Willis Jackson & Von Freeman - Lockin' Horns

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:28
Size: 108.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Soul jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[10:08] 1. Pow!
[ 7:10] 2. The Man I Love
[ 6:33] 3. Troubled Times
[ 6:24] 4. Summertime
[ 8:26] 5. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[ 8:45] 6. Willis And Von

This album has a somewhat unlikely matchup. While Willis "Gator" Jackson's roots are in honking and screaming R&B, and he later became a top-notch soul-jazz player, Von Freeman's unusual tone and exploratory style resulted in him being associated with the avant-garde and post-bop. However, this encounter works well. With organist Carl Wilson, guitarist Joe "Boogaloo" Jones and drummer Yusef Ali giving strong support, the two tenors challenge each other, romp on "Pow!" and "Willis and Von," and show off their highly original sounds on individual features. ~Scott Yanow

Lockin' Horns

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Kurt Elling - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:39
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Close Your Eyes
(6:36)  2. Dolores Dream
(6:20)  3. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
(6:59)  4. (Hide The) Salomé
(1:32)  5. Married Blues
(6:16)  6. Storyteller Experiencing Total Confusion
(5:33)  7. Never Say Goodbye (For Jodi)
(3:09)  8. Those Clouds Are Heavy, You Dig?
(3:58)  9. Wait 'Till You See Her
(4:50) 10. Hurricane
(2:03) 11. Now It Is Time That Gods Came Walking Out
(5:53) 12. Never Never Land
(4:15) 13. Remembering Veronica

For his debut recording, Chicago vocalist Elling pushes the envelope, challenging listeners and his musicians with beat poetry, ranting, and his Mark Murphy-ish singing. There's quite a bit of dramatist/actor in Elling, although the romantic in him is also pretty prevalent. Acting much like a tenor saxophonist, Elling can wail and shout, expound on social themes, and scat like a demon. Help from the extraordinary pianist Laurence Hobgood, bassists Eric Hochberg and Rob Amster, and drummer Paul Wertico inspires Elling to even higher plateaus, while tenor saxophone foils Ed Peterson and Von Freeman appear separately on three of the 13 tracks. Elling writes a ton of lyrics. His take on Wayne Shorter's "Dolores" is "Dolores Dream," on which the singer speaks of Chi-Town in terms both favorable (hanging out at the Green Mill jazz club) and not so favorable ("fat frying, spluttering rank Chicago smeltering along, smothered in hot wooly sweat"), with a maniacal swing following his a cappella intro. His ramrod scatting is amazing both on this piece and on an exploratory take of Herbie Hancock's "Hurricane." A "So What"-type modality informs "(Hide The) Salome," with vicious scatting and Freeman's tenor in complete, frustrated agreement. Elling's poetic recitation of "Married Blues" and the avant beat style of "Now It Is Time" show his reverence for Rexroth and Rilke, respectively. As far as pure singing goes, "All the Sad Young Men" is beautifully rendered similar to Murphy, but not as overtly pronounced. "Close Your Eyes" opens with a tender piano intro, flowing into bass/vocal wistfulness and a midtempo romp. Elling extrapolates on the original lyric and scats feverishly on the bridge. He is at his most sexual on the slinky bossa "Never Say Goodbye" and the ballad "Storyteller Experiencing Total Confusion," with Peterson's sax shyly filling in cracks of fear and disillusionment. There's clearly more in store for Elling as he matures, but this is as auspicious a vocal jazz debut as the world has heard. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/close-your-eyes-mw0000644447

Personnel: Kurt Elling (vocals); Edward Peterson, Von Freeman (tenor saxophone); Laurence Hobgood (piano, synthesizer); Dave Onderdonk (acoustic & electric guitars); Rob Amster (acoustic & electric basses); Eric Hochberg (acoustic bass); Paul Wertico (drums, percussion).

