Chico freeman quintet

Sunday, September 24

TIME: 6:00-7:00PM

VENUE: wagner stage. MIDWAY PLAISANCE at South WOODLAWN AVE.

Man (Chico Freeman) standing against a white and red background wearing a white button down shirt playing saxophone, followed by a man playing saxophone in a white suit against a black background, followed by a man playing saxophone wearing a pink su

Man (Chico Freeman) standing against a white and red background wearing a white button down shirt playing saxophone, followed by a man playing saxophone in a white suit against a black background, followed by a man playing saxophone wearing a pink suit, followed by a man playing saxophone wearing a dark green suit.

CHICO FREEMAN

Heralded as one of the most important saxophonists of our time, composer and producer Chico Freeman has perfected an immediately recognizable  approach to music and composition, blending what he has experienced from his past and providing fluidity into a future of infinite musical possibilities. 

As part of the Freeman family legacy of Chicago (legendary NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Von Freeman is his father and guitarist George Freeman and drummer Bruz Freeman are his uncles), Chico amassed a diverse performance résumé including R&B, blues, hard bop, and avant-garde. His collegiate studies in Advanced Composition and Theory at Northwestern University propelled him to a position teaching composition at the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) Music School, as well as a Master’s degree in Composition and Theory at Governor State University, where he studied composition with NEA Jazz Master Muhal Richard Abrams. 

In graduate school, a memorable performance at the Notre Dame Intercollegiate Jazz Festival won Freeman multiple awards–including a tour of Brazil, with a stopover in New York, where he discovered his reputation had preceded him. He was immediately embraced by a remarkable array of jazz masters and began touring and recording with Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Sun Ra, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, and Jack DeJohnette, to name a few. At the same time, he started recording as a leader and releasing albums that would meet with commercial success and critical acclaim. 

In 1982, Freeman was dubbed a “young lion” for his participation on a recording with other stars-to-be Wynton Marsalis, Kevin Eubanks, Paquito D'Rivera, Bobby McFerrin, and Anthony Davis. Since then, his career has enjoyed non-stop growth. He has more than 30 albums as a leader/composer and is a two-time Grammy nominee. 

The musicians:

Chico Freeman - tenor saxophone

Julius Tucker - piano

Mike Allemana - guitar

Christian Dillingham - bass

Kyle Swan - drums