Donald Ernest Friedman (May 4, 1935 – June 30, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. He began playing in Los Angeles and moved to New York in 1958. In the 1960s, he played with both modern stylists and more traditional musicians.
Early life Friedman was born on May 4, 1935, in San Francisco. Both of his parents immigrated to the United States: his father, Edward Friedman, was from Lithuania, and his mother, Alma Loew, was from Germany. He began playing the piano at the age of four, switching from classical music to jazz after his family moved to Los Angeles when he was fifteen. His early jazz piano influence was Bud Powell. Friedman briefly studied composition at Los Angeles City College.
Later life and career On the West Coast, Friedman performed with Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker, Buddy DeFranco, and Ornette Coleman. He was also a member of Clark Terry's big band.
Friedman moved to New York permanently in 1958. In the 1960s, Friedman played with both modern jazz and more traditionally orientated musicians. The former included Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Jimmy Giuffre, Booker Little, and Attila Zoller; the latter included Bobby Hackett and Herbie Mann. Friedman's first album as a leader was A Day in the City, in 1961. Some of his early albums received top ratings from DownBeat, which also gave him its critics' poll New Star award. He was also an educator in New York. He had many fans in Japan.Don Friedman (1935-2016)
Friedman married three times; the first two ended in divorce. He died of pancreatic cancer, at home in the Bronx on June 30, 2016. Survivors were one daughter, actress and writer Lynn Adrianna Friedman, and a granddaughter.
Discography
As leader/co-leader Recording dateTitleLabelYear releasedPersonnel 1961-06-12A Day in the City Riverside1961Trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums) 1962-05-14Circle Waltz Riverside1962One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums) 1963-05-16Flashback Riverside1963Trio, with Dick Kniss (bass), Dick Berk (drums) 1964Dreams and Explorations Riverside1964Quartet, with Attila Zoller (guitar), Dick Kniss (bass), Dick Berk (drums) 1966-02-22Metamorphosis Prestige1966Quartet, with Attila Zoller (guitar), Richard Davis (bass), Joe Chambers (drums) 1975-07-08, -09Hope for TomorrowEast Wind1975Trio, with Lyn Christie (bass, electric bass), Bill Goodwin (drums) 1977-09-17Jazz DancingProgressive2015Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums) 1978-02-26, -27Later Circle RCA 1978Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums) 1978-03-21The ProgressiveProgressive 1978Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1978-06-26Hot Knepper and PepperProgressive 1994Co-leader with Pepper Adams (baritone sax); with Jimmy Knepper (trombone), George Mraz (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1978-08-30InvitationProgressive 1993Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums) 1978-09The Way We WereProgressive 1981Trio 1, with George Mraz (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums). Trio 2, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums). 1978-09-09The Don Friedman Trio also released as Love Music (2018)Progressive 1979Trio, with Frank Luther (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1979-05-20Themes and VariationsEGO 1979Solo piano 1979-07-22Don FriedmanSwedisc1980Trio, Marc Johnson (bass), Heinz Lied (drums) 1979-11-08Half & HalfInsights1997Duo, with Red Mitchell (bass) 1979-11-12Avenue of The AmericasOwl1980Solo piano 1984-09-22I Hear a RhapsodyStash 1985Solo piano 1961, 1985-10-31Memories for ScottyInsights1988Trio 1, with Scott LaFaro (bass), Pete LaRoca (drums).Trio 2, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums). Solo piano in 1985.Trio 1 tracks were reissued by Resonance Records in 2009 on Pieces of Jade. 1985-10-31Stella by StarlightInsights1994Solo piano; recorded Kukisaki Kenmin Center in Ibaraki Prefecture 1987-04-16Sweet View: Live in JapanApollon 1988Co-leader duo, with Eiji Nakayama (bass); in concert 1987-04-21Far Away LandBreak Time 1987Co-leader duo, with Eiji Nakayama (bass) 1992-04-12, -13Opus D'AmourSackville 1992Co-leader duo, with Don Thompson (bass) 1993-09-05Don Friedman at MaybeckConcord1994Solo piano; in concert 1995-03-13The Days of Wine and RosesSoul Note1996Trio, with Marco Ricci (bass), Giampiero Prina (drums) 1995-03-30Thingin'HatART1996Trio, with Lee Konitz (alto sax), Attila Zoller (guitar); in concert 1995-04Almost EverythingSteepleChase1995Trio, with Ron McClure (bass), Matt Wilson (drums) 