Close Your Eyes

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Chico Freeman / Von Freeman - Freeman & Freeman

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:08
Size: 162.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1981/2008
Art: Front

[ 8:12] 1. I Can't Get Started
[19:58] 2. Paying New York Dues
[ 6:36] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[ 6:18] 4. Lover Man
[14:30] 5. Undercurrent
[ 5:27] 6. I Remember You
[10:04] 7. Jug Ain't Gone

The two tenors Chico Freeman and father Von Freeman had an opportunity to team up on this CD. Recorded live in concert, the Freemans are assisted by pianist Kenny Barron (Muhal Richard Abrams takes his place on "Paying New York Dues"), bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Von actually sounds the more modern of the two (due to his unusual tone) on a set mostly comprised of standards, plus McBee's "Undercurrents" and the lengthy jamming blues "Jug Ain't Gone," a tribute to Gene Ammons. The straight-ahead but sometimes eccentric music has its surprising moments, and the Freemans mostly battle to a tie. ~Scott Yanow

Freeman & Freeman

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Von Freeman - Lester Leaps In

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:56
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

(12:55)  1. Scrapple from the Apple
( 3:31)  2. All About Ronnie
( 9:55)  3. I Love You
( 9:12)  4. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(11:33)  5. The Whippenpoof Song
(14:48)  6. Lester Leaps In

Although Von Freeman's unusual, very recognizable tone has been admired by jazz's avant-garde, the tenorman has always been a hard bopper/post-bopper first and foremost. And that's what makes a Freeman recording jump right out at you -- his tone sounds like it belongs on an AACM recording, but he tackles swift bop chord changes with such enthusiasm that you know bop was his calling. Freeman is in fine form on Lester Leaps In, an unapologetic hard bop date employing pianist Jodie Christian, bassist Eddie de Haas and drummer Wilbur Campbell. The saxman was 69 when this CD was recorded in Paris, and he sounds like he's very much in his prime on hard-swinging, passionate versions of Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple" and Lester Young's "Lester Leaps In." The album is unlikely to convert those who aren't already sold on Freeman's merits, but the Chicagoan's admirers wound do well to find a copy. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/lester-leaps-in-mw0000665452

Personnel:  Von Freeman (Saxophone); Jodie Christian (Piano); Eddie de Haas (Bass); Wilbur Campbell (Drums).

Lester Leaps In

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Kurt Elling - Live In Chicago

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:25
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:50)  1. Downtown
(12:17)  2. My Foolish Heart
( 8:29)  3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
( 3:51)  4. Oh My God
( 8:58)  5. Night Dream
( 5:20)  6. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
( 1:44)  7. Intro: (Esperanto)
( 5:16)  8. Esperanto
( 3:38)  9. Don't Get Scared
( 0:44) 10. Intro: (Goin' To Chicago)
( 5:39) 11. Goin' To Chicago
( 0:43) 12. Intro: (The Rent Party)
( 8:18) 13. The Rent Party
( 1:30) 14. Blues Chaser

Fans of Kurt Elling have long known that his recordings, as clever and well-orchestrated as they might be, don't quite match up to the power and charm of his live performances. Years of holding court at the Green Mill and other Chicago clubs are what really have brought Elling his most devoted followers, so it is exciting to see that Blue Note's new Elling album is a document of three special nights spent recording at the legendary Uptown jazz club. And indeed, with a few small exceptions, the album shows off Elling at his best  loose, uninhibited, creative, and solid. His standard backing trio has never been tighter and more balanced, and the performance of pianist (and Elling collaborator) Lawrence Hobgood really shines. Three saxophonists Von Freeman, Ed Petersen and Eddie Johnson manage to blend together in perfectly balanced harmonies, as well as command attention in solos of their own. 

Chicago's own Khalil El'Zabar makes a fine appearance, and a rare contribution by legendary jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks shows that he can still steal a show. The enthusiasm of the highly appreciative audience is captured, as well as more than a little evidence of the noise in the surrounding bar. The three nights of recording produced some fine versions of new and classic songs, including "Esperanto," Elling's pairing of the poetry of Pablo Neruda with the music of Vince Mendoza's jazz classic, "Esperança"; and "The Rent Party," which recalls Elling's jazz-poet days at the beginning of his career. ~ Stacia Proefrock http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-chicago-mw0000672757

Personnel: Kurt Elling, Jon Hendricks (vocals); Von Freeman, Ed Petersen, Eddie Johnson (tenor saxophone); Laurence Hobgood (piano); Rob Amster (acoustic bass); Michael Raynor (drums); Kahil El 'Zabar (hand drums).

