Bud Freeman

Bud Freeman (1906-1991) was a Chicago-born tenor saxophonist and bandleader who came up through the Austin High School Gang in the early 1920s, a group that helped shape the Chicago style of jazz. He was among the earliest tenor saxophonists in jazz, developing a distinctive approach that put him alongside Coleman Hawkins as a pioneering voice on the instrument. His work stretched across decades, touching swing and traditional jazz while drawing on the influence of New Orleans ensembles and Louis Armstrong.