A Light Shining Through
Origin, 2024
8/10
Listen to A Light Shining Through
The multi-instrumentalist David Friesen is joined by some excellent players for nods to the ‘70s thanks to these 16 organic and emotive songs.
“Little Ella Bella” starts the listen with Friesen’s hemage bass alongside Joe Manis’ tenor sax and Alex Fantaev’s percussion for the uniquely rhythmic opener, and “Time Through Light” follows with Friesen handling percussion alongside the sax from Manis that emits much warmth.
Further along, “Blue And Red” benefits from Friesen’s bright keys amid the playful sax, while “Staircase” allows for the soulful sax and playfully plucked bass to shine next to the violins and viola thanks to the Kyiv Mozart String Quartet.
Much deeper, “Festival” lets the bass buzz and percussion mesmerize in a bare climate, and “Forgiveness” exits with Manis lending clarinet to the intimate keys from Friesen that makes for exceptional beauty.
An effort of charming vignettes that touches on ancestral discoveries, the origin of this album goes back to Friesen’s visit to his mother’s home of Ukraine, and it yields a record of spirituality, hope and purpose.
Travels well with: Andy Wheelock- Whee3trio: In The Wheelhouse; Jason Keiser- Kind Of Kenny