Happy 85th Birthday Von Freeman

This week, on October 3, 2007, Chicago’s own tenor titan Earl LaVon Freeman, better known as Von or Vonski, will celebrate his 85th Birtyday. Like last year, there will be some serious celebrating tomorrow night at the New Apartment Lounge so if you’re in Chicago, try and make it down. We will certainly be there.

As many of you probably know, Premonition Records, which shares the music store site, musicstem.com, with Greenleaf Music has released four Von Freeman recordings since 2001 and just last week released a seriously great Box Set on Von entitled “The Best of Von Freeman on Premonition.” The Freeman Box includes 2 CDs (130 minutes of music) with previously unreleased material (not out takes) and a DVD with rare, never before released video footage on Von. Check it out here. For more information on Von, please visit Premonition Records site. Here’s the short bio on Von according to Premonition:

Chicago’s most influential jazz elder Von Freeman has been playing his saxophone since the 1930s. He’s worked with the best — Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Gene Ammons, Sun Ra — and has fashioned an individual style that is instantly recognizable, especially if you’re from Chicago. Think Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Bird if they had heard and absorbed the avante garde of the 1960s, especially as it was practiced by Chicago’s AACM. Oh yeah. Throw in a little electric blues. Vonski worked with guitarist Jimmy Reed for four years and the great pianist Sunnyland Slim for over 13 years.

Once again, Happy 85th Von Freeman !