David Friesen (born May 6, 1942) is an American jazz bassist born in Tacoma, Washington. Friesen plays the double bass as well as electric upright bass.Friesen was an autodidact on bass, having picked it up while serving in the Army in Germany. He played with John Handy and Marian McPartland and following this, with Joe Henderson; in 1975, he toured in Europe with Billy Harper. His first record as a session leader appeared that same year.