mick laBriola

Russell Donald Freeman (May 28, 1926 – June 27, 2002) was a bebop and cool jazzpianist and composer.

Initially, Freeman was classically trained. His reputation as a jazz pianist grew in the 1940s after working with Art Pepper and Shorty Rogers. He played with Charlie Parkeron the 1947 “Home Cooking” jazz session. Numerous collaborations followed in the 1950s with Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, and Art Pepper. These collaborations included the Jazz Immortal LP recorded with Russ Freeman and jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown in 1954, which included leading musicians Brown and Zoot Sims. On the Jazz ImmortalLP, Russ Freeman was able to play in a combo that recorded many Clifford Brown compositions.