Circle 3 Piano Trio

David Friesen (hemage bass), Paul Lees (piano), Charlie Doggett (drums)

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 80CD’s 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, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, China, Russia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Nigeriaand the Ukraine. 

David Friesen is included in 2 recent separate polls as one of the 100 Greatest Jazz Bassists of all time, and one of 20 of the most influential jazz bassists in the history of jazz.

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.

Friesen has written two musical scores for animated shorts, both of which have been Academy Award Nominees

David Friesen’s original composition Playground placed 2ndin the 2014 International Songwriting Competition with over 18,000 applicants.

Bassist David Friesen is a phenomenon, a player whose musicianship, tone, time and imagination are uncategorizable.
Nat Hentoff

http://www.davidfriesen.net

“Paul Lees is an amazing jazz pianist, composer, arranger and educator…a new star on the current world jazz stage. He holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies degree from the University of North Texas where he was a member of the seven-time Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. While a graduate student at UNT, Paul was a teaching fellow whose responsibilities included directing the Zebras ensemble and teaching the Jazz Keyboard Fundamentals course. He has recorded eight studio albums with various bands and artists, the most recent of which is This Light Has No Darkness, Vol. 1 with legendary jazz bassist David Friesen.

Paul has performed and/or recorded with Doc Severinsen, Christian McBride, Jimmy Heath, Wycliffe Gordon, Tom Harrell, Jon Faddis, James Morrison and many others. He has performed concerts in Vienna, Prague, Ukraine, Rio de Janeiro and the USA including Carnegie Hall in New York City.

He has also presented jazz masterclasses in Lagos, Nigeria at the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN) in November 2019.

“Covering a vast range of musical dynamics and distinguished by intimate exchanges between virtuosos Lees and Friesen, the suite unfolds as a musical manifestation of the spiritual light that offers forgiveness, hope and purpose.“
Ed Enright/DownBeat

Doggett, a drummer of imagination and curiosity, propels each tune with cunningness and unrelenting swing.
John Barron/All About Jazz.com

Charlie Doggett, drummer/percussionist/composer, is one of the most enigmatic drummers on the world jazz music scene today. 

He has earned a BA in Music from the University of Oregon, where he studied with Charles Dowd and Gary Versace. He has performed with a long list of stellar artists including, Charles McPherson, John Gross, Javon Jackson, Ralph Bowen, David Friesen, Glen Moore, Ben Wolfe, Nancy King, David Frishberg, Darrell Grant, Poncho Sanchez, and Titos Sompa. He has appeared at such festivals as, British Columbia’s du MaurierInternational Jazz Festival, the Medicine Hat Jazz Festival, Alberta, Canada, Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival, the Ballard Jazz Festival, and the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz. His performances have been featured on Branford Marsalis’ NPR Jazz Set Program, the WB’s prime time show „Jack & Jill“ and the title track for the movie „Kat and Allison“ He is on the David Friesen CD releases Five and Three, Brilliant Heart, Morning Star, Where the Light Falls and Triple Exposure.

Circle 3 Piano Trio

CD Review: The trio’s joyful interactions offer surprise, beauty, and depth at every turn. „…a fabulous musical fabric with rippling and sometimes broodingly percussive, tumbling grooves upon which foundation they create a unique sonic architecture.“ – JazzDaGama

Cadence Critic’s Poll
Top Ten CDs of 2019
Top Ten Critic’s Pick

David Friesen Interaction, Origin Records

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.
Doug Ramsey/Downbeat, Jazz Times

David Friesen, Prodigious technique … compelling story telling … mood-exploring … spaciousness of spirit … one of those musicians who can never get enough of music.
William Minor