Chicago electric guitarist
George Freeman
was a quintessential sideman when backing bands led by
Lester Young
,
Charlie Parker
Richard "Groove" Holmes
Gene Ammons
, and
Shirley Scott
. This is his debut recording, done in the height of the soul-jazz era circa 1969, featuring his famed brother
Von Freeman
on tenor sax for four tracks, drummer
Billy Mitchell
throughout, and either
Sonny Burke
or
Robert Pierce
on the Hammond B-3 organ. At times
Freeman
's sound traces to no single individual source, though it is steeped in Chi-Town blues and a progressive stance that is apart from the
Wes Montgomery
/
George Benson
school of the day.
's individualism is heard to best effect as he rocks out with a bit of distortion and loose associations on the boogaloo
"Mama, Papa, Brother,"
while during the title track you hear pinched, lemon-sour notes under a tribal village groove that approaches Native American beats.
Burke
, a truly unsung hero of the organ, burns for long stretches during the ultra-slow standard
"My Ship"
and slides through the changes of
"Hoss,"
which is clearly based on the changes of
"Sweet Georgia Brown."
is completely in tune with his brother when they play in perfect tandem on the soulful
"Cough It Up,"
fluttering a la
, while ramping down on the ballad
"My Scenery,"
where the saxophonist plays a remarkable, in-tune, enjoyable solo. The cut separate from the rest,
"Must Be, Must Be,"
includes
AACM
members
Lester Lashley
and
Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre
on trombone and tenor sax, respectively. It's an easy blues elevated by the horns and
Pierce
's fleet multiple note lines rivaling
Jimmy Smith
, representing the ultimate modern confluence in what was happening at that time in Chicago. Too bad the world never really heard enough of
, and although this is a small taste, it is a more than adequate amuse-bouche. ~ Michael G. Nastos