Search - Von Freeman :: Doin It Right Now

This Chicago hard-bop tenor, father of the better-known tenor Chico, has always been content to remain a regional legend in his hometown rather than venture out for national attention as his boy did. Perhaps that's why he was 50 years old when he made this debut recording as a leader. These eight cuts prove him to be an exceptionally bold, visceral, and striking player reminiscent of Roland Kirk, who actually produced this 1972 effort. Freeman turns Roberta Flack's hit "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" into a gentle midtempo swinger without sacrificing any of its poignancy. He moves from utter tenderness to frenetic flurries on the ballad "Lost in a Fog." Best, however, is his duet with bassist Sam Jones on "Sweet and Lovely," which allows him to ambitiously explore the melody to his heart's content. The quartet is rounded out by well-known drummer Jimmy Cobb and the delightfully original pianist John Young, who sounds like a restless McCoy Tyner. Young, like Freeman, was another local Chicago mainstay, and together they prove that jazz thrives west of the Hudson River. --Marc Greilsamer