Steve Freund

Steve Freund - 'C' for Chicago - 1999 - Delmark

No one will accuse Steve Freund of having the greatest voice in the blues world. While Freund is an impressive guitarist, he is merely adequate as a singer. But when you're evaluating an album, it is important to look at the big picture. Taking different things into consideration -- impressive chops, adequate singing, likable songwriting -- one concludes that "C" for Chicago, although slightly uneven, has more plusses than minuses. Freund won't blow you away with a great voice, but he still gets his points across on enjoyable (if derivative) Chicago-style blues numbers like "Everytime I Get to Drinking," "Working Man," and "Please Love Me" (which employs Boz Scaggs as a second guitarist). One of the CD's most memorable tracks is "I Love Money," a humorous account of having champagne tastes and a beer budget. Like so many blues songs that have been recorded over the years -- or, for that matter, country songs -- "I Love Money" manages to laugh at life's disappointments. Freund also provides a few instrumentals -- which include "Mr. Jackson's Boogie" and the jazz-influenced "Cool Dream" -- and that is a good thing because they give him a chance to really stretch out on electric guitar. Although "C" for Chicago is a Chicago blues album first and foremost, Freund shows his appreciation of jazz at times. And that is why he was lucky to have guitarist/singer Dave Specter produce this album. A versatile musician, Specter has one foot in the blues and the other in jazz, and he serves Freund well on this generally decent but imperfect effort. © Alex Henderson, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/c-for-chicago

Native New Yorker, Steve Freund plays some good traditional Texas and electric Chicago-style blues on this album. How many great musicians have come from Brooklyn? There are definite influences of Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, and James Cotton in Steve's playing, but nothing wrong in learning a few tricks from the blues masters. That's the natural evolution of blues music. This album also has some jazz in the mix. Listen to "Pallet on the Floor" or "Forbidden Stuff". Cool tracks ! Boz Scaggs plays good solo guitar on "Please Love Me", and rhythm guitar on "Jumping at Shadows". Other great musicians on this album include David Maxwell, Kim Wilson, and Willie Henderson. Try and listen to Steve's great "Set Me Free" album, and check out stevefreund.com

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Please Love Me - B.B. King, Jules Taub
2. 'C' for Chicago - Steve Freund
3. I Love Money - Steve Freund, Harlan Terson
4. Wild Woman - Albert King
5. Jumping at Shadows - Duster Bennett
6. Working Man - Michael Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
7. Forbidden Stuff - Steve Freund
8. Pallet on the Floor - Trad.
9. Highway Woman - Steve Freund
10. 38th Street Blues - B.B. King
11. Everytime I Get to Drinking - Albert Luandrew
12. Mr. Jackson's Boogie - Steve Freund, Pete Crawford, Mot Dutko, Justin O'Brien
13. Folks Like You - Steve Freund, Tom Bucy
14. Cool Dream - Steve Freund

MUSICIANS

Steve Freund - (guitar & vocals)
Dave Specter, Boz Scaggs, Pete Crawford - (guitar)
Harlan Terson, Tim Wagar, Justin O'Brien - (bass)
Rob Waters, Wendy DeWitt, David Maxwell, Austin DeLone - (keyboards)
Bob Carter, Kevin Coggins, Mot Dutko, Mark Fornek - (drums)
Sam Burckhardt, Terry Hanck, Willie Henderson - (tenor, alto, & baritone sax)
Kim Wilson - (harmonica)
Mark Hannon, Paula Burns -(bckgr vocals)

SHORT BIO

Although he's played all around the U.S. (including stops in New York, Chicago, etc.), blues guitarist Steve Freund is best-known in the San Francisco Bay Area. Born on July 20, 1952, in Brooklyn, NY, his mother (who played classical piano) initially inspired Freund, but it was around the age of 16 when he first picked up the guitar. In 1976, Freund moved to Chicago and began to play regularly with Sunnyland Slim, which then led to gigs playing alongside such blues notables as Hubert Sumlin, Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, Paul Butterfield, Luther Allison, Koko Taylor, and Little Charlie & the Nightcats. By the late '90s, Freund had begun a regular residency at the bar/club The Saloon in San Francisco, almost always playing alongside blues pianist Wendy DeWitt, while issuing several albums along the way -- Set Me Free, Romance Without Finance, C for Chicago, and I'll Be Your Mule. © Greg Prato, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/steve-freund-1