Remembering Bob Freedman

The album features the bass legend Ron Carter with acclaimed jazz instrumentalists trumpeter Ryan Quigley, saxophonist Antonio Hart, trombonist Jason Jackson, pianist Donald Vega, and drummer Carl Allen as seasoned role models for twelve selected aspiring young jazz musicians from the Swiss music scene that completed the big band. This was recorded live and the concert was rehearsed and performed under the direction of Christian Jacob. The concert took place on April 12, 2019, at the Jazzaar Festival in Aarau, Switzerland.
 
The production was a long-awaited collaboration between the producers of Jazzaar Festival, Bob Freedman, and Ron Carter, which took a tragic turn when Bob sadly passed away in the middle of planning, almost bringing the project to a halt. But since Bob had already eagerly supplied a good many arrangements prior to this it was unanimously understood that he would have wanted the show to go on. Hence the program became a tribute to the late Bob Freedman and it includes an original by Ron Carter as a dedication to his old friend.
 
Produced by Helen Savari-Renold & Fritz K Renold
 
All music was arranged by the late Bob Freedman with the exception of Ron’s original “Opus 5”, which was arranged and orchestrated by Christian Jacob!
 
Ron Carter & The Jazzaar Festival Big Band
Directed by Christian Jacob
 
featuring: Ron Carter – b (USA), Ryan Quigley  Ltp (SCT), Antonio Hart – as (USA), Jason Jackson – tb (USA), Donald Vega – p (NIC/USA), Carl Allen – d (USA)
 
The Jazzaar Festival Big Band
Mathieu Bitz – as, Casimir Ekman – ts, Felix Piringer – ts, Robert Soltermann – bs, Felix Niggli – tp, Samir Rachide – tp, Elwin Stephan – tp, Sebastian Wey – tb, Aarni Häkkinen – tb, Don Randolph – tb, Kevin Burg – g