Von Freeman The Great Divide Master Quality Reel To Reel Tape

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2002/03 Was an amazing time for Chicago tenor saxophone legend Von Freeman. He celebrated his 80th birthday with a concert at Chicago Symphony Center, was honored with a Doctorate of Fine Arts by Northwestern University, was chosen one of the "200 Artists Who Made A Difference In the Last 20 Years" by Jazziz and had Chicago's 75th Street named after him ("Von Freeman Way"). The Great Divide represents the peak of Freeman's recorded output for Premonition.

A tribute record to jazz giants Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Parker, all of whom Freeman knew and/or worked with, the album received fulsome praise from the jazz and music press and led directly to the singular achievement of Freeman's career when he was recognized as a 2012 NEA Jazzmaster.

One of Von's singular contributions was his mentoring of countless younger musicians and his steadfast support of what he liked to call "hardcore jazz"(as he still did in a 2001 article in Downbeat.) Freeman was considered a founder of the "Chicago School" of jazz tenorists along with Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin and Clifford Jordan. His music has been described as "wonderfully swinging and dramatic" featuring a "large rich sound". "Vonski," as he was known by his jazz fans, was selected to receive the nation's highest jazz honor, the NEA Jazz Masters award.

This tape version contains the pivotal tracks from the album: dedications to Bird ("This is Always"), Pres ("Blue Pres") and Hawk ("Be My Love") and Von's solo version of "Violets For Your Furs" where we hear the singular artist that arose from these profound influences.

2012 NEA Jazzmaster!

** It is standard practice in all recording studios to keep the tape "tail out". This reduces "pre-echo" and it means that the tape should be placed on the right hand side of the recorder, re-wound and then played.

"Violets For Your Furs" is a masterpiece of jazz exposition and development. It surely takes a lifetime to achieve this level of improvisational acuity."