Von Freeman

Not nearly so famous as his son Chico Freeman (also a tenor saxophonist), Von Freeman is nevertheless equally -- if not more -- accomplished as a jazz musician. Von Freeman, while not per se a free jazz player, does exhibit 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.

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