“The David Friesen compositions are all gorgeous, rich and accessible, each tune more beautiful than the first and absolutely wonderful soloing and ensemble play at its highest level.” JM/Jazz Clubscene
“Everything the trio plays is colored with a pronounced individuality. The harmonic depth, intense rhythm and subtle interaction they employ mesmerizes an audience.” D. Ramsey/Downbeat, Jazz Times
David Friesen: bass
“It’s been said of David Friesen that he does for the art of bass playing what Pythagoras did for the triangles.” Patrick Hinely/Jazz Times
David Friesen has recorded over 75 CDs as a leader/ co-leader and appeared as a sideman or featured artist on more than 100 recordings. He has performed and/ or recorded with many of the great names and legends of jazz including: Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Michael Brecker, Bud Shank, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Clark Terry, Joe Venuti, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Kenny Drew Sr., Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, Slim Gaillard, John Scofield, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Paul Motian, Jack Dejohnette, Airto Moreira, and many others. He has performed in concert as a soloist (Friesen is one of two or three bassists in the world that is able to play a solo concert and keep an audience riveted) and with his own groups throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey, Poland, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Chile, China, Russia, Lithuania and the Ukraine.
In a 2006 jazz bass poll, David Friesen was listed as one of the 20 most influential bass players in the history of jazz. Also included in a recent poll as one of the 100 Greatest Jazz Bassists of all time.
In 1997 he was nominated for the best jazz bassist in the American Jazz Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Friesen was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame at the first induction ceremony Sept. 2007 and the Oregon Jazz Society Hall of Fame May 2012.
“Bassist David Friesen is a phenomenon, a player whose musicianship, tone, time and imagination are uncategorizable.” Nat Hentoff
Martin Hathaway: alto
“Martin Hathaway is still Britain’s most underrated alto saxophonist.” Dave Gelly/The Observer
Martin Hathaway was born in Chelmsford in 1969. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London from 1987, graduating in 1991 with first class honours and the LGSM diploma in Jazz Studies. He is probably best known for his long association (since 1988) with the legendary British jazz pianist and composer Michael Garrick, playing saxophones, clarinet and flute in many of his projects, including his Big Band and the ‘New Quartet’. Martin has played with many of Britain’s leading jazz musicians in smaller group contexts, including Kenny Wheeler, Stan Sulzmann, Mick Hutton, Liam Noble, Julian Siegel, Phil Robson, Martin Speake, Harry Beckett, Clark Tracey, Don Rendell, Nikki Iles, Stacey Kent, Jacqui and Alec Dankworth, Alan Barnes, Digby Fairweather and Jim Mullen, and has worked extensively as a session musician, recording music for radio, television and film. He has also performed and recorded with ‘Radiohead’, appearing on their best-selling CD ‘Kid A’. Martin Hathaway was appointed Head of Jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in September 2007 and has been a Professor there since 1991.
Barry Green: piano
“Green’s virtuosity…his work can be both intricate and assertive and is constantly inventive.” Pete Martin/Jazz UK
Barry Green studied classical and jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2002. He regularly performs with Ingrid Laubrock, Mark Lockheart, Bobby Wellins Bob Martin and Martin Speake and is a member of Larry Bartley’s trio and octet. Barry has also played with Julian Arguelles, Julian Siegel and US alto sax legend Richie Cole and and recorded with American rhythm section Ben Street and Jeff Williams. As well as working with instrumentalists, he has played with many London-based vocalists such as Rachael Calladine, Lee Gibson, Tina May, Christine Tobim and Anita Wardell. He is a member of Ingrid Laubrock’s award-winning quartet