Live In Chicago

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Von Freeman - Never Let Me Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:44
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:26)  1. I'll Remember April
( 5:33)  2. Never Let Me Go
( 9:48)  3. Alone Together
( 7:32)  4. In My Solitude
( 7:17)  5. I'll Follow You
(12:19)  6. It Could Happen To You
( 9:45)  7. The End Of A Love Affair

Not nearly as famous as his son Chico Freeman (also a tenor saxophonist), Von Freeman was nevertheless an equally if not more so accomplished jazz musician. While not a free jazz player per se, Von exhibited traits commonly associated with the avant-garde: a roughly hewn, vocalic tone; a flexible, somewhat imprecise approach to rhythm, and a fanciful harmonic concept. The son of a ragtime-loving policeman and guitar-playing housewife, Freeman himself began playing music around the age of two, beginning on the family piano. He was surrounded by music from a young age; his maternal grandfather and uncle were guitarists, and his brothers George and Bruz also became jazz musicians (on guitar and drums, respectively). At the age of seven, Freeman made a primitive saxophone by removing the horn from his parents' Victrola and boring holes in it. Shortly thereafter he began playing clarinet, then C-melody saxophone. Louis Armstrong was an early influence.

Freeman attended Chicago's DuSable High School, where his band director was the famed educator Captain Walter Dyett. He also learned harmony from the school's chorus director, Mrs. Bryant Jones. Freeman worked for about a year with Horace Henderson's Orchestra (1940-1941). He played in a Navy band while in the military (1941-1945). Following that, he played in the house band at Chicago's Pershing Ballroom (1946-1950), and for a time with Sun Ra (1948-1949). While at the Pershing, he played with many of the top jazz musicians who passed through town, including Charlie Parker. Freeman developed an underground reputation among Chicago-area musicians, and purportedly influenced members of the city's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Freeman seldom left Chicago and recorded infrequently, therefore never achieving a great measure of fame.

Freeman recorded with Milt Trenier for Cadet in the mid-'60s; Rahsaan Roland Kirk produced a Freeman session for Atlantic in 1972. In the late '70s (as his son Chico became well-known) Von was discovered by a somewhat wider audience. In 1982, Chico and Von shared a Columbia LP with pianist Ellis Marsalis and his sons Wynton and Branford (Fathers & Sons). 

In the '90s Freeman recorded for the Steeplechase and Southport labels. Freeman was one of the great individualists of the tenor saxophone, and remained creatively vital through the end of the millennium. Freeman died of heart failure in 2012. ~ Chris Kelsey  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/von-freeman-mn0000182113/biography

Personnel:  Von Freeman(ts), Jodie Christian(p), Eddie de Haas(b), Wilbur Campbell(dr)

Never Let Me Go

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Von Freeman Quartet - Dedicated To You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:22

Size: 147.3 MB

Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1994

Art: Front

[10:08] 1. There Is No Greater Love

[ 7:38] 2. Dedicated To You

[ 7:37] 3. Song For My Father

[11:55] 4. My Foolish Heart

[10:22] 5. Anthropology

[ 7:41] 6. There Goes My Heart

[ 8:57] 7. Four

Not nearly as famous as his son Chico Freeman (also a tenor saxophonist), Von Freeman was nevertheless an equally -- if not more so -- accomplished jazz musician. While not a free jazz player per se, Von exhibited traits commonly associated with the avant-garde: a roughly hewn, vocalic tone; a flexible, somewhat imprecise approach to rhythm, and a fanciful harmonic concept. The son of a ragtime-loving policeman and guitar-playing housewife, Freeman himself began playing music around the age of two, beginning on the family piano. He was surrounded by music from a young age; his maternal grandfather and uncle were guitarists, and his brothers George and Bruz also became jazz musicians (on guitar and drums, respectively). At the age of seven, Freeman made a primitive saxophone by removing the horn from his parents' Victrola and boring holes in it. Shortly thereafter he began playing clarinet, then C-melody saxophone. Louis Armstrong was an early influence.

