Once in a great while, a musician emerges with such authority and such seemingly effortless originality that his place in the front ranks of his instrument is unquestioned.
— Nat Hentoff, Village Voice
Friesen’s strengths — awesome technique, power, singing tone, almost metaphysical dedication — have been chronicled often. But there is also an innate nobility, immediately recalling a statement by Vladimir Nabokov: “Beauty plus pity — that is the closest we can get to a definition of art.” Friesen achieves that beauty; enfolded within it, just beyond the grasp of speech, is a compassion closer to the German word for pity, Mitleid, the act of suffering with.
— Richard M. Sudhalter, New York Post
Few solo musicians on any instrument have made music as powerful and deeply moving as David Friesen.
— Larry Kelp, Oakland Tribune
He does for the art of bass playing what Pythagoras did for the triangles.
— Patrick Hinely, Jazz Times
One of the most eminent exponents of the instrument, he maintains an astonishing level of virtuosity.
— Leonard Feather, noted jazz critic
David Friesen’s gifts are multiple. At first, he impresses with his awesome technique. Then comes the realization of the richness of his ideas.
— Chuck Berg, DownBeat
Double-bass player David Friesen is a miracle: a rounded, powerful tone, a splendid sense of time, which contributes hugely to the rollicking, powerful swing which he generates throughout every measure. His pizzicato technique has, literally, to be heard to be believed; his solo creations are unbelievable in their logic and completeness; his support for the blowers is tremendous; double and triple stopping decorate his improvisations, demonstrating a complete mastery of the art of playing in tune.
— Ken Rattenbury, Crescendo & Jazz Music (England)
David Friesen’s music is extremely complex while retaining a simple beauty.
— Lee Hildebrand, San Francisco Music Express
Bassist David Friesen is a phenomenon, a player whose musicianship, tone, time and imagination are uncategorizable.
— Nat Hentoff
David Friesen is a musical artist whose originality, zest, skill, prodigious productivity, steadfast faith matched with flexibility, and innovative leadership are joyously wed in a man who loves to play and inspires that same love of music in others.
— William Minor, Jazz Times
Selected Press Quotes · Piano Music
Friesen’s supple touch on the piano, an instrument he’s not generally known for. A reverence – lower register continuity laced with sublime melody.
— DownBeat
Friesen presents a solo piano set which is introspective, tranquil, sparely articulated and starkly beautiful.
— Dan McCleaghan, All About Jazz
It really is piano instrumental music that exists on a plane all of it’s own. Well done David Friesen.
— Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Mr. Friesen’s performance on the beautifully-toned Ravenscroft grand piano is no less stunning. The manner in which he finely calibrates the ebb and flow of the music is more nuanced than many pianists married to the instrument and the convincing manner in which he appears overcome by the music’s emotion rather than the intricacy of its melodic invention makes for a refreshingly un-egoistic performance that works on so many levels that it puts many a solo piano performance in the shade with the sheer purity of its expressive intent.
— Raul da Gama, JazzdaGama
David Friesen’s piano playing in a nutshell: recognizable, yet slightly different. Feast!
— Mattie Poels, Music Frames (Holland)