JAZZINCHICAGO.ORG
PROMOTING AND NURTURING JAZZ IN CHICAGO
MARCH/APRIL 2022
VON, GEORGE, BRUZ…AND CHICO: THE FREEMANS’ LIVES IN MUSIC TO BE HONORED BY “THE LEGACY PROJECT”
Chico Freeman with his father Von Freeman. By Corey Hall
CHICO FREEMAN TO PRESENT SUITE THAT HONORS HIS ROOTS AND RELATIVES
While her heartbeat pulsed in his ears, the infant listened as grandma sang, swaying in time with the rocking chair. As his chin merged into her chest, and as her hands caressed him, a base/bass and melody for his future were being built. Seventy-plus years later, these memories remain ripe for saxophonist Chico Freeman. “That’s where I got my sense of rhythm,” he said, during a recent conversation. “I can still feel her hands on my back… just that beat.”
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