Freeman attended Chicago's DuSable High School, where his band director was the famed educator Captain Walter Dyett. He also learned harmony from the school's chorus director, Mrs. Bryant Jones. Freeman worked for about a year with Horace Henderson's Orchestra (1940-1941). He played in a Navy band while in the military (1941-1945). Following that, he played in the house band at Chicago's Pershing Ballroom (1946-1950), and for a time with Sun Ra (1948-1949). While at the Pershing, he played with many of the top jazz musicians who passed through town, including Charlie Parker. Freeman developed an underground reputation among Chicago-area musicians, and purportedly influenced members of the city's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Freeman seldom left Chicago and recorded infrequently, therefore never achieving a great measure of fame.

Freeman recorded with Milt Trenier for Cadet in the mid-'60s; Rahsaan Roland Kirk produced a Freeman session for Atlantic in 1972. In the late '70s (as his son Chico became well-known) Von was discovered by a somewhat wider audience. In 1982, Chico and Von shared a Columbia LP with pianist Ellis Marsalis and his sons Wynton and Branford (Fathers & Sons). In the '90s Freeman recorded for the Steeplechase and Southport labels. Freeman was one of the great individualists of the tenor saxophone, and remained creatively vital through the end of the millennium. Freeman died of heart failure in 2012. ~bio by Chris Kelsey

Dedicated To You

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Louis Smith Quintet - Silvering

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:55
Size: 155.5 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 9:10] 1. I'll Remember April
[ 7:17] 2. Au Privave
[10:18] 3. Roadies
[ 4:45] 4. What Is This Thing Called Love
[10:04] 5. Body And Soul
[ 7:44] 6. Silvering
[11:35] 7. Stella By Starlight
[ 7:00] 8. Blues For Alice

Even after the re-entry to the recording scene with his first SteepleChase recording SCCD 31096 “Just Friends” in 1978 ending his two decades’ silence since his Blue Note recording days, trumpeter Louis Smith has been hard to catch on the band stand. He chose to leave Horace Silver’s group in 1958 in favour of full time teaching job. However, this situation is now changed for good. Louis retiring from his job as a music teacher, resumed his career as musician with this new recording which took place in Chicago October 1993. With the Windy City’s legendary tenorman Von Freeman in the backing group, Louis the hard bopper tells his story in his warm, beautiful tone with unflagging intensity and impeccable technique.

Silvering

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Martha Lorin - Come Walk With Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:15
Size: 163,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Close Your Eyes
(4:51)  2. Come Walk With Me
(4:19)  3. Carefully Taught
(4:47)  4. Let's Face The Music And Dance
(3:45)  5. The Island
(6:09)  6. You've Got A Friend
(5:38)  7. On Green Dolphin Street
(3:57)  8. Rain Song
(5:36)  9. Detour Ahead
(5:04) 10. Just A Sittin' & A Rockin'
(5:18) 11. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(5:10) 12. Low Down Blues
(4:37) 13. Cinnamon And Clove
(1:41) 14. Lush Life ( Intro)
(4:32) 15. Lush Life

Chicago's Southport label has brought different groupings of instrumentalists into the recording studio to back Martha Lorin for her second album. Only superb pianist Mike Black appears on all the cuts with Lorin. To Ms Lorin and Southport's credit, they avoid the temptation of limiting the musical agenda to the usual standards by offering songs that are not recorded that often.

But it is the way the musicians are mixed that makes for an intriguing, unusual event. On "You've Got a Friend" and "The Island," Leon Joyce's snare shares accompanist duties with Black resulting in a stark, slimmed down rendition of these two tunes. The dean of Chicago tenor saxophone players (although Eddie Johnson fans may disagree), Von Freeman, shows up on two tracks playing especially soulfully on "Carefully Taught" from South Pacific. Another staple of the Chicago jazz scene, violinist Johnny Frigo, lends his swinging fiddle to a fine arrangement of "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and well to "Detour ahead" for which he shares composer credit. Once again Leon Joyce's rat-a-tat snares are prominent in setting the pace. However, it's the opening cut which provides the clue that this album may not be the usual run of the mill release. 

