Chico Freeman Plus+tet at Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Saxophonist Chico Freeman comes from a jazz pedigree that includes his father, Chicago saxophone legend and NEA Jazz Master Von Freeman, and his uncle, guitarist George Freeman. Now back in the United States after a ten-year European residency, Freeman hits the ground running with a new band and a new album, Spoken Into Existence. A two-time Grammy award nominee with over thirty albums to his credit, Chico is in the prime of his career setting new standards of excellence with well-crafted music. Freeman has performed with a long list of heralded jazz artists, including Jack DeJohnette, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, and Elvin Jones...

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Saxophonist Chico Freeman comes from a jazz pedigree that includes his father, Chicago saxophone legend and NEA Jazz Master Von Freeman, and his uncle, guitarist George Freeman. Now back in the United States after a ten-year European residency, Freeman hits the ground running with a new band and a new album, Spoken Into Existence. A two-time Grammy award nominee with over thirty albums to his credit, Chico is in the prime of his career setting new standards of excellence with well-crafted music. Freeman has performed with a long list of heralded jazz artists, including Jack DeJohnette, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, and Elvin Jones. He was also a member of Chicago’s celebrated Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). His new band features Orrin Evans, an incredible pianist of great dynamic range known for leading his own innovative groups; Kenny Davis on bass, who once studied with Chico’s father; Nasheet Waits on drums, the son of jazz drummer Freddie Waits; and Reto Weber, one of the top percussionists playing today. From blues to bebop, post-bop to funky hip-hop, Freeman pulls all of these elements into a refreshing, vital sound. In its review of Chico’s new recording, Urban Music Scene.com noted, “Freeman serves notice that he is still a force to be reckoned with by addressing a cohort of rich melodies framed within a diverse array of styles…”

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