The Adam Carlson Jazz Trio performs contemporary jazz on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 6pm. Tom Freedman is an accomplished musician who dedicated most of his professional life to his passion for jazz music.
In speaking with him, Freedman mused on jazz's culture/subculture and his time as a working musician in Portland. "I grew up in a big musical family. My father played piano and collected jazz records, that kind of thing," recalled Freedman. "From my point of view, the Bend jazz scene has been really growing. It was such a small town 25 years ago, it definitely has grown."
"I've played several years with Adam, going back to when he was in high school," Freedman gushed. "This group is built on young players who are really talented."
While his hair might be a bit grayer than his bandmates and the city of Bend a bit bigger than when he started, Freedman hasn't let the changing tides sour his love. In fact, he continues to play bass often in the trio, as well as actively building and performing with many other jazz outfits in the area.
On the state of jazz as a genre and its culture, Freedman sounds both amused and interested in the current dichotomy that seems prevalent in our post-pandemic reality. "I think it's a really ironic phenomenon going with jazz right now," said Freedman. "In the mainstream, jazz's popularity has kind of waned and jazz clubs are constantly closing. At the same time that's happening though, there are amazing kids coming out of music school with great chops."
Among these young talents Freedman is so impressed with is percussionist Adam Carlson. Carlson is distinguished amongst his jazz peers for his studies at the University of Oregon and his high level of musicianship honed during his time in Brooklyn. Carlson won the Outstanding Musician Award at the Reno Jazz Festival for four years in a row from 2009-2012. His innovative approach to rhythm and unparalleled skill brings an illustrious pedigree to the stage.
The night will be a celebration of jazz in its purest form, captivating both aficionados and newcomers alike with contemporary play. River's Place provides the perfect ambiance for this intimate event.