1996-10-03, -04Red Sky WaltzAlfa1996Trio, with Santi Debriano (bass), Akira Tana (drums) 1996-11-09My Romance: Solo PianoSteepleChase1997Solo piano 1997-07PrismAbeat1997Trio, with Marco Ricci (bass), Stefano Bagnoli (drums) 1998Match PointTBR2000Most tracks quartet, with Tom Butts (tenor sax), Gary Mazzaroppi (bass), Frank Ferreri (drums); two tracks quintet, with Alyse Levy (vocals) added 1999-01-29Attila's DreamsEphemeris Jazz2001Quartet, with Andrew Cheshire (guitar), Ron McClure (bass), Joey Baron (drums) 1999-10-15Standards in CagliariSoul Note2003Trio, with Jeff Fuller (bass), Tommy Bradascio (drums); in concert 2000-04My Foolish HeartSteepleChase2003Quartet, with Jed Levy (tenor sax), Tim Ferguson (bass), Tony Jefferso (drums) 2002-05-28Waltz for DebbyEighty-Eight's2003One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2003-05-14, 2003-07-07Hot HouseChiaroscuro2004Quartet, with Tim Armacost (tenor sax), Ron McClure (bass), Tony Jefferson (drums) 2003-10-13My Favorite ThingsEighty-Eight's2004One track solo piano; other tracks trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2003-10-14TimelessEighty-Eight's2004VIP Trio, with John Patitucci (bass), Omar Hakim (drums) 2004-07-03Salzau Trio Live at Jazz BalticaSkip2005Trio, with Martin Wind (bass), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums); in concert at Jazz Baltica 2005-03-07Scarborough FairEighty-Eight's 2005VIP Trio, with Ron Carter (bass), Omar Hakim (drums) 2005-11Piano Works VI: From A To ZACT 2006Solo piano 2006-09-08Moon River: New York MonologueEighty-Eight's 2007Solo piano 2007-03-03, -04Waltz for MarilynJazz Excursion 2007Quartet, with Peter Bernstein (guitar), Martin Wind (bass), Tony Jefferson (drums) 2007-07-26Straight Ahead No Coast Jazz 2008Trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Joe Hunt (drums) 2008-07-06Alone TogetherEdition Longplay 2013Co-leader piano duet with Hank Jones, plus Martin Wind (bass), Matt Wilson (drums) 2008-11-15, -16I'd Like to Tell YouMusic Center 2009Trio, with Attilio Zanchi (bass), Tommy Bradascio (drums) 2009-07-04The Composer Live At Jazz Baltica Salzau Enja 2009 With Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), Martin Wind (bass), Joe LaBarbera (drums), Gerður Gunnarsdóttir and Elfa Run Kristinsdóttir (violin), Martin Stupka (viola), Stephan Braun (cello); in concert 2010-03-31Circle Waltz 21CEighty-Eight's 2010Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2011-07-02Don Friedman Plays Don FriedmanEdition Longplay 2012Solo piano 2015-04-10Nite LitesFresh Sound 2015Trio, with Harvie S (bass), Klemens Marktl (drums)
As a member Reuben Hoch and Time (with Reuben Hoch and Ed Schuller) Of Recent Time (Naim, 2006)
As sideman
With Booker Little Out Front (Candid, 1961) Booker Little and Friend (Bethlehem, 1961)
With Herbie Mann 1963: Herbie Mann Live at Newport (Atlantic, 1963) 1964: My Kinda Groove (Atlantic, 1965) 1960-1966: Our Mann Flute (Atlantic, 1966) 1964-1967 The Beat Goes On (Atlantic, 1967)
With Eiji Nakayama Conversation (Art Union, 1986) Sweet View: Eiji Nakayama Don Friedman Live in Japan (Jazz Road, 1987) Legend of the Lake (Jazz Road, 1988)
With Dave Pike Manhattan Latin (Decca, 1964) The Doors of Perception (Vortex, 1970) – rec. 1966
With Yuko Shigeno Shiny Stockings (Space Shower Music, 2011) Circle Waltz with Don Friedman (24 Jazz Japan, 2013)
With Hiromi Shimizu Waltz Tenderly (Jazz on Top, 2008) Live at Jazz on Top (Jazz on Top, 2010) – live
With Clark Terry It's What's Happenin' (Impulse!, 1967) In Concert: Live (Etoile, 1973) – live rec. 1970 Portraits (Chesky, 1989) – rec. 1988 Live on QE2 (Chiaroscuro, 2001) – live rec. 1999 Friendship (Eighty-Eight's, 2002) – also with Max Roach
With others Buddy Collette, Nice Day with Buddy Collette (Contemporary, 1957) Shauli Einav, "Generations" (Posi-Tone, 2013) Bruno De Filippi, In New York With Don Friedman Trio (Carosello, 1992) Herb Geller, At The Movies (Hep Jazz, 2007) Lee Konitz, Lee Konitz Meets Don Friedman (Insights, 1994) Hank De Mano, Listen to The Hank De Mano Quartet (Freeway Jazz, 1956) John Handy, No Coast Jazz (Roulette, 1960) Joe Henderson, Tetragon (Milestone, 1968) Elvin Jones, And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965) Don Lanphere, Into Somewhere (Hep, 1983) Charles Lloyd, Discovery! (Columbia, 1964) Nicole Pasternak, In A Word (Garagista Music, 2005) Sal Salvador Quintet, In Our Own Sweet Way (Stash, 1983) Grady Tate, She Is My Lady (Janus, 1972) Attila Zoller, The Horizon Beyond (EmArcy, 1965)
References
External links Don Friedman discography at JazzDiscography.com Don Friedman Jazz Pianist! at DonFriedman.net