Happy Birthday Vonski!

Today, October 3, 2006, is the 84th birthday of Chicago tenor titan Earl LaVon Freeman, better known as Von or Vonski. Congratulations Von! There will be some serious celebrating tonight 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. 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 Birthday Von Freeman !