Younger brother of Von Freeman and Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman, and uncle of Chico Freeman, George Freeman is a jazz guitarist born in Chicago on April 10, 1927. Influenced by the blues, his musical career began in the late 1940s after seeing T-Bone Walker on stage. He played in several swing bands, then as a leader and precursor of bebop, accompanying touring artists such as Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. In 1947, he moved to New York with Johnny Griffin and recorded with Joe Morris in an R&B style for Atlantic. Back in Chicago, he performed at the Pershing Hotel with Charlie Parker, then resumed touring with Jackie Wilson, Wild Bill Davis and Richard "Groove" Holmes, playing on two of his albums. He collaborates with Gene Ammons and Jimmy McGriff, and in the meantime records belatedly as a leader. Moving from soul jazz to jazz funk, he produced the albums Birth Sign (1969) and Franticdiagnosis (1972), followed by New Improved Funk (1973), Man & Woman (1974) and All in the Game (1977) for the Groove Merchant label, including the instrumental "The Bump". Although he slowed down his studio activity, George Freeman continued to perform in Chicago clubs, returning in 1995 with the album Rebellion, with his brother Von switching from saxophone to piano. Sessions resumed regularly for the albums George Burns! (1999) and At Long Last George (2001), then for All in the Family with his nephew Chico Freeman (2015), 90 Going on Amazing (2017), George the Bomb with the participation of Billy Branch (2019) and finally The Good Life (2023). George Freeman died on April 1, 2025, nine days short of his 98th birthday.
