 Oh, by the way: Chico Freeman is back. After a few years of abstinence from the studios of record companies, but with even more activity on large and small stages, especially in the USA, Central and South America, and Europe, he has recorded a studio album again, which is the result of a long period of maturity and preparation. Simply the composing and refining of the arrangements took years. He sought the ideal line-up for months, and - when he found it – he had to modify one or more of the songs once again, because new co-musicians joined the project unexpectedly. Although the idea at the beginning was to create an Afro-Cuban album with strong urban and – naturally – jazz influences, this idea was enriched with many new inspirations by the invited musicians and those who turned up almost out of the blue. This is not to imply that Chico didn’t know the guests beforehand; he has been associated with Hilton Ruiz (piano) in numerous record projects and performances. The same applies to Avery Sharpe (bass), with whom he has played in the McCoy Tyners band for quite some time. Terreon Gully (drums), Chembo Corniel (congas/percussion) and Pibo Marquez (congas/percussion) have also worked with Chico in very different projects on the stage many times (Pibo Marquez has an album of his own, which will be released by Double Moon Records in this year!). Romero (flamenco guitar) contributed a component, which Freeman was able to study during longer stays in Spain, and Akil Dasan (rap vocal), a friend of Chico’s from downtown Manhattan and a highly respected hip-hop interpreter there, makes the relationship of jazz and hip-hop clear once again. A random collage of the spirit of the times? This reproach misses its target in Freeman’s case. He, who also put the ”principle of experience” above everything else, can draw from a treasure of experience as only few of his age can. Born on July 17, 1949 as son of the saxophonist Von Freeman in Chicago, he not only lived and experienced music at home, but also soon developed his own style: first from time to time with Memphis Slim and Junior Wells, soon followed by studies with Muhal Richard Abrams and through him contact with the AACM. In 1976, he moved to New York and had numerous projects and engagements with Elvin Jones, Sam Rivers, Sun Ra, and AACM Big Band in the following years. Later, he also played with Bobby McFerrin and Wynton Marsalis. At the same time, he discovered Latin American music at an early stage and played with Irakere, Chucho Valdes and Tito Puente. In the 80s and 90s, formations such as Roots and Brainstorm were the most well known that he was involved in, while he also worked on his own projects in Black Saint, India Navigation and Black Hawk. He has also been touring with Reto Webers Percussion Ensemble for years and has expanded his range of experience with African and Asian rhythms (“Face to Face“, Double Moon Records DMCHR 71018). And now, “Oh, by the way“ on Double Moon Records. The record starts with the funky, percussion-accented “Rhythm of the Cane“ and prepares the listener for a journey, which takes him through a shimmering world of different sounds, but without leaving him lost in their midst. The connecting link is not the least the unmistakable sound of Chico’s saxophone (but who also contributes keyboard sounds and samples at times!). “New African Village“ is still funky, but with a clearly jazzy sound. “Mambo Rap“ is then Akil Dasan’s first contribution, a fantastic mixture of Cuban grooves and daring vocals, the spirit of Manhattan packed into 3½ minutes. “Guitar“ deals with experiences in Spain and the memory of the music from “Carmen“. The following “La Luna“ is even reduced to a beautiful saxophone-guitar duet. “El Mensaje“ leads us back across the ocean, takes up Cuban idioms and spices things up with a pinch of funk. Back in the city: “Business as usual“ is proof (as if it were needed) of the compatibility between hip-hop and jazz. The ingenious putting to rhythms of the texts by Akil Dasan is accompanied and ”interpreted” terrifically by Chico und Romero. “Once again“ is another track with accented percussion, whose melody lead by saxophone and guitar in unison has the stuff to become a standard. “541“ is named after the room number in which Chico taught improvisation at the New School and is characterized by surprising changes of tempo and intriguing handling of melody. “La Marqueta“ brings the lively ambience of a marketplace in Manhattan’s Spanish Harlem into our homes, while the old town of San Juan on Puerto Rico is honored in “Viejo San Juan“ (composer: Andrew Monroe-Trice). The closing song is a successful bonus mix of the already heard “Business As Usual“, this time with a clearly less ”acoustic” character than in its first version. Oh, by the way: you really shouldn’t miss this album.
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