George Freeman - Birth Sign 'March 11, 1969 & March 12, 1969

Tracks list

Tracks

1 Mama, Papa, Brother 
2 Cough It Up 
3 My Scenery 
4 Must Be, Must Be 
5 Birth Sign 
6 Hoss 
7 My Ship

Personnel

Arranged By – George Freeman, Michael Cuscuna
Drums – Billy Mitchell (3)
Guitar – George Freeman
Organ – Robert Pierce (tracks: 4), Sonny Burke
Tenor Saxophone – Kalaparusha-(Maurice McIntyre) (tracks: 4), Von Freeman
(tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7)
Trombone – Lester Lashley

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 Freemans 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. Freemans 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. Von Freeman is completely in tune with his brother when
they play in perfect tandem on the soulful Cough It Up, fluttering à la
Charlie Parker, 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. Its an easy blues
elevated by the horns and Pierces 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 George Freeman,
and although this is a small taste, it is a more than adequate amuse-bouche.
Michael G. Nastos 

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