You Will Be Missed, My Friend

BY ANN PARENTI

Recently, we lost a force to be reckoned with within the jazz community. My fellow Fairy God Mother of Jazz, Carolyn Freeman, passed away on July 6 in Las Vegas. She was in the middle of releasing a new album, writing another article for Chic Compass magazine, and had just received a grant from Forgotten Song Foundation for her American Jazz Initiative Foundation. We also celebrated her 84th birthday the day of the grant at the VIVA Awards in May.

Many a night, Carolyn and I would often go “clubbing” together to support our friends in the jazz and live music community. I first met Carolyn when she was the president of the Las Vegas Jazz Society. I wanted to interview her and several folks from that community to be a part of a project I was working on called Midnight Muse. (Carolyn ended up being featured in the book and the film by the same name later that year).

It didn’t take long to become instant friends. As time went on, we decided to create an opportunity for jazz musicians. For about a year or more, we produced live jazz once a week at several local clubs and featured many talented artists during that time. That was how we got the title of the Fairy God Mothers of Jazz. We had a third friend, Marsha Klein, who partnered with us on this musical adventure until we could no longer find a suitable venue to continue.

Carolyn left behind a long list of friends in the community who will miss her dearly. I am one of them.

We will be honoring her legacy on November 10 at a new theater opening this autumn called, “Notoriety inside the Neonopolis” in downtown Las Vegas. Ironically, Carolyn would have adored this new venue and would already be thinking about what grand jazz event she could arrange there. So, in her memory, the concert will be the live version of her last collaboration. I want to think this was her grandest adventure of them all.

Carolyn produced three albums under the Peacock Entertainment Label with the outrageously talented Nathan Tanouye, two of which were albums that honored her late husband, Russ Freeman, renowned jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. The third album, “11,” primarily features Nathan’s compositions.

Carolyn convinced Nathan to go back to writing and to create another idea she had. This time, she and Nathan enrolled the talent of Clint Holmes, who not only wrote compelling lyrics to four of the five songs for the arrangements but sang them all impeccably. The album features Carolyn’s and Nathan’s 32-piece orchestra called Las Vegas Jazz Connection that comprises some of the top musicians in the city. The concept was to create music that mirrored the city we all love—Las Vegas. The album is called Las Vegas Suite, and it is a true gem.

The album was submitted to the Recording Academy for three categories—Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals; Best Instrumental Composition; and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. We are hoping for voter consideration during this Grammy season. Rob Case of New Pants Publishing and Forgotten Song Music are the co-executive producers on the album with Carolyn’s American Jazz Initiative. Ron George and Nathan are the producers on the CD.

Forgotten Song Foundation will host the event on November 10 to honor the legacy of Carolyn Freeman and the celebration of her inspired album, Las Vegas Suite. All proceeds will go toward a Scholarship/Grant in honor of Russ and Carolyn Freeman.

Carolyn’s constant passion for keeping jazz alive and welcoming the up-and-coming young musicians she so loved to support was a remarkable thing to witness.

I will miss you, my dear friend and fellow Fairy God Mother of Jazz.