Mike Freeman (jazz musician)

Freeman has performed in North America, Europe, the Azores, Caribbean, and South America. In 1985 he did an extensive tour of Portugal, sponsored by the American Embassy and the Fulbright Foundation. The tour was arranged by Rui Martins,[1] director of the Hot Club of Portugal, and USIA Cultural Affairs Officer Wally Keiderling.[2] He performed in areas of the country rarely visited by American musicians and not previously visited by a vibraphone player. In Guarda, Portugal, he received the medal of the city.[3]

His seven recordings of original music[4][5] gained national and international attention,[6] and extensive radio airplay, charting on jazz,[7][8] contemporary jazz, and world music[9] radio as well as airing on syndicated radio programs (WOR radio network, Jazz after Hours, David Sanborn, Music Choice, United Airlines).

Freeman is also known for performing and recording with several acclaimed Latin groups including percussionist Ray Mantilla from 2002 until Mantilla's passing in 2020. Good Vibrations on Savant Records was Jazzweek's top Latinjazz recording on radio in 2006.[10] He's performed and recorded with Jose Mangual Jr's Son Boricua featuring Jimmy Sabater (one of the architects of Boogaloo) from 2003 to present, with Julio Salgado from 2000 to present and with Lucho Cueto's all-star group Black Sugar. He also performed with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (directed by Oscar Hernandez) at Madison Square Garden and with Willie Villegas's Joe Cuba Sextet both with legendary sonero Cheo Feliciano.[11]

Freeman is a 2019 and 2021 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council grant recipient for Latin Music Music in Hell's Kitchen, A History and Hell's Kitchen Soul Sauce.[12][13] He produced at Manhattan Plaza, “Band Together” a Hurricane Katrina Benefit Concert for Tipitinas Foundation benefiting New Orleans–area musicians and the Humane Society, 2005; Band Together 2 a benefit concert for musicians affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria with proceeds going to the Jazz Foundation of America, 2017; and performed for Flood Relief in Des Moines, Iowa, 1993. He wrote a series, spanning more than a decade, of commissioned compositions and arrangements for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Percussion Scholarship Program[14] and in 2014 was commissioned by drummer/educator Ed Uribe[15] to write arrangements for a national percussion curriculum for China that were performed by members of the Shanghai Symphony at Shanghai Symphony Hall.

• Official website