Trivia

In 1972, Freeman cut his first record as band-leader, "Doin' It Right Now.".

Hard bop tenor saxophonist.

Father of jazz saxophonist Chico Freeman.

His mother played the guitar, and his policeman father was an amateur jazz trombonist who brought jazz musicians home from the club where he moonlighted as a bouncer.

After 7-year-old Von pulled the arm off the family Victrola, bored holes in it and turned it into a crude horn, his father bought him a saxophone.

By age 12, Freeman was playing professionally.

At Chicago's DuSable High School, Freeman studied under the venerated band director known as Captain Walter Dyett, who was training a new wave of jazz talent that included Nat 'King' Cole and Dinah Washington.

In 1940, Freeman played with Horace Henderson's Chicago band before being drafted during World War II. He was soon performing with a Navy jazz band.

His only taste of major-label success came in 1982, when Columbia Records released the album "Fathers and Sons," featuring Ellis Marsalis with sons Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis on side A and Von and son Chico on side B.

He was awarded the National Endowmen for the Arts Jazz Master in 2011.

Son of a policeman whose beat included Grand Terrace Ballroom in Chicago where Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Earl Hines played. By 12 years old, he was played professionally in Chicago nightclubs. He graduated from DuSable High School, known for it's jazz program and alumni including Nat King Cole and Dinah Washington.

He served in the United States Navy where he played in its jazz ban. Upon discharge, he returned to Chicago where he played with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane.

He is survived by his two sons, Mark Freemn and Chico Freeman (tenor saxophonist) and his brother, George Freeman (jazz guitarist); his two daughters, Denise Freeman Jarrett and Brenda Freeman Jackson predeceased him. His brother, Edlridge "Bruz" Freeman also predeceased him.