“Don Friedman is probably playing better now than at any other period of his splendid career. Maturity has brought a deepening of emotional expression, a refinement of touch and the knowledge of exactly how much he wants to say within a given performance……On this beautifully conceived and executed CD, Don is in the bright company of three musicians who share his aims and ideals, and hold true to the tenets of balancing spontaneity with organisational clarity and discipline…” (Mark Gardner – linernotes)

NY’s venerable veteran bassist Ron McClure’s new release is a case of “Lost and Found”. The recording was made 32 years ago at Manhattan’s upper Eastside nightclub Danshaku (Baron in Japanese). McClure was hired to play a gig and formed a trio with pianist Don Friedman (1925-2016) and guitarist Vic Juris (1953-2019). The gig was privately recorded but the tape was lost. Long story short, the missing tape was found last year in a NY apartment and its sound has been restored meticulously for us to experience a fabulous night of NY jazz scene three decades ago. “McClure is recognized for inventive improvising, creative compositions in a wide variety of settings and immaculate tone.” (Ken Dryden – NYCJR on 31935 Night Quest)

Pianist Don Friedman (1935-2016) was picked by Down Beat in the 1960s as a Talent Deserving Wider Recognition and he gathered a handful of their five-star reviews during that period. He had a fulfilling career, working regularly until shortly before his death. His discography includes a blinding number of recordings, but he was never as widely respected as he should have been. The session at hand (recorded 9/12/78 in New York) is a beautiful trio session and the tune selection is outstanding - classics like Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Fine and Dandy, and Easy Living. Friedman has beautiful command of the keyboard, and enough imagination to wring the maximum effect from each performance.

Almost Everything

My Romance