Anyone acquainted with David Friesen's exceptional music quickly thinks of his creative universe. Ocean-deep in his sensitivity to the human spirit, Friesen is compassionate and his music founded on integrity and the pursuit of excellence.
David Friesen has recorded over 80 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, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey, Poland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, China, Russia, Lithuania, Czech Republic and the Ukraine.
In a recent 2006 jazz bass poll, David Friesen was listed as one of the 20 most influential bass players in the history of jazz. He is also included in a recent poll as one of the 100 Greatest Jazz Bassists of all time.
Friesen was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame at the first induction ceremony Sept. 2007 and the Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame in May 2012.
David Friesen's original composition Playground placed 2nd in the 2014 International Songwriting Competition with over 18,000 applicants.