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Von Freeman ~ Taste of Chicago - filmed 7/5/09 RIP 8/11/12

1,926 views · Published 6 July 2009 · 2:48 · Indexed 27 September 2026

Channel: Kimock7 · 2009 · Music

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Earl Lavon Freeman Sr. (born October 3, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois) is a hard bop tenor saxophonist. He is also the father of Chico Freeman.
He learned 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) on drums at the Pershing Hotel Ballroom. Various leading jazzmen such as Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie played there with the Freeman's as the backing band. In the early 1950s, Von played in Sun Ra's band. [1]
Von's first venture into the recording studio was for Andrew Hill's second single on the Ping label. He did some recording for Vee Jay with Jimmy Witherspoon and Al Smith in the late fifties and appeared and was recorded at a Charlie Parker tribute concert in 1970.
It was not until 1972 that Von 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.
Von 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". [2]
Von has a regular Tuesday night set and jam session at the New Apartment Lounge in Chicago.

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