Vonski Speaks

Personnel: Von Freeman (tenor saxophone); Mike Allemana (guitar); Michael Raynor (drums).
Additional personnel: Von Freeman's New Apartment Lounge Quartet.
Liner Note Author: John Corbett .
Recording information: JazzFest, Berlin, Germany (10/31/2002).
Photographer: Detlev Schilke.
Von Freeman's prowess as an inside/outside tenor saxophonist is and has never been in question. How he plays pretty or lean and mean is identified primarily in the individualism he brings to every performance and recording, so fans should expect that kind of sound from the Chicago icon and godfather of mainstream and progressive jazz. This set from 2002 at the Berlin Jazz Festival was issued in 2009, featuring ballads, hard-swinging bop-oriented music, and Freeman talking to the crowd and his bandmates, dubbed the New Apartment Lounge Quartet. Singing "Without a Song" in whimsical paradox, Freeman then digs into the ramshackle, loose, and fast hard bop instrumental "Vonski Speaks," and plays the pretty ballad "Darn That Dream" with all the tattered edges of lost lust, taking liberties on extrapolating the melody. A 22-minute "Summertime" has Freeman's mastery of held tension and drama in no time drawn out before settling into a blues groove swing, while "Blues for Sunnyland" (for Sunnyland Slim) doesn't ease up on flavor even if the pace is slower. Guitarist Mike Allemana gets a solo at the end of this set, with bassist Jack Zara and the exceptional drummer Michael Raynor (from Kurt Elling's band) keeping the rhythms flexible whether searing or steamy. The recording quality is very good, allowing you to hear this veteran saxophonist in full regalia on one of his better latter-period efforts. ~ Michael G. Nastos