Von Freeman

The saxophone, especially in Chicago, is a very important instrument. The ladies like it. Of course, if you play somewhere and you're able to get a real good tone, you're assured of the ladies, and as long as you've got the ladies coming in, you have a job, to put it mildly. - Von Freeman

Today is the 85th birthday of the chairman of Chicago jazz, Von Freeman.

A founding member of the Chicago tenor school along with Gene Ammons and Johnny Griffin, Von is not only a local but a national treasure in my opinion.

Earl Lavon Freeman, or Vonski as he is known to his fans, was born October 3rd, 1922,  and grew up in a musical household that also produced his younger brothers George, a well-known Chicago guitarist, and drummer Bruz.

As a toddler, Von heard Louis Armstrong in his own living room, when Armstrong (a family friend of Von's father) would come to visit. Fats Waller also visited the Freeman household.

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 he played with his brothers George on guitar and Bruz (Eldrige) on drums in the house band at the Pershing Hotel Ballroom. Luminaries such as Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie played there with the Freeman's as the backing band, and to add to Von’s eclectic resume, in the early 50s he with Sun Ra's band.

Many people don’t know that in the 50s, when John Coltrane left his band, Miles Davis called Von to be his replacement. At the time Von was playing with a blues band that was quite successful, and had 4 kids and a wife and didn’t want to give up the steady gig with the blues band. Von acknowledges that probably would have been his big break if had accepted. 

Von is the sound of Chicago. When asked what the Chicago sound is, Von says:

Well, it's tough and it's windy, it's broad. It means getting down to business, so to me it's just a composite of Chicago, all four sides. Including the lakefront.

When I listen to Von I hear the whole history of the saxophone, from Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young and Don Byas all the way through John Coltrane, all of it filtered through Von's unique musical voice.

There's no one in the world I'd rather hear play a ballad than Von Freeman. His recent album Good Forever is full of them, gorgeous and heartbreakingly beautiful.

If you haven't heard Von, all of the releases that Mike Friedman at Premonition has put out are wonderful. He also just put out a Best of Von Freeman on Premonition that gives a great overview of his recordings on the label if you're into the compilation thing.

Happy Birthday Vonski - here's to many, many more.

photo credit: Nami Ogata