Search - Don Friedman :: Dreams & Explorations

Another step after "Flashbacks" in the abstract direction

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 01/24/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album by Don Friedman is split in two parts essentially (hard bop and abstracts) as it was the case of another fine Friedman album "Flashback" (a very very good album from the year before, 1963). Simply here they played more abstracts and less standards but the balance is more or less the same. The band is the same that recorded Flashback (Friedman, Kniss, Berk) plus Attila Zoeller on the guitar this time. A very clever addiction because Zoeller plays very well here, he is deep inside the music, inspired and very present.



The second part of the album (the one that I think it's the best) is a classic sixties hard bop date very well played. The inspiration is very high from every player, the time on the notes exceptional from every player. "Israel" is a swinger in minor, "Darn that dream" is one of the most haunting ballads ever written. This version is quite nice!! The last standard "You stepped out of a dream" is opened by Zoeller with a solo introduction but briefly after the tune enters in its first chrous. It is played up. Zoeller does surprise me. I didn't know him. I have to admit it is a great mistake to have overlooked him. He plays convincingly with a good phrasing, good articulation. He's deep inside the music, very inspired to me. Don Friedman is spectacular really. I think he is an incredibly underrated pianist. I don't how many jazz fans really know these albums from the sixties .. they're great albums.



The abstract part is composed by the first four tracks. It is strange music .. free music without predefined forms. It is the free thing .. at one point the music starts to swing in the first tune but without harmonic fixed points, the second tune "Exploration" is better, it swings properly but it's "abstract" .. I mean, it's interesting music (in some points at least), a lot more than abstracts from other players, but .. in the abstract music there's always a "but" you can say ... like in modern art ... you know you cannot judge the thing with the common sense .. you can like it or don't.



I can't say that I love abstracts neither that I hate them. I think the title is correct. They are dreams and explorations and we must take them for what they are.



Anyway while you're thinking if you like it or not you arrive at "Israel" and the great, really REALLY great music starts again. So my advice is to buy this one. =)))"