Von Freeman
| Von Freeman | |
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 Von Freeman with vocalist Catherine Whitney |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Earle Lavon Freeman Sr. |
| Born | October 3, 1923 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, Hard bop |
| Occupations | Saxophonist |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone |
| Years active | 1930s–present |
Earle Lavon Freeman Sr. (born October 3, 1923, Chicago, Illinois) is an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. He is the father of jazz saxophonist Chico Freeman.[1]
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[edit] Biography
Freeman learned to play the saxophone as a child and at DuSable High School, where his band director was Walter Dyett. He began his professional career at age 16 in Horace Henderson's Orchestra. He was drafted into the Navy during World War II and played for a Navy band while in the service.
After his return to Chicago, where he has stayed ever since, he played with his brothers George Freeman on guitar and Bruz (Eldridge) Freeman (who passed away in 2006 aged 85 in Hawaii) on drums at the Pershing Hotel Ballroom. Various leading jazzmen such as Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie played there with the Freemans as the backing band. In the early 1950s, Von played in Sun Ra's band.[2]
Von Freeman's first venture into the recording studio took place in 1954, backing a vocal group called The Maples for Al Benson's Blue Lake label. He appeared on Andrew Hill's second single on the Ping label in 1956, followed by some recording for Vee-Jay with Jimmy Witherspoon and Al Smith in the late fifties, and a recorded appearance at a Charlie Parker tribute concert in 1970.
It was not until 1972 that Freeman first recorded under his own name, the album Doin' It Right Now with the support of Roland Kirk. His next effort was a marathon session in 1975 released over 2 albums by Nessa. Since then he has lived, played regularly and recorded in Chicago, his recordings including 3 albums with his son, the tenorist Chico Freeman and You Talkin' To Me with 22-year old saxophonist Frank Catalano, following their successful appearance at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1999.
Freeman is considered a founder of the "Chicago School" of jazz tenorists along with Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin and Clifford Jordan. His music has been described as "wonderfully swinging and dramatic" featuring a "large rich sound".[3]
He has a regular Tuesday night set and jam session at the New Apartment Lounge on Chicago's south side, featuring quartet members Mike Allemana (guitar), Matt Ferguson (bass), and Michael Raynor (drums). Von can also be heard at Andy's Jazz Club on select weekends with Ben Paterson (piano), Dan Anderson (bass), Betty Reynolds (voice), and Michael Raynor (drums).
"Vonski," as he is known by his jazz fans, was recently selected to receive the nation's highest jazz honor for the class of 2011-2012, the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award.[4]
[edit] Discography
- 1972: Doin' It Right Now (Atlantic Records)
- 1975: Have No Fear (Nessa Records)
- 1975: Serenade and Blues (Nessa Records)
- 1977: Young and Foolish
- 1981: Hyde Park After Dark (Bee Hive Records) with Clifford Jordan, Cy Touff
- 1989: Walkin' Tuff
- 1995: Fire- in Chicago with a group including Tatsu Aoki, Mike Raynor & Joanie Pallatto
- 1997: Live at the Blue Note - the 75th Birthday celebration
- 1999: Colors - Francesco Crosara, featuring Von Freeman (Southport Records)
- 1999: Von Freeman and Frank Catalano You Talkin' To Me?
- 2001: Live at the Dakota
- 2002: Improvisor - with various groups, live in Chicago
- 2003: Emotions - Francesco Crosara, Lilian Terry & Friends, featuring Von Freeman (TCB Records)
- 2004: The Great Divide - with Jimmy Cobb
- 2006: Good forever - with drummer Jimmy Cobb, pianist Richard Wyands and bassist John Webber, same trio as on his 2004 record The Great Divide
- 2009: Vonski Speaks - with his New Apartment Lounge Quartet - live in Berlin
[edit] References
- ^ Reich, Howard (10 January 2011), "Rewriting history: Chicago jazz legend Von Freeman's birth year is wrong", Chicago Tribune, http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-01-10/entertainment/ct-live-0111-jazz-von-freeman-20110110_1_vonski-new-apartment-lounge-chicago-jazz, retrieved 22 April 2011
- ^ Litweiler, John (1984). The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958. Da Capo. p. 141. ISBN 0-306-80377-1.
- ^ Litweiler, John (1984). The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958. Da Capo. p. 191. ISBN 0-306-80377-1.
- ^ Reich, Howard (19 April 2011), "Jazz at Symphony Center and Von Freeman's award", Chicago Tribune, http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-19/entertainment/ct-live-0420-jazz-news-20110419_1_jazz-at-symphony-center-arts-jazz-masters-award-jazz-advocates, retrieved 22 April 2011
