by Scott YanowFor his debut as a leader, pianist Don Friedman (in a trio with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Joe Hunt) performed six variations on a theme taken from an old folk song, "The Minstrel Boy." Called "Dawn," "Midday," "Rush Hour," "Sunset," "Early Evening," and "Night," these six jazz variations on a theme are often quite abstract and not as picturesque as one would think considering their titles. However, Friedman's playing (which shows the strong influence of modern classical music, particularly in its chords) rewards repeated listenings.