, composer, educator, psychiatrist Denny Zeitlin the composer of the jazz standard Quiet Now, and an artist with more than sixteen recordings as a leader who has worked and recorded with everybody, from Charlie Haden and Herbie Hancock to Pat Metheny makes his Sunnyside debut with his release, In Concert, featuring bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson. 

The CD's nine tracks were recorded at L.A.'s Jazz Bakery, and The Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, N.M., from 2001 to 2006. For the seventy-year-old Zeitlin, this delightful aural document his first since his 2004 Maxx Jazz release Slickrock, also with Williams, and Wilson captures the full range of his profound, penetrating, and propulsive pianism in simpatico with William's anchor-sure basslines and Wilson's articulate and angular drumming. Their soulful and syncopated synchronicity reinvigorates the CD's four standards. John Coltrane's Mr. P.C. is delivered at a breakneck pace on a 24-bar minor blues form, with Zeitlin's fleet-fingered unaccompanied solo crossing blues and free boundaries. I was galvanized by Coltrane's music as I was developing my approach in high school and college, Zeitlin writes on the CD liner notes, and Giant Steps was a favorite LP. 

The Jerome Brainer/Buddy Bernier chestnut, The Night Has 1000 Eyes/10,000 Eyes, highlights Zeitlin's limitless ability to recompose a tune; in this case, by adding catchy vamps. I've reworked this piece so extensively, adding several new sections, that I announce it as The Night Has 10,000 Eyes when we perform, Zeitlin writes. Cole Porter's 'All of You' is also rendered with a new melodic lease on life This is one of my all-time favorite standards, and I have extensively re-harmonized it, hopefully retaining the core of the song, Zeitlin writes. We have played this arrangement for years, and the structure seems endlessly intriguing... I love the relaxed groove the trio gets, and Buster and Matt's solidity and flexibility allow me to bend and stretch the time, and drape improvisatory lines over the bars into new territory. 

The rest unveils that new territory explored by Zeitlin and company with five original compositions. The leader's 'The We in Us' is a wistful Bill Evans-like opus written for his wife in celebration of their anniversary, contrasted by Zeitlin s Ornette Coleman-ish, funk-finessed Prime Times, that orbits around 5/4 and 7/4 time. Buster Williams moving and Mingusonian solo, Bass Prelude sets the sonic stage for Zeitlin and company s treatment of David Friesen's 'Signs & Wonders'. This is my favorite David Friesen composition, a minor bluesy 16-bar shuffle that begins mysteriously and impressionistically, and develops tremendous drive and groove, Zeitlin writes. We frequently end concerts with this piece, and it closes out this album. ~ Amazon.com.

Sunnyside Communications, SSC 1206, 2009
#3,4,6,8,9: Outpost Performance Space, Albuquerque, December 2004
#1,2,7: Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles, California, November 2006
#5: Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles, California, November 2001 

Musicians:
Denny Zeitlin - Piano
Buster Williams - Bass
Matt Wilson - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Mr. P.C. Part 1 {John Coltrane} (5:55)
2. Mr. P.C. Part 2 {John Coltrane} (6:52)
3. The Night Has 1000 Eyes /10,000 Eyes Part 1 {Bernier, Brainin/Zeitlin} (11:37)
4. The Night Has 1000 Eyes /10,000 Eyes Part 2 {Bernier, Brainin/Zeitlin} (7:57)
5. The We Of Us {Denny Zeitlin} (7:03)
6. All Of You {Cole Porter} (11:28)
7. Prime Times {Denny Zeitlin} (9:56)
8. Bass Prelude {Buster Williams} (4:35)
9. Signs And Wonders {David Friesen} (6:48) 

Total Time: 72:11

Credits:
Producer, Arranger - Denny Zeitlin
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Stephen Schmidt [Outpost]
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Drew Daniels [Jazz Bakery]
Additional Mixing & Mastering - Drew Daniels, Denny Zeitlin
Photography - Josephine Zeitlin
Graphic Design - Christopher Drukker

David Friesen - Other Times-Other Places (1989) [vinyl>flac]

The main reason to acquire this Global Pacific release is for the fine playing of Canadian saxophonist Phil Dwyer, who is heard on tenor and soprano. Otherwise, the music has its moments, particularly the interplay between pianist Denny Zeitlin and bassist David Friesen, and there are two vocals by Flora Purim, but the overall results are not all that memorable. Many of Friesen's dates as a leader tend to be on the sleepy and introspective side, fitting into the genre usually championed by Global Pacific but making the music less interesting than hoped for by jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG.

This LP is a much overlooked album by the master bassist David Friesen; featuring Denny Zeitlin, Phil Dwyer, Alan Jones, Airto and Flora Purim. The interplay between Denny Zeitlin is quite magical, highlighted on both Song For My Family and Years Though Time. In many ways the album showcases the amazing saxophone skills of Phil Dwyer. It is an exploration of his ability to work seamlessly alongside Friesen and add depth of scale to Friesen’s variant and elusive compositions. Listen to Tyrone's Dedication, Father's Delight, Our 25th Year, Childhood Walk and Above And Beyond for clarification. Both Alan Jones’ and Airto’s contributions render a solid backing to the majority of the tracks and Flora Purim’s vocals add a distinctive fusion-styled interest to Festival Dance and Song For My Daughter. As always Friesen’s bass sets the mood. His dynamically ranging sound is heard across a broad range of self penned tunes, sharing one with Alan Jones. This LP requires a few listens to truly appreciate its value, something which Scott Yanow may have overlooked in his underrated review.

Global Pacific Records, OZ 45245, 1989

Personnel:

David Friesen - Bass, Acoustic Bass, Keyboards, Mixing, Synthesizer

Phil Dwyer - Soprano & Tenor Saxophones

Denny Zeitlin - Piano

Alan Jones - Drums, Percussion, Synthesizer Bass

Airto Moreira - Percussion

Flora Purim - Vocals (#A1,A3)

Track Listing:

A1. Festival Dance {David Friesen} (4:06)

A2. Tyrone's Dedication {David Friesen, Alan Jones} (3:43)

A3. Song For My Daughter {David Friesen} (2:04)

A4. Father's Delight {David Friesen} (3:14)

A5. Song For My Family {David Friesen} (6:30)

B1. Our 25th Year {David Friesen} (3:58)

B2. Childhood Walk {David Friesen} (4:04)

B3. Years Though Time {David Friesen} (4:18)

B4. Above And Beyond {David Friesen} (4:26)

B5. Song For My Son {David Friesen} (3:04)

Credits:

Producer - David Friesen, Jeff Johnson

Executive Producer - Howard Sapper, Howard Morris, Barklie Henry

Mastering - David Mitson, Joe Gastwirt

Photography - Hiroshi Iwaya