"Close Your Eyes" is kicked off with as a tango by Black with William Blount's clarinet taking the melody providing a seductive lead in for Lorin. She keeps the tango beat going with strong support from Blount's playing in the clarinet's middle register. A very attractive performance, indeed. "On Green Dolphin Street" offers still another interesting assortment of instruments. With Black's piano continuing to be the constant, Fareed Haque's guitar provides the lead in for Lorin's vocal followed by an athletic Von Freeman tenor solo and he stays around to play behind Lorin for the last chorus. The arrangement of the Johnny Mandel/Alan and Marilyn Bergman tune "Cinnamon and Clove" centers on a Caribbean beat played against Johnny Frigo's straight ahead jazz violin. Lorin's own "Low Down Blues," which she wrote with pianist Frank Collett, is the best of her two compositions and highlights some excellent bass work by Larry Gray.

But nowhere is Lorin's ability to create a story with pictures  brought to life than on the album's coda, "Lush Life." With William Blount's brooding clarinet as background, Lorin delivers a stunning interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's difficult to sing tale of depression and woe. Although not a threat to replace the Johnny Hartman/John Coltrane Quartet version as the classic interpretation, Lorin's work does not suffer by comparison. Good work all around on this album which offers a generous 71 minutes of music. 

~ Dave Nathan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/come-walk-with-me-martha-lorin-southport-records-review-by-dave-nathan.php#.U6HBCbGoqdk

Personnel: Martha Lorin, Joanie Pallatto - Vocals; Miles Black - Piano; William Blount - Clarinet; Eddie de Haas - Bass; Larry Gray - Bass/Cello; Von Freeman - Tenor Saxophone; Johnny Frigo - Violin; Fareed Haque, Dave Onderdonk - Guitar; Leon Joyce - Drums; Mark Walker - Drums/Percussion

Come Walk With Me

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Von Freeman - Have No Fear

Size: 64,1 MB
Time: 45:38
File: MP3 @ VBR ~194K/s
Released: 1975
Styles: Jazz: Post-Bop
Art: Front & Back (Vinyl)

01. Mr Lucky (11:47)
02. Swinging The Blues ( 9:51)
03. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (11:32)
04. Have No Fear, Soul Is Here (12:27)

One of the best studio albums ever from the legendary Von Freeman – and a date that really captures some of the careful essence of his live performances in Chicago! Unlike the previous Atlantic album, which tried to fit Von into a more expected bag, this easygoing Nessa session really lets him open up and take off – blowing tunes that are straight ahead, but always with that offbeat style that turns the songs inside out – making them rich exploratory fields for inventive and creative solos! The group fits Von's longtime credo of never upstaging the leader – which gives his tenor lots of room to blow – and players include John Young on piano , David Shipp on bass, and the great Wilbur Campbell on drums. Titles include a great version of Mancini's "Mr Lucky", plus "Swinging The Blues", "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", and "Have No Fear Soul Is Here".

Have No Fear

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Solitaire Miles - Solitaire Miles

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:05
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Comes Love
(3:19)  2. Autumn Leaves
(2:24)  3. I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl
(4:02)  4. I Wished on the Moon
(5:01)  5. Lush Life
(4:18)  6. I Don't Know Enough About You
(5:35)  7. Blowtop Blues
(2:56)  8. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(5:52)  9. You Go to My Head
(5:03) 10. You Let Me Down
(3:52) 11. A Kiss to Build a Dream On

Chicago jazz vocalist Solitaire Miles captivates the seasoned jazz veteran with mesmeric tone, conversational phrasing, and a sinuous sense of swing. Her unaffected delivery never draws attention to itself, allowing the lyrics to shine through. She presents each song in a sincere manner, intimating a supple delivery so the patois of each arrangement has a lasting effect on the listener. Her timing and style impressed Chautauqua Symphony Bassist Harry Jacobson enough to label her as "Billie Holiday with sunshine and air".

