CiTR

Tonight we present a very special concert that took place in Vancouver at the newly opened Queen Elizabeth Theatre and was presented by the old Vancouver New Jazz Society. It took place on a Sunday night on December 6, 1959. The star was the great Modern Jazz pianist Russ Freeman. Mr. Freeman was one of the leading and busiest pianists on the West Coast as he had played with Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Art Pepper ,Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss and many other greats. He was a hard swinging and inventive pianist who had his own style. Russ and Hampton Hawes were the two leading lights of Jazz piano on the Coast. He was very happy with his two accompanists and inspired by their talents. They were Vancouver legends Stan "Cuddles" Johnson on bass and swinging drummer Jimmy Wightman. Russ didn't do many trio albums under his name and this disc issued by Montreal's Just a Memory label adds greatly to his legacy. Sadly these fine musicians are all gone but their music lives tonight as The Jazz Show's Jazz Feature.