Grammy Award-winning cellist/composer Eugene Friesen's most requested recordings from four solo albums: "The Song of Rivers," "In the Shade of Angels," "Sono Miho," and "Colorful Transitions."
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"For years I've wanted to release my four self-produced CDs with a bit more fanfare. These CDs were made in collaboration with some of the brightest lights in my musical life: Paul Halley, Howard Levy, Glen Velez, Chuck Loeb, Tim Ray, Tom Bates, and Jody Elff. Each contributed generously and uniquely to my music, but these tracks - and the genius of the above-mentioned - have never been appropriately heralded. Of course, it takes a lot of energy to promote and advertise and I've never done that, being content to offer my CDs at my live performances. Consequently, these beautiful tracks have largely not found their way into the libraries of listeners and cello lovers.
"The Essential Collection aims to remedy that by presenting a program of my favorite cuts that continue, for better or worse, to defy categorization. It is New Age. It is Jazz. It is Contemporary Classical. It is Sacred. It is World.
"Or it's none of those, and simply the music that sings out best when I'm not trying, when I'm sitting behind my cello and letting it do the speaking.
"My music is birthed by discoveries of what the cello does when faced with great drummers like Glen Velez and Jamey Haddad, inspired by African instruments like the kora and mbira, responding to un-classical sounds like harmonica or electric guitar, and influenced by composer/pianists like Paul Halley, and jazz giants Howard Levy and Tim Ray.
"Whatever it is, it's the music of my family and friends, of love, of nature, of life." - Eugene
The Program 1. Akatombo/Triangles 2. Shadowplay 3. Humpback Harmonies 4. Prelude in D Minor (J.S.Bach) 5. Cove 6. Hymn for the Pacific Rim (Of the Father's Love Begotten) 7. Voice of the Wood 8. First Ride 9. Dances of Rasputin 10. Remembering You 11. River Camp
1. Triangles/Akatombo (4:05) - Yamada, Miki, Friesen, Elff In 2004 I had the opportunity to spend seven nights recording in the extraordinary Miho Museum designed by I.M. Pei in Misono, Japan. The resulting CD, “Sono Miho,” was recorded in various locations in the museum. This opening track uses a loop created by sound designer and guitarist Jody Elff, a randomized three-note figure that gives the pulse of the music and calls to mind the triangular windows that create temples of light throughout the museum. We’ve overlaid a popular Japanese tune, “Akatombo,” along with our improvisations.
2. Shadowplay (4:21) – Eugene Friesen This is one of my favorite concert pieces, something that showcases a variety of plucking techniques (“pizzicato”) that have been inspired by listening to various folk instruments (mbira, kora), rock’n’roll, jazz, and Latin music all rolled into a pulsing whole. I love Tim Ray’s contributions on piano on this duo version. From “In the Shade of Angels.”
3. Humpback Harmonies (4:42) – Eugene Friesen The Humpback’s cello-like voice is a haunting, mysterious, and somehow restful reminder of a connection to the natural world. Thanks to decades of concerts with Paul Winter, this voice has been a constant in my career as a performer and always brings me back to my first eye-to-eye encounter with a Gray whale in Baja California, Mexico in February of 1979. This new recording features electric cello with an ensemble of cellos.
4. Prelude in D Minor (4:21) - J.S.Bach Recorded in the Miho Museum, this track was ‘take one’ in a dramatic gallery of enormous statues of the Buddha.
5. Cove (3:22) – Eugene Friesen Originally recorded for “The Song of Rivers,” produced for the San Joaquin River Preservation and Parkway Trust in my hometown of Fresno, California.
6. Hymn for the Pacific Rim/Of The Father’s Love Begotten (3:51) – Traditional/Eugene Friesen This medieval plainchant, "Divinum Mysterium," first appeared in print in the tenth century and was included in one of the Mennonite hymnbooks I grew up with. I created a polyrhythmic 9/8 time feel that seems to work well with the chant-like rhythm of the melody and sets the stage for Howard’s beautiful solo on wood flute and Glen Velez’s sparkling percussion work. This track also features guitarist Chuck Loeb playing acoustic steel-string and creating sweeping, orchestral dynamics on electric guitar. From “The Song of Rivers.”
7. Voice of the Wood (3:42) – Eugene Friesen Each morning as we were leaving the Miho Museum after a night of recording we were greeted by the song of the Japanese bush warbler, a distinctive and beautiful song brought to my attention by our friend Ryuichi Tashiro. This piece combines the elegance and grace of the museum with the crystalline clarity of the birdsong. The piece is dedicated to Ms. Hiroko Koyama and commemorates the 100th birthday of her mother, the museum’s founder, Mihoko Koyama. The recording is from “Colorful Transitions” with pianist Tim Ray.
8. First Ride (4:40) – Eugene Friesen & Paul Halley In November of 1986 Paul Winter invited Paul Halley and me to record some duets in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Though we came prepared with some composed pieces, Paul Winter suggested that we try improvising a bit to loosen up. The resulting improvisations became the album New Friend, and the piece First Ride was the first of our duets to really take flight. Since we wanted to include the piece in our concerts we transcribed our improvisation, and it has become a staple of our repertoire. This performance with Tim Ray is from “Colorful Transitions.”
9. Dances of Rasputin (5:19) – Bartok/Friesen Paul Winter developed an arrangement from a melody by Bela Bartok, “Ballad in 7/8,” that I’ve performed with the Consort since 1978. The arrangement features extended improvised solo cadenzas, and this version, “Dances of Rasputin,” is one of my favorite solo cello performances, recorded in Vermont in 2003 by Tom Bates for the CD, “In the Shade of Angels.” I think of it as American variations on a theme by Bartok. Bartok’s music contains an earthy energy born from the folk music of Hungary and Romania that he loved, and which has been great fun – and great therapy - to emulate in my improvs.
10. Remembering You (4:55) – Eugene Friesen & Paul Halley This tribute to my father, Dietrich Friesen (1914-1988), was originally a free improvisation that Paul Halley and I recorded on a live radio broadcast on WJHU in Baltimore, Maryland in 1987. “Remembering You” was first included on my 1988 album, “Arms Around You,” on Paul Winter’s Living Music Records. This recording is with pianist Tim Ray from the CD “Colorful Transitions.”
11. River Camp (4:11) – Eugene Friesen & Paul Halley We created this song to evoke the great energy that comes with getting kids near the water. The vision is of young people experiencing the out-of-doors: river swimming, canoeing, and immersion into the diversity of river flora and fauna. Dedicated to the San Joaquin River Parkway Preservation Trust’s river camps for children. From “The Song of Rivers.”
Purchase "The Essential Collection." Free shipping in US. (CDs will be shipped on 12/13) 1 CD - $15 2 CDs - $25 add $10 for each additional CD. Please submit payment through PayPal, button below. Thank you!
(Please submit Contact Form below to request autographed copies, or promotional copies to media outlets.)