Her debut album includes some of Chicago's best performers, arranged by the great jazz violinst Johnny Frigo and incomparable pianist Willie Pickens, the recording reflects the laid back, forthright swing that is signature of the Chicago sound. Also featured is Chicago Sax Maestro Von Freeman, who keeps the music genuine and sassy. There is also a cameo from trumpeter Brad Goode and three live tracks recorded in New York with pianist Don Rebic.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/solitairemiles

Personnel: Solitaire Miles vocals ; Johnny Frigo violin; Von Freeman sax;  Willie Pickens piano;  Brad Goode trumpet ; Don Rebic piano;  Bruce Johnstone sax/clarinet ; John Whitfield bass;  Mike Raynor drums

Solitaire Miles

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Von Freeman - The Great Divide

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2003

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:24

Size: 118,2 MB

Art: Front

(0:12)  1. Von: You Ready?

(8:23)  2. Be My Love

(3:25)  3. Never Fear Jazz Is Hear

(9:26)  4. This Is Always

(6:29)  5. Chant Time (Featuring Jelly Roll)

(0:15)  6. Von: "Everybody Mellow?"

(7:45)  7. Blue Pres

(4:04)  8. Disorder At The Border

(3:52)  9. Hard Hittin'

(7:27) 10. Violets For Your Furs

It is a little bit crazy to consider octogenarian tenor saxophonist Von Freeman paying tribute to anyone considering that he has outlived the vast majority of his peers. Still, Mr. Freeman chooses to step out and tip his hat to three horns that changed everything  Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Charlie Parker. Freeman reasons that this present disc is entitled The Great Divide to illustrate the disparate aspects of these three men joined together by jazz. Coleman Hawkins was all about muscular eloquence, virile, masculine expression. Lester Young was the equivalent of an operatic lyric tenor, who very easily could be called the godfather (if not the father) of "Cool" Jazz. Charlie Parker? Well, after Charlie Parker, nothing was ever the same. 

The disc begins with a bit of banter before Freeman, in his irreplaceable style, spins out eight minutes of the infrequently covered "Be My Love." Here, Freeman displays what makes his sound unique among the "giants" he proposes to honor. His tenor sound is deep, reedy and full of breath with a barely detectable vibrato. This tosses the saxophonist smack dab in the middle between Bean and Lady Day's President. It is here and on the solo saxophone closer, "Violets for Your Furs," that Von Freeman shows who he is a tenor saxophonist of Beethovenian proportions, having seen all and played all, from Frankie Trumbauer and Greg Osby. The centers of the recording are the blues pieces "Blue Pres" and "Disorder at the Border." Mr. Freeman takes on the ghosts of Pres and Bean directly, without ever losing himself in either artist's style. "Blue Pres" sounds like the best after hours blues anyone could hope for and has probably been in Freeman's book from the beginning.

Freeman's own "Never Fear, Jazz is Here" and "This is Always" look forward and backward from Charlie Parker. The one ghost that is not mentioned is that of John Coltrane, who emanates from Freeman's sax bell on "Chant Time" like " pious incense from a censer old." This recording is all that any mainstream jazz fan could hope for. Von Freeman is that quiet elder statesman whose fame fortunately manifest while it is not too late for the great saxophonist to enjoy it. A disc for the year-end list, for sure. ~ C.Michael Bailey  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13975#.UqSiHOJc_vs

Personnel: Von Freeman: Tenor Saxophone; Jimmy Cobb: Drums; Richard Wyands: Piano; John Webber: Bass.

The Great Divine

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Von Freeman - Doin' It Right Now

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:53
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(4:45)  2. White Sand
(7:47)  3. Lost in a Fog
(7:11)  4. Portrait of John Young
(4:49)  5. Doin' It Right Now
(4:35)  6. Catnap
(5:57)  7. Sweet and Lovely
(8:09)  8. Brother George

This Koch CD reissues an Atlantic LP, tenor saxophonist Von Freeman's debut on record. Freeman, who was almost 50 at the time, was obscure because he lived in Chicago rather than New York and because he had an unusual tone that took a bit to time to get used to. However, he was well-known in Chicago, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk went out of his way to record Freeman, producing this album. Joined by pianist John Young, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Jimmy Cobb, Freeman performs five originals, a haunting version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Lost in a Fog," and "Sweet and Lovely." Von Freeman has since had higher visibility in jazz without compromising his sound or his ability to swing in his own fashion. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/doin-it-right-now-mw0000051824

Doin' It Right Now

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