Don Friedman - I Hear a Rhapsody (Empathy/Stash, 1984)

This post is by Dan

Don Friedman (p)

Recorded September 22, 1984

I recall the days when Don Friedman was compared with Bill Evans, a comparison that was probably unfair to both pianists. Friedman's three early albums on Riverside (Scenes of the City, 1961; Circle Waltz, 1982; and Flashback, 1963) were offered as evidence of Evans' influence on contemporary players. The evidence was mostly superficial and perhaps mainly useful in Riverside's marketing of Friedman.

As I explored Friedman's music on my own some years later, I questioned the notion that Friedman was an Evans disciple. The "concept album," Scenes of the City bore no resemblance to Evans albums. Both Circle Waltz and Flashback showed Friedman as a distinct voice. Two subsequent albums - Dreams and Explorations (Riverside, 1964) and Metamorphosis (Prestige, 1966) further established Friedman's originality.

Friedman's recording output became spotty after his 1960s recordings, coinciding with changes on the business side of jazz. It was not until the 1990s that I picked up a CD of I Hear a Rhapsody. I was surprised to learn that it was recorded ten years earlier by the small Empathy Records label. I wondered why music this great had not been more widely available. Listening to the set of standards and originals on Rhapsody, one can only be dismayed by the obtuse mindset of the music business. 

I managed to track down the original Empathy release on LP, but the Stash CD is better sonically. The LP cover is shown to the left.

I Hear a Rhapsody is an outstanding solo recital that goes beyond anything Bill Evans might have done (or did) in a solo format. Friedman typically honors the original melody of a song but goes on to embellish, elaborate, invert, and transform it into something more expressive than the original. However, he avoids the extremes that players like Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau indulge in, given similar opportunities. Each of Friedman's reconstructions of a song places limits on extravagance and duration. 

Fortunately, the number of Friedman's recordings increased dramatically in the 1990s and following years. His Maybeck recital in 1994 was followed by an outpouring of excellent recordings for SteepleChase, 441 Records, Soul Note, ACT, Eighty-Eights, Sackville and other labels. My favorites among these are listed below. Both trio and solo albums are included.

Friedman's last official album was Strength and Sanity, a tribute to another great artist - trumpeter Booker Little. Friedman accompanied Little on two adventurous 1960s albums: Booker Little & Friend (Bethlehem, 1961) and Out Front (Candid, 1961). Strength and Sanity is a pricey limited edition Newvelle recording on clear vinyl. It's a first-class ending to a brilliant career for Friedman, who died in 2016 at the age of 81.

Highly recommended Don Friedman albums:

The Days of Wine and Roses (Soul Note, 1995)

Almost Everything (SteepleChase, 1995)

My Romance (SteepleChase, 1996)

Waltz for Debby (441 Records, 2002)

Timeless (441 Records, 2003)

My Favorite Things (441 Records, 2003)

From A to Z (ACT, 2006)

Moon River - New York Monologue (Eighty-Eights, 2006) 

Circle Waltz 21C (Eighty-Eights, 2010)

Nite Lites (Fresh Sound